One of the questions we hear most is not "what does it cost?" but "how fast can we start?". The answer depends on the format, the site and how far along your preparation is. In this article we walk through the steps of a scaffolding or facade advertising campaign, and where things typically get stuck.
The short version
A campaign goes through six steps: site selection, agreement, design and print files, permit, print and installation. Some of them run in parallel. How much lead time you need depends mainly on two questions: is the visual ready? And is there already a permit for the site?
Our advice: plan generously and work backwards from your start date. The best surfaces are often booked early.
Step 1: Choose the site
Start with the question of which surface fits the job, not which one happens to be free. Clarify:
- Who do you want to reach, and how does that audience move?
- Which format fits: scaffolding or facade?
- When should the campaign run, and for how long? The minimum booking at Hyde Media is four weeks.
- How many contacts per day does the site offer?
You will find our available surfaces under Sites. Calculate the contacts for different periods in the campaign calculator.
Good to know: scaffolding surfaces only exist while building work is going on. Construction projects follow their own calendar, and the surface becomes available when the scaffolding goes up, not when it suits your media plan. Attractive periods are therefore often booked quickly.
Step 2: Agreement and specifications
Once the site and period are settled, the booking is agreed. Ask for the exact specifications of the surface straight away: dimensions, aspect ratio, safe zones and file format. Having the right requirements early saves extra work later.
Step 3: Design and print files
This is where most delays happen. A visual for a scaffolding banner is not an enlarged poster. It needs its own aspect ratio, a design that works from a distance, and print files of the right quality.
Typical requirements:
- a file in the correct aspect ratio for the specific surface
- sufficient resolution for large-format print
- fonts embedded or converted to outlines
- colours in CMYK, not RGB
We describe the details in Scaffolding banners: print files, specifications and design. If the visual still needs to be developed, start the design in parallel with choosing the site, not afterwards.
Step 4: Permit
Large-format advertising in Switzerland generally requires a permit. Responsibilities and procedures differ by canton and municipality, and processing times vary too. Some sites already have a permit, such as Riehenring 141 in Basel, where the city has granted one.
Hyde Media handles the permit process for you. Permits can include content conditions. At Riehenring 141, for example, alcohol advertising, political advertising and pornographic content are excluded. So check early whether your visual fits the conditions of the site. More in Permits for scaffolding advertising in Switzerland.
Step 5: Print
Large-format banners are printed on special materials, for scaffolding often on mesh, a fabric that lets air through. For very large surfaces, several panels are joined together. Hyde Media handles the print and schedules production around the installation date.
Step 6: Installation
Installation is coordinated with the scaffolding contractor or the property and depends on the weather: in strong winds it is postponed. Hyde Media takes care of installation and, at the end of the campaign, removal.
The three most common delays
1. The visual is not ready. By far the most common cause. Start the design in parallel with site selection.
2. The print files are wrong. Low resolution, RGB colours or the wrong aspect ratio lead to correction rounds. Ask for the specifications as soon as the agreement is in place.
3. The decision drags on. While internal approval is pending, someone else books the surface. Scaffolding periods do not wait.
When time is tight
If you have a fixed date, such as a trade fair or an opening, work backwards from it and build in a buffer. Nobody fully controls the weather, construction progress or print capacity. For Christmas campaigns, see our article on planning in Q4.
Checklist
- Define goal, audience and period
- Choose site and format
- Agree the booking and request specifications
- Design the visual and deliver print files
- Permit (handled by Hyde Media)
- Print and installation (handled by Hyde Media)
- Prepare measurement
FAQ
How long does it take for a scaffolding ad to go up?
It depends on whether the visual and the permit are already in place. It is fastest when the site has a permit and you deliver print-ready files. Plan a buffer anyway.
Who takes care of print and installation?
Hyde Media handles print, installation, removal and permits. You supply the visual.
What is the minimum campaign length?
The minimum booking at Hyde Media is four weeks.
Have a start date in mind? Contact us and we will check which surfaces could work.
