Thinking about Guerrilla Out of Home Advertising? Things to Know from Our Production Experts
At PJX Media, cross-team collaboration is a part of our DNA. To bring out of home advertising campaigns to life, we lean on our production team which handles all creative aspects of our clients’ campaigns. Creative spec sheets, proofing, offering best practices and guidelines, and providing proof of performance (POP) photos are all handled by the production team…where would we be without them?
Billboards (referred to as “bulletins” in our industry) are still the top OOH format advertisers leverage. To complement these placements, we’ve seen more and more brands use guerrilla out of home formats.
What are some guerrilla OOH formats? Guerrilla postings, sidewalk stencils, sidewalk vinyls/stickers, and projections to name a few.
If you’re thinking about using any guerrilla OOH formats, keep reading.
What to Keep in Mind for Guerrilla OOH Tactics
Specific locations are not guaranteed: While your campaign can focus on a specific neighborhood or point of interest (POI), there isn’t a guarantee for precise targeting. The unpredictable nature of guerrilla marketing is what keeps these activations feeling organic. Keep this in mind during the planning process.
One-time activation: Whether you purchase posters, stencils, or vinyls, consider your campaign as a one-time activation. Your art will not be refreshed, and its removal is just nature doing its thing over time. If absolutely necessary, our vendor partners can take your creative down via powerwashing, just give us the heads-up if you need a hard take-down date.
Consider public reception: Guerrilla OOH activations are viewed as disruptive and appear outside of the traditional “frame” of OOH advertising, so the public may respond and react unexpectedly.
Our production team has shared some of their best practices for executing guerrilla out of home formats. For a deeper look into guerrilla postings, check out this blog post.
What to Know About Chalk Stencils
Keep it simple. Using a single color combined with a sans-serif font ensures that the application is both clean and easy for the viewer to read. Stencils are designed for a single round of application; once your start date arrives, it’s a one-time execution with no refreshing.
Structural bridges are small connecting tabs that tie inner cutout pieces of a letter, like the center of an O or A, to the outer frame. An island is the center piece that also can be used to create the look of the letter O. Bridges and Islands are critical for the structural integrity of your stencil and, therefore, the successful application of your advertisement. When developing your message and design, keep in mind that adjustments may be needed to ensure these bridges are properly placed.
Durability: The chalk used by vendor partners can withstand rainy conditions and usually lasts at least a week or two. These will fade over time, but if there is a hard takedown date, powerwashing is available, with an additional cost.
What to Know About Projections
Visible at Night Only: Projections work best against a dark canvas: the evening sky. They also rely on high-contrast visuals or video with dynamic motion. In select locations, audio support is also available.
Pre-Vetted Locations: Some of our vendor partners have pre-vetted locations where they hold exclusive projection rights. Your projection will give off an authentic guerrilla vibe to the public, while giving you the confidence that it can stay active all night without interruption.
What to Know About Vinyl Stickers
High-Quality & Durable: Made with high-resolution, slip-resistant materials, vinyl stickers function as eye-level mini-posters right on the sidewalk. Depending on foot traffic and location, these stickers can last up to a month, with removal typically occurring through natural wear-and-tear or power washing.
Other Formats for a Guerrilla Activation
Looking for other OOH formats that give off that "guerrilla" vibe? Here are a few thought-starters:
Mobile Trucks: Perfect for short-term activations or driving impact around major events, mobile trucks act as moving billboards that weave directly through your target market. You get two large canvases for your brand’s message, along with the flexibility to designate custom routes.
Wrapped Cars/Vehicles: Street-level wrapped cars offer a unique, localized canvas - with options for digital top-screens to amplify your message. Some partners can even project holograms from vehicle roofs (check out this New Era campaign from the 2025 NFL Draft). Want to make an even bigger splash? Organize a swarm, where a fleet of branded cars converges at a specific location to create an unmissable moment.
Whether you're leaning into traditional out of home placements or high-impact guerrilla activations, OOH gives your brand the power to connect with audiences in the real world. At PJX Media, we support everything from single-day pop-ups to full-scale global campaigns. We'd love to help you tell your story with out of home media, so get in touch today!
