Interpretation of Elevator Advertising Case: How to Use Smart Creativity to Improve Conversion?

Introduction: Why are elevator advertisements still worth paying attention to?
Elevator advertising is a localized medium for close range high-frequency exposure. Both traditional elevator frame advertisements and the emerging elevator intelligent screen advertisements in recent years have the advantages of "high reach rate, strong targeting, and frequent touchability". Elevator advertising often brings stable results at lower customer acquisition costs for local stores, community services, financial and educational products. This article will guide you step by step on how to determine whether an elevator advertisement is worth investing in, from selecting a location to attributing its effectiveness.
一、 Types and characteristics of elevator advertising
1. Elevator frame advertisement (paper or spray painted)
Commonly found around or at the entrance of elevator cars in residential and office buildings. Advantages: Low production cost, wide coverage, suitable for brand exposure and event information release. Limitations: Weak interactivity, difficult to update in real-time.
2. Elevator intelligent screen advertising (digital)
Including vertical/horizontal playback of short videos, interactive content, and QR code landing pages. Advantages: Can release dynamic materials, conduct A/B testing, and update in real-time; Easy to track (scan code, click). Limitations: Rent and production costs are relatively high, and there is a high demand for creativity.
3. Car backboard, floor stickers, and handle stickers
Suitable for short promotions and building brand memory points. Usually combined with frameworks or screen displays to increase reach.
二、 6 questions that must be answered before advertising
What is the goal? Who is the target audience for exposure, in store, QR code scanning, or promotion? What is the geographical range of community residents, white-collar workers, students, etc? What is the budget and cycle for a single building, district, commercial district, or city? How to attribute and measure (settlement by week/month)? Compliance and approval requirements for exclusive discount codes, short links, and store inquiries? (Property/Building Management Rules)
Clear goals and attribution strategies determine the advertising approach and creative direction.

三、 Delivery process
1: Goal and KPI Setting
Clearly define the core KPIs for a single launch (exposure, number of QR codes scanned, number of visits to stores, or conversion rate). Set short-term trial investment (2-4 weeks) and long-term evaluation period (3 months+).
2: Location selection and crowd portrait
List candidate buildings: residential communities, office buildings, and mixed use buildings. Observe the characteristics of elevator users: morning and evening rush hour, weekend activity level. Priority should be given to selecting the elevator car or lobby location where the target user has a long stay time and a high frequency of editing touches.
3: Choose advertising format (framework vs smart screen)
If the goal is continuous brand exposure with limited budget: prioritize elevator frame advertising. If pursuing interaction and immediate conversion: choose elevator intelligent screen advertising (can post short videos, scan QR code landing pages). Blended advertising: The framework is responsible for memory points, while the smart screen is responsible for conversion guidance.
4: Creativity and copywriting (3-second rule)
Core elements: brand logo, one main slogan, clear CTA (scan code, dial number, collect coupons in store). Keep the screen concise: transmit a key message within 3 seconds. The smart screen can add short videos, countdown, and interactive Q&A to enhance participation.
5: Negotiation and Contract (Key Terms)
Clearly define the lease term, playback frequency (smart screen), screen replacement frequency, fault compensation, and maintenance responsibilities. Require the advertising party to provide playback data (frequency, publication rate) and location information. If it is a long-term investment, strive for tiered pricing or trial period discounts.
6: Installation/Launch and Acceptance
Framework class: Check the screen size, material, and fixing method. Smart screen: Check the playlist, resolution, volume (if any), and night brightness. After going online, take photos for verification and keep records of both parties' acceptance.
7: Monitoring and optimization
Convert attribution through discount codes, short links, exclusive scripts, etc. Observe the data from the first week to determine whether it is necessary to change ideas or adjust the time period. For smart screens, multi version carousel testing (A/B) can be performed.
8: Review and Expansion
Summarize CPA (Customer Acquisition Cost), in store rate, and conversion path. If the effect is good, replicate the advertising plan to similar buildings/commercial districts.
四、 Effect measurement: Practical indicators
Exposure: Estimated number of passengers x playback frequency. Interactive data (smart screen): number of QR codes scanned, number of clicks, and completion rate of interactions. Conversion data: number of coupon cancellations, number of attendees, transaction amount. Customer acquisition cost (CAC): advertising cost ÷ number of new customers.
Tip: If there is no direct online interaction, it is recommended to use the method of comparing stores or time periods to estimate changes in effectiveness.
五、 Creative Example
Store recruitment (promotion): Main image+large font "Scan code to get 20 yuan coupon"+QR code. Brand building: Large image of characters/product photos+3 character slogan+small character brand story entrance. Information related (property/service): Short key points+contact information (avoid excessive text).
六、 Common Misconceptions and Avoidance Methods
Misconception 1: Only focusing on unit price without considering the quality of delivery
Avoidance: Prioritize evaluating whether the elevator passengers are the target audience, rather than just comparing prices.
Misconception 2: Too much information piled up in creativity
Avoidance: Follow the principle of "single information, strong CTA", especially during short playback periods on smart screens.
Misconception 3: Placing without attribution plan
Avoidance: Design discount codes or short links in advance, or create a clue registration form to ensure quantifiability.
Misconception 4: Ignoring Property and Community Approval Rules
Avoidance: Communicate with the property management in advance about the approval process and prohibited investment content to avoid delisting or fines.
Misconception 5: Treating smart screens as a universal tool
Avoidance: Smart screens enhance interactivity, but lack good creativity and practical implementation, resulting in limited effectiveness.

七、 Budget reference and cost-effectiveness judgment
Elevator frame advertising: Generally, the production and advertising costs are relatively low, making it suitable for covering multiple long-term exposure points. Elevator intelligent screen advertising: The rental and material production costs are high, but it has strong interactivity and data capabilities, making it suitable for customers who pursue short-term conversion and effect optimization.
Judging whether it is worth investing: mainly based on the cost of reaching the target once, the degree of target matching, and whether the conversion can be tracked. If the goal is in store or instant promotion, smart screens often have better tracking and conversion efficiency; If the goal is long-term brand memory, frame advertising can serve as a stable foundation for exposure.
八、 Legal and Compliance Notice
Compliance with relevant regulations of the Advertising Law requires caution in financial, medical, and educational advertisements. Comply with property/building management regulations regarding size, brightness, and content. If the smart screen involves personal information collection, it must comply with privacy protection and data processing standards.
九、 Conclusion: Is elevator advertising worth investing in?
Summary judgment: Elevator advertising is a localized and high-frequency effective medium. Its value depends on the clarity of the target, the matching degree of the selected audience, and the ability to establish a traceable conversion path. For merchants who hope to attract local traffic and enhance their in store rates, elevator advertising (especially when combined with elevator intelligent screen advertising) is usually a worthwhile choice; If the budget is limited and the goal is a short-term, large-scale brand presence, careful evaluation of collaboration with online channels is necessary.