Lift advertising
by Denise Nathan 

There have been many interesting things written on the psychology of human behavior in elevators. It seems to be one of those potentially awkward moments where complete strangers invade each other’s personal space.

What is acceptable behavior? Do you make eye contact, smile, extend a greeting or talk about the weather? The most favoured social norm is simply to stare ahead or look down at the floor until you reach your destination.

It is surprising that elevators have not been embraced by advertisers sooner. Lift advertising is a perfect medium with a captive audience who are keen to be distracted. Advertisers can have the full attention of consumers while they are waiting for the lift by promoting their message on the exterior doors and also inside the lift with door graphics, wall wraps or floor graphics. While waiting outside or inside lifts, people have to look ahead and so it is almost impossible to ignore any ad.

Lift advertising is new and innovative and a medium consumers have not yet become desensitized to. Overseas trends indicate that this is a hot new marketing vehicle. With a clever and creative design, lift graphics are guaranteed to capture consumer attention. They can be highly targeted to the building where the advertising is installed and, as well as capturing the attention of people using lifts, external graphics can also grab the interest of passers-by.

Lift advertising can be effective in shopping malls, sports stadiums, entertainment complexes and car park buildings.

The key is in creative design. Advertising is nott just a one way conversation. If you can engage the customer with a message and elicit a response the customer is more likely to connect with the message and be influenced by what they see.

A fantastic example is this ad for Instant Kiwi, a scratch and win card. The exterior graphics engage the customer but it is only when they enter the lift that the impact is really made through the surprising image on the floor. This impressive effect is undeniable and the advertiser is able to make a powerful connection with their target audience.

Lift graphics can also be used in office buildings for corporate branding or purely interior decoration.

An innovative campaign using lift doors was carried out by a large company in their office building. The company advertised their own company products (computers) to inspire their employees and get them thinking about their own products.

They are many ways this medium can be used to its full potential simply by thinking creatively.

For a humorous look at elevator psychology:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMeAhP97MFQ

Denise Nathan is Marketing Manager - MACtac in Oceania
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