Printed construction hoardings are no longer just blank barriers around building sites—in the UK, they have become canvases for bold advertising and creative placemaking. From high streets to redevelopment zones, imaginative hoarding designs are transforming eyesores into eye-catching displays that engage the public. This blog explores how creative hoarding design choices can capture attention and build buzz, with UK-focused insights on trends, examples, design tips, materials, and sustainability.

The Role of Hoardings in Advertising and Placemaking

Hoardings serve a practical purpose as temporary perimeter fences, protecting pedestrians from construction sites. But they also double as prime advertising space, offering a huge canvas to promote projects or brands long before doors open. In busy UK cities, a well-designed hoarding—particularly when using economy hoarding panels—can turn a disruptive construction site into a placemaking feature, adding character to the streetscape rather than detracting from it. For example, when Selfridges in Birmingham was under renovation, the exterior wrap featured a striking pink-and-black artwork by a local artist, transforming the site into a visible landmark for miles around.

Placemaking with hoardings means using them to contribute positively to the public realm. City councils and developers increasingly recognise that bland plywood boards just don’t cut it anymore for image-conscious projects. Instead, colourful graphics, community murals, or informational displays on hoardings can help beautify neighbourhoods, reflect local culture, and show consideration for the community. In short, creative hoardings serve both marketing goals and civic pride, turning necessary site barriers into opportunities to enhance the environment.

Bold and Imaginative Design: Why It Matters

Bold, imaginative hoarding designs are crucial because they attract attention in a crowded visual landscape. Outdoor advertising is highly effective—an estimated 98% of the UK population sees some form of out-of-home (OOH) advertising each week, so a striking hoarding has the potential to reach virtually everyone passing by. The more eye-catching the design, the more likely people will notice it (and even stop to take a closer look or a photo). This kind of attention is invaluable for building buzz around a new development or store launch.

Creative designs also make hoardings memorable and shareable. For instance, luxury retailer Harrods in London turned its construction hoarding into an enormous 3d “vault” door—a design so unique that it featured no text or logos at all, yet it enthralled passersby with its sheer novelty.

Customers walking into the store’s temporary entrance felt as if they were entering a life-sized bank vault, creating an immersive experience rather than an eyesore. These types of inventive concepts can spark word-of-mouth and social media shares, amplifying the reach far beyond the street.

Trends in UK Hoarding Use and Public Engagement

In the UK, the use of hoardings as marketing tools has surged in recent years, in parallel with the recovery of out-of-home advertising and a boom in construction activity. Following the post-pandemic decline in 2020, OOH advertising spend has made a robust recovery—reaching a record £1.4 billion in 2024.

Notably, even as digital screens grow, classic printed formats like billboards and hoardings saw revenues increase 5.3% in 2023, proving that physical posters retain their impact. This broader advertising trend signals that brands continue to invest in printed outdoor media alongside digital, and construction hoardings are prime real estate for such ads.

While UK OOH advertising revenue experienced a dip in 2020, it has rebounded strongly—reaching record levels by 2024. This resurgence underscores the renewed impact of out-of-home marketing, particularly through innovative uses of printed hoardings.

Key Design Tips for Effective Hoardings

When planning a hoarding design that will truly capture attention, keep in mind a few key design strategies. Here are some top tips for effective hoarding graphics:

1. Keep it Bold and Simple: Use large images, bold colours, and minimal text. A strong visual or catchy slogan will be more memorable than a cluttered design.
2. Ensure High Contrast & Legibility: Make text stand out with high contrast, ensuring readability from a distance, especially under different lighting conditions.
3. Be Creative and On-Brand: Reflect your brand’s personality in the design. Incorporate unique artwork or clever copy while staying true to the brand’s message.
4. Add Interactive or Experiential Elements: Consider adding QR codes, windows, or interactive sections to engage passersby. Even a simple hashtag can encourage social sharing.
5. Mind the Context and Regulations: Tailor your design to the surroundings and follow local guidelines, ensuring it’s appropriate for the location and not overly distracting.
6. Prioritise Quality and Durability: Use high-resolution prints and durable materials to maintain the hoarding’s appearance. Apply anti-graffiti laminates to protect it from vandalism and weathering.

By following these tips, UK developers and designers can create engaging hoardings that capture attention while maintaining brand consistency and adhering to safety regulations.

Popular Materials and Printing Options for Hoardings

The choice of material for a printed hoarding impacts both the visual result and the practicality. Here’s an overview of common materials and print options used for hoardings in the UK, reflecting what companies like The Hoarding Print Company offer:

• Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP/Dibond): These are a go-to choice for premium hoardings. Dibond panels feature a durable polyethene core enclosed between two aluminium sheets, offering strength, stability, and a sleek finish. Aluminium composite boards are weatherproof, rigid, and smooth, which makes them ideal for high-quality direct printing. Graphics on ACP come out vibrant and sharp, and the panels won’t warp or rust in UK weather.
• Plywood Hoardings: Traditional timber hoardings use plywood boards, often painted or covered with printed posters/foamex. Plywood is sturdy and affordable, and it’s easy to cut to fit any site. However, wood needs proper sealing/painting to withstand rain and can look rougher. Many sites still use plywood for the base structure, then add printed vinyl graphics on top.
• Printed Vinyl Wraps: Vinyl is extremely versatile for hoarding graphics. High-quality vinyl prints can be produced on large-format printers and then applied (as adhesive decals or sheets) onto hoarding surfaces, whether those are ACP panels, plywood, or existing walls. Vinyl yields vivid colours and can be laminated for extra durability.
• Mesh Banners and Building Wraps: For very large façades (such as scaffolding around entire buildings), PVC or mesh banners are used. Mesh banner material has tiny perforations that allow wind through, which is crucial on scaffolding or open fencing to reduce wind load. These building hoardings can cover huge areas with printed advertising or imagery (sometimes called building wraps).
• Speciality Materials: In some cases, other materials are employed for unique effects. Polycarbonate sheets (a type of virtually unbreakable clear plastic) are occasionally used for sections of hoardings—for example, to create windows or to display illuminated graphics behind them. Backlit hoarding panels with LED lighting can make graphics visible at night using translucent film prints.

Selecting the right material often comes down to the project’s duration, budget, and desired quality. For a high-profile, long-term site in a city centre, durable aluminium composite with top-notch printing is likely best. For a short-term pop-up event, a cheaper printed banner might do the job. In all cases, balancing durability, print quality, and cost is key—as is considering what will happen to the materials after use (which brings us to sustainability).

Conclusion

Creative hoarding design is a win-win for everyone. For businesses and developers, a striking hoarding builds early buzz and reinforces branding to countless onlookers. For the public, it transforms the urban landscape, making construction sites more interesting, informative, or beautiful instead of an annoyance. And when done with sustainable practices, it even supports environmental goals. In the UK’s vibrant development scene, the humble hoarding has evolved from a mere safety requirement to a versatile marketing and placemaking tool. By harnessing bold design, engaging content, the right materials, and green thinking, companies can ensure their hoardings truly capture attention—and leave a positive impression long after the project is finished.