London's iconic red buses do more than navigate the city's busy streets—they act as moving billboards, offering unparalleled exposure to millions of potential customers daily. In this guide, we’ll explore the various formats available for London bus advertising and explore how each one can help your brand achieve marketing success.
Why London Bus Advertising Still Works
Despite the growth of digital marketing, traditional outdoor advertising, especially on London buses, remains a key driver of brand visibility. Here’s why bus advertising continues to be such an effective channel:
- Reach: London buses pass through the heart of the city, reaching over 90% of its population. The average Londoner sees bus advertisements a staggering 43 times each week.
- Captive Audience: With extended dwell times, bus passengers have plenty of time to engage with your message.
- Iconic Design: The red London bus is instantly recognisable and provides a memorable backdrop for your brand messaging.
- Targeting: You can tailor your advertising to specific demographics and locations within the city, ensuring your message reaches the right people.
- Impact: Bus advertising makes up approximately 82% of all outdoor advertising impressions in London.
Now, let’s break down each advertising format and how they can elevate your brand's marketing strategy.
External Bus Advertising Formats
T-Sides
What They Are: T-sides are rectangular ads positioned on the street-facing side of the bus, visible to both pedestrians and passing traffic.
Why They Work:
- Perfectly positioned to capture attention at eye level.
- These ads are especially effective for commuters and shoppers.
- There are over 8,000 buses on London’s network, all offering this high-visibility format.
Sales Impact: T-sides are ideal for building brand awareness in specific areas. For instance, Specsavers saw a 28% increase in local store visits following a T-side campaign. This format's large canvas (2.5m x 0.6m) offers an ideal space for bold, attention-grabbing messaging—particularly for time-sensitive promotions.
Supersides
What They Are: Supersides cover the entire side of the bus below the windows, offering substantial ad space for maximum exposure.
Why They Work:
- Offering 9-10m² of space, Supersides dominate the street-level view.
- Great for creating large visuals or telling a brand story with extended messaging.
Sales Impact: Supersides deliver fantastic return on investment, providing 64% better recall than traditional outdoor formats. Brands such as Netflix have used Supersides to immerse viewers in their narratives, driving both engagement and sales. Retailers report an average sales increase of 23% when using Supersides for product launches.
Mega Rears
What They Are: Mega rears cover the entire back of the bus, capturing the attention of drivers and pedestrians behind the bus.
Why They Work:
- They’re perfect for catching the eye of stationary traffic.
- Ideal for high-visibility, high-dwell-time situations like traffic jams.
Sales Impact: Mega rears are great for conversion-focused campaigns. Companies in sectors like insurance and finance report a 36% increase in website traffic after running mega rear campaigns. The extended viewing time makes this format ideal for more complex messages, such as educational content or offers with promotional codes.
Full Wraps
What They Are: Full wraps turn the entire bus exterior into a branded experience, including windows covered with perforated vinyl that allows passengers to see out.
Why They Work:
- Full wraps create an unmissable, high-impact presence.
- These ads offer unmatched creative flexibility for immersive storytelling.
Sales Impact: Full wraps achieve the highest return on investment, with recall rates exceeding 91%. For example, major consumer brands and film studios have seen up to a 47% increase in sales from campaigns featuring full wraps. Their striking visuals often lead to social media shares, generating additional impressions far beyond the physical ad.
Internal Bus Advertising Formats
Bus Headliners
What They Are: Located above the windows inside the bus, headliners capture the attention of seated passengers.
Why They Work:
- Offering extended exposure (average journey time is 28 minutes), headliners keep your message in the passenger's line of sight for the duration of the ride.
- They’re particularly effective for targeting local and commuter-based demographics.
Sales Impact: Headliners are known for their high conversion rates, typically 18% higher than print ads. Financial services, local businesses, and educational institutions have all benefited from this format, especially when used for more detailed messaging.
Digital T-Screens
What They Are: These are digital displays placed at the front of the bus, offering dynamic content throughout the journey.
Why They Work:
- The ability to change content based on time, location, or audience provides a fresh and engaging experience.
- Enhanced by movement and animation, these screens capture passengers' attention more effectively than static ads.
Sales Impact: Digital T-screens have been shown to generate 27% higher engagement than static formats, with significant success for QR code-driven campaigns. Food delivery services and entertainment brands, in particular, have seen remarkable conversion rates, up to 34% higher than static alternatives.
Seat Backs
What They Are: Seat back ads are placed directly in front of seated passengers, ensuring your message is unavoidable.
Why They Work:
- These ads provide high-frequency exposure throughout longer trips, making them perfect for campaigns that require deeper consideration.
- Ideal for offering detailed information or promotional codes.
Sales Impact: Travel companies, for example, have seen a 29% increase in bookings through seat back ads, as passengers have time to absorb the information and act on it.
Maximising Sales Impact with Strategic Targeting
Geographic Targeting
London’s bus network allows for precise geographic targeting. Brands can focus their campaigns on specific areas or routes that match their audience’s location. This is particularly useful for:
- Retail promotions driving traffic to physical stores.
- Restaurants and services with location-specific offers.
- Event promotions targeting specific venues or districts.
Demographic Targeting
Each bus route attracts a unique demographic, so you can tailor your ads accordingly:
- University routes for youth-focused brands.
- Key financial center routes for professional services.
- Weekend leisure routes for entertainment and hospitality.
Day-Part Optimisation
Effective bus campaigns tailor their messaging to different times of the day:
- Morning: Business and professional services.
- Midday: Retail and immediate purchase opportunities.
- Evening: Entertainment, dining, and nightlife.
- Weekends: Family-oriented activities.
Aligning your campaign with these natural rhythms can lead to up to 31% higher conversions.
Measuring Success and Maximising ROI
With modern measurement techniques, bus advertising can now provide more detailed insights than ever before:
- Geo-fencing: Tracking customer visits based on exposure.
- Promotional Codes: Measuring direct response.
- QR Codes: Driving mobile engagement.
- Brand Lift Studies: Comparing exposed vs. non-exposed audiences.
These advanced metrics show that bus advertising campaigns typically offer a 30-40% lower cost-per-thousand (CPM) than other premium outdoor formats, with higher engagement rates.
Case Study: Driving Sales with London Bus Advertising
A leading UK retailer recently launched a multi-format bus campaign to promote their seasonal collection:
- Supersides on routes passing flagship stores.
- Digital T-screens promoting time-sensitive offers.
- Seat backs featuring QR codes for mobile shopping.
The campaign resulted in:
- A 42% increase in store visits along the campaign routes.
- A 156% spike in mobile site traffic.
- A 37% increase in average transaction value.
This integrated approach showcases how multiple formats can work together to guide customers from awareness to conversion.
The Continued Impact of London Bus Advertising
London bus advertising offers unmatched flexibility, visibility, and targeting capabilities, making it one of the most effective ways for brands to drive results. Whether you're looking to raise awareness with eye-catching external ads or convert customers with tailored internal messaging, London’s iconic buses offer an exceptional platform for your brand.
Ready to get started? Contact us today and let’s make your brand impossible to miss on London’s streets.
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