In this age of hyper-competition, tried and true advertising outlets such as TV, print, and radio simply won't cut it. Brands seeking to break through must resort to non-traditional advertising, an unconventional, brash strategy that commands attention where people are least prepared for it.
Introduction: When Ordinary Ads Aren’t Enough
These days, when every single one of us is exposed to an ad overload, it is not only difficult but also crucial to grab attention. Shoppers are no longer captivated by the dated set of advertisements that include television, billboards, and print, as they not only work at a hike in the budget but are also easily bypassed.
Today, brands have the unique opportunity to develop and share powerful experiences by cutting through the clutter, such as a campaign in a Mumbai coffee shop or a social media campaign in a mall. These innovative and, at times, cost-effective methods to reach the audience include having a branded subway station in Kochi or an online bulletin board in a mall and bridge the gap of connecting with the audience.
What Is Non-Traditional Advertising?
Non-traditional advertising is any promotional strategy that moves away from the common mass-media formula. These are media forms such as:
- Ambient Media
This entails putting advertisements in ordinary, out-of-the-ordinary locations where humans tend to find themselves.
Examples: ATMs, cups, elevator doors, washrooms.
Aims: Shock the audience and enhance recall through innovative placement. - Transit Media
Mobile or transport surface advertising to target the commuter and on-the-go audiences.
Examples: Branding of cabs, auto-rickshaws, buses, trains, metros.
Goal: Maximise visibility across different city locations and traffic hotspots. - Guerrilla Marketing
A bold, unusual campaign to generate word-of-mouth and trigger extreme emotions.
Examples: Street flash mobs, public graffiti, 3D street installations.
Objective: Become viral or attract attention due to surprise and creativity. - Experiential Marketing
Seamless campaigns that involve the consumer directly through experiential brand encounters.
Examples: Pop-up stores, product sampling, in-event live demonstrations.
Goal: Build personal connections and memorable moments with the brand. - In-Store Branding & Mall Activations
Mall promotions or in-store promotions to impact in-store purchase decisions.
Examples: Signage, LED display boards, kiosks, special event promotions in shopping malls.
Objective: Attract attention when consumers are in a buying frame of mind.
These types are remembered, interactive, and usually less expensive than standard choices.
Example: In cities like Kochi, brands are using metro stations, airport baggage belts, and even mobile vans to reach niche audiences effectively. (See more examples here.)
Why Choose Non-Traditional Advertising?
- High Impact & Visibility
Unconventional ad spaces surprise. A creative wall mural or branded auto-rickshaw is noticed more than a banner people skip. - Better Targeting
Reach your audience where they live, work, commute, or unwind—ideal for hyperlocal targeting. - Cost-Effective
Several non-traditional formats have high ROI, particularly for local or mid-sized companies. - Brand Recall
Tactile ad experiences linger. They invite social sharing, word-of-mouth conversations, and brand loyalty.
Types of Non-Traditional Advertising We Offer
At Excellent Publicity, we specialize in a wide range of non-traditional ad services across India:
Cab & Auto Branding
Branded wraps or decals are placed on taxis and auto-rickshaws, converting them into mobile billboards. The medium delivers around-the-clock brand visibility in high-density urban and suburban localities with high and diverse traffic.
Airport Advertising
An affluent and captive audience can be found waiting for their flights at the airport. Marketing at airports that appear on bag conveyors, security trays, lounges, and entry and exit points is perfect for luxury brands or companies that wish to target travellers who are habitual flyers as well as business decision-makers.
Metro Station Branding
Metro stations have high daily footfalls. Branding opportunities include wall wraps, stairwells, ticket counters, and digital signs. It's a great way to reach out to daily commuters and create frequency in city areas.
Digital Standees
These are digital display systems placed in malls, retail stores, offices, and public spaces. With rolling videos or video content, they showcase live and interactive brand stories in visibility-centric areas.
In-theatre Branding
Advertising in movie theatres—such as on-screen ad, standees in lobbies, or seat branding—engage audiences in distraction-free environments. Best suited for visual communication and remembrance.
Society Activations
Installation of promotional materials in guarded residential societies is one of the many outdoor advertisement methods. It can also be made through the interactive advertisement approach to households people doorknock to and their neighborhood by giving out samples, brand kiosks, or using the community area for branding.
Event & Experiential Marketing
Experiential marketing creates deep brand resonance through a specially tailored environment for activations like product launches, pop-ups, roadshows, and live demonstrations. This method creates a much stronger connection than other forms because the customer feels the emotion of the brand by personally testing the product.
Whether you are focusing on metros such as Mumbai or tier-2 cities like Kochi, we assist you in attaining the most effective solutions.
Case Study: Boosting Footfalls for a Retail Client in Kerala
A popular domestic fashion brand was opening a new store in Kochi, Kerala. Rather than using the usual media like newspaper advertisement or radio commercial, the company entered into an agreement with Excellent Publicity to implement a strategic out-of-the-box marketing campaign that could bring measurable returns.
Objective:
Generate high traffic and build brand recall in the first month of store opening.
Challenges:
Highly competitive retail environment with sparing consumer attention.
Need to appeal to a local market in a given small geographic area.
Short lead time prior to launch.
Solution Implemented:
- Auto Branding Across Key Routes
We identified densely populated areas and high-traffic locations in Kochi. Branded wraps were used on auto-rickshaws running through such routes. The mobile model provided constant brand visibility at several touchpoints throughout the day. It was most effective in residential and market locations where the target audience was most active. - Mall Standees Near Lulu Mall
Strategically placed branded standees were placed near malls' entry and exit points of Lulu Mall, a very busy mall in Kochi. They were high-visibility static ads addressing shoppers who were already in a shopping mindset. The design was created to emphasize the brand's imminent launch with a directional call to come visit the store nearby. - Digital Screens Inside Metro Stations
To reach everyday commuters, dynamic ads were shown on digital LED boards at main metro stops. These short-loop videos created awareness through repetition and high-traffic visibility, especially during rush hours. This format permitted attention-grabbing creatives with motion and product focus.
Results:
The campaign registered a 2X boost in store visits in the initial two weeks compared to benchmark estimates.
The brand recorded a 300% ROI on ad spend during the first month of business.
Post-campaign research indicated that more than 60% of walk-in traffic had viewed the brand's ad on one or more of the above listed media channels.
Outcome: 2X footfall in first two weeks and 300% ROI on ad spend.
Ready to Go Unconventional?
Break the clutter. Be remembered. Be different.
Get in touch with Excellent Publicity to plan your next non-traditional campaign. Our experts will help you craft a strategy that’s creative, cost-effective, and results-driven.
FAQs
Non-traditional advertising are unorthodox marketing approaches in the form of transit advertising, ambient media, and experiential marketing that engage consumers in unusual means, out of mainstream media like television or print.
As opposed to conventional advertising based on traditional media channels, non-traditional advertising emphasizes innovative placement and consumer engagement, tending to bring improved attention and recall at a reduced expenditure.
Yes, it's very effective for local targeting. Media such as auto branding, society activations, and metro ads enable local businesses to target specific communities cost-effectively and effectively.
Excellent Publicity provides cab and auto branding, airport and metro station advertising, digital standees, in-theatre branding, society activations, and experiential marketing in India.
Our experts analyze your business objectives, audience, and budget to propose the best non-traditional advertising mix for maximum ROI and impact.