Billboard design that works: the rules professionals never break

Billboard Hub · 2026-08-23

A billboard is the world's shortest conversation with a customer. Design for it like one.

One idea per board

Not three benefits. Not two offers. One idea, said big. If you can't summarise the ad in one sentence, neither can a driver at 60 km/h.

Type size: the 10-metre rule

Every 2.5 cm of letter height buys roughly 10 metres of reading distance. On a 32×6 m board viewed from 150 m, headlines need to be enormous — far bigger than feels comfortable on a laptop screen.

Contrast wins in sunlight

Baghdad sun bleaches weak palettes. Black on yellow, white on dark blue, dark on white — proven combinations that survive glare and dust.

Hierarchy in half a second

The eye should land on: brand → message → action, in that order, instantly. Squint at your design; whatever survives the squint is what drivers will see.

Arabic-first typography

For Iraqi audiences design the Arabic first, then fit the Latin — not the reverse. Arabic display faces need generous spacing to stay crisp at distance.

Test before you print

View your artwork at thumbnail size from across the room. That is exactly how the street will see it.

Need help? Billboard Hub's design service turns your brief into board-ready artwork, sized and proofed for the exact board you book.