Example of Display Advertising Campaigns

Online display campaigns can take many forms, depending on the industry and business goals. A local car dealership, a B2B company, and a nationwide travel website all have different audiences and marketing needs, so their display campaigns must be tailored accordingly.

Some businesses focus on reaching customers in a specific area, while others want to appear alongside relevant content that aligns with their product or service. Below, we explore three examples of how online display advertising can be used effectively across different industries.

Pros and Cons

Local Car Dealership – Geotargeted Awareness Campaign

Customer:

A car dealership in a mid-sized city selling new and used vehicles.

Campaign Strategy:

For a business that relies on local customers, geotargeting is essential. The dealership can display ads only to users within a 30-mile radius to ensure the right audience sees their promotions.

Example Ad Execution:
  • Display ads appear on news websites, local blogs, and auto-related content for users in the dealership’s service area.
  • Ads showcase special promotions like “0% Financing for Local Buyers” or “Test Drive the Latest SUVs Near You.”
  • The Ads should include messaging linked to user’s city to show that this ad is coming from a local company, to win trsut (e.g., “Best Car Deals in [City Name]”).
  • Ad Formats used: Medium Rectangle
Why It Works:
  • Ensures ad spend is focused only on potential local buyers.
  • Reduces wasted impressions from users outside the dealership’s service area.
  • Creates urgency with location-based offers.
Cost Estimation:
  • 2 Week campaign will generated around 1.0 Mio. Ad Impressions.
  • The average CPM on the selected sites will range between $5 - $10.
  • The overall investment for this campaign is $5,000 – $10,000

B2B Software Company – Contextual Targeting on Industry Websites

Customer:

A B2B company selling cloud-based project management software.

Campaign Strategy:

Since B2B customers often research solutions on industry websites, contextual targeting is the best way to reach them.

Example Ad Execution:
  • The company places display ads on business news sites, project management blogs, and websites dealing with technology.
  • Ad messaging highlights key benefits like “Increase Team Efficiency – Try Our Software Today.”
  • Calls to action include “Download Our Free Whitepaper” or “Schedule a Demo.”
Why It Works:
  • Ensures ads are seen by professionals actively reading about relevant topics.
  • Positions the brand as an expert in the industry.
  • Doesn’t rely on cookies or user tracking, making it a privacy-friendly solution.
Cost Estimation:
  • Even so the campaign runs nationwide, the overall reach is limited since only focus on B2B decision makers.
  • Since decision making process in this kind of field takes a long time, the campaign is constructed to run as an always on campaign, making sure the ad constantly reminds the target group about the solution.
  • The campaign will generate around 3.5 Mio. Ad Impressions per week.
  • The average CPM for this highly targeting will range between $10 - $20.
  • The overall investment for this campaign is $35,000 – $70,000 per month.

Nationwide Travel Website – Seasonal Contextual Targeting

Customer:

A travel booking platform offering vacation packages across the country.

Campaign Strategy:

People plan vacations at different times of the year, so a travel site can use seasonal contextual targeting to align ads with timely content.

Example Ad Execution:
  • The company will only focus on websites that have a context to traveling (e.g., travel blogs).
  • Based on Google Trends, the company analyzed when people search for specific holidays. For example, in autumn, customers look for ski resorts, while in winter, they seek beach vacations.
  • The company uses this information to plan two yearly flights, each being 3 weeks in autumn and 3 weeks in winter, to advertise their ski and beach vacation packages.
  • Display ads include messages like “Escape the Cold – Book Your Winter Getaway.”
Why It Works:
  • Captures users when they are actively looking for travel ideas.
  • Matches ad messaging with seasonal demand.
  • Increases engagement by showing ads in a relevant browsing environment.
Cost Estimation:
  • The campaign runs nationwide and attracts a lot of people.
  • The campaign will generate around 30.0 million ad impressions in three weeks.
  • The average CPM for this highly targeted campaign will range between $4 - $8.
  • The overall investment for this campaign is $120,000 – $240,000.