“Our board shows the tower, the pool, the offer, the price and four logos.”
A driver sees a board for a few seconds. Pick one picture and one line, and leave the rest to the brochure. Our hoarding advertising work starts there.
Home / Industries / Real estate / Hoarding design
Industries · Real estate · Hoarding design
Real estate hoarding design for housing and commercial projects
For builders, developers and plot marketers. One message, the registration details and a layout that reads from the road.
A strategist calls you in one working day.
/ 01 Real estate hoarding design
What real estate hoarding design covers, and who must approve it
Real estate hoarding design turns a large outdoor board into one message: a picture, a line, an offer or a milestone, one way to respond and the RERA details. PromotEdge designs the artwork and plans the sites.
Media owners and printers book, print and mount the board. You pay them what they charge.
A hoarding is a large outdoor board, also called a billboard. The Indian pages we opened on real estate hoardings were a vendor's case study and two trade articles from 2012 and 2018. None says what the board must show.
RERA is the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. Each state has its own RERA authority, and a project in scope of the Act must be registered with it before it is advertised (section 3(2) lists exemptions). The whole launch is on our real estate marketing page. This page covers the hoarding only. Brochures, site boards and the sales-office kit are a separate job.
A hoarding does not close a sale. It makes a name familiar. Plan the next step for the person who notices it.
- Since 2015working with Indian brands
- 65+in-house team: strategy, creative, media and tech
- 4pillars under one roof: strategy, advertising, digital, on-ground activation (BTL)
- Every monthwe visit clients, and we review with every client online every week
/ 03 The element table
What to put on a real estate hoarding, element by element
The reasons are our view unless a source is named.
| Element | What to put | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Picture | One image of the building, the view or one scene of life in it. Mark a render as an illustration. | The eye takes in one picture in a few seconds. |
| Headline | One line saying what the project is and where. Skip adjectives you cannot prove. | The ASCI Code asks that claims of fact can be substantiated. |
| Offer or milestone | One launch offer with its end date, or one milestone your site records back. | A date that moves makes the board false. |
| Name and logo | The spelling on the registration certificate, large, near the top. | Buyers look the name up on the RERA website. |
| RERA number and website | Dark type on a plain strip, placed as your state's order says. | The Act says to mention both prominently. |
| QR code | Only where your state asks, or where you want a trackable link. Test the scan on the proof. | Orders differ by state. |
| Way to respond | One phone number or short address that only this board uses. | It lets you count enquiries per board. |
| Conditions | A condition that changes the main claim goes in the claim, not in tiny type. | The ASCI Code bars ads that mislead by omission. |
| Light | Say whether the board is lit, and approve a night proof too. | Some cities approve lit boards separately. |
Send us a draft and we will mark each row that needs a fix.
Go deeper
Read more about Hoarding design
Deeper reading if you want the research behind the plan.
Site hoarding or city hoarding?
Two kinds of board
A site hoarding stands at the project. A city hoarding stands where your buyers travel. They need different messages.
| Site hoarding | City hoarding | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it stands | At or beside the project land | On a route, a junction or near a station |
| Its job | Direction and next step: the name, an arrow, the distance and one number | Familiarity: one picture, one line, the name |
| Permission | The land is yours, but the authority still licenses the board | The owner's consent plus the authority's licence |
Source: RERA Act, sections 2(b) and 3(1) and KMC advertisement page, opened 2 November 2026
How big should the letters on a hoarding be?
Letter height and distance
We found no letter-size rule for hoardings in the pages we read. A US highway study quotes 30 feet of reading distance for each inch of letter height, 20 feet for weaker eyesight and 40 feet for normal eyesight. The table is our arithmetic. It is road-sign research, so treat it as a floor, and read a scaled proof from the road. The study had six participants who stood still, and the sign was a changeable message sign; the report says drivers in a moving car would likely read at shorter distances.
| Reading distance | 20 ft per inch, weaker eyesight | 30 ft per inch, the US road-sign estimate | 40 ft per inch, normal eyesight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 m (about 100 ft) | 5 in (13 cm) | 3.3 in (8 cm) | 2.5 in (6 cm) |
| 60 m (about 200 ft) | 10 in (25 cm) | 6.7 in (17 cm) | 5 in (13 cm) |
| 100 m (about 330 ft) | 16.5 in (42 cm) | 11 in (28 cm) | 8.3 in (21 cm) |
Source: US Federal Highway Administration, FHWA-HRT-15-027, chapter 3, opened 2 November 2026
Who signs off a real estate hoarding?
The sign-off order
Our view. Marketing signs first and legal second, so legal reads once. The RERA owner signs the proof, because the number and any code must match the print.
| Who | What they check | They sign when |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | One message, one picture, the offer, the way to respond | The layout is final and the words are frozen |
| Legal | Every claim has a record, and nothing misleads by what it leaves out | After marketing, so the read happens once |
| RERA owner | The number, the website and any code match the certificate and your state's current order | On the proof, not the draft |
| Vendor | Permission number, structure papers and, for a lit board, the lighting approval | Before printing |
| Printer | A scaled proof, the colours and the QR scan | Before the full run |
Source: Our view, drawn from the Act, the ASCI Code and the Kolkata page above, opened 2 November 2026
/ 04 Sound familiar?
Common problems with real estate hoarding design
“The registration number sits in small grey type in the corner.”
The Act says to mention it prominently. Use dark type that reads from the road, and ask your RERA owner whether your state sets a size or position.
“The QR code is the size of a stamp.”
Where your state asks for one, scan it from a printed proof at the distance a person will stand. A driver cannot scan it. A walker at a signal can.
“The picture is a render that looks nothing like the finished tower.”
Mark a render as an illustration and match it to the sanctioned plans. The same model can feed a 3D walkthrough, so the board and the film agree.
“Calls come in, and nobody knows which board brought them.”
Print a number or short web address that only this board uses. See our real estate lead generation work.
“The vendor offered a free site that faces a wall of parked lorries.”
We map your buyers' roads first. Our media planning work picks sites after that.
“Marketing approved one draft, legal read another, and the permit came after the print.”
Keep one version and one person in charge. See the sign-off table below.
Our beliefWe look at your business first. Marketing comes second.
/ 05 Cost
What affects the cost of designing a hoarding
No price list. These things move the number.
We don't publish a price list. A written quote follows within 2 working days of a 30-minute call. Rent, printing and mounting are paid to the media owner and the printer. Our guide to hoarding advertising cost shows how those are priced.
What affects the cost
- Boards and sizes. Each size needs its own layout.
- Languages. Each language is a new layout and proof.
- Pictures. Existing renders and photos cost less than new ones.
- Lit boards. They need a day proof and a night proof.
- Rounds of change. Changes after the legal read cost time.
How we price it
- We talk for 30 minutes about your project, your sites and your launch date
- We list the boards and the files you already have, then write the scope
- A written quote follows within 2 working days
What you get in the quote
- The boards in scope, with the sign-off sheet
- Print-ready files that you own
How you pay
| Way of working | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Design per board set | One message, adapted to each board size |
| Site plan add-on | Routes, sites and inspection, scoped separately |
/ 06 Rules to know
RERA, ASCI and city rules for a builder's hoarding
Pages opened on 2 November 2026. We read the pages, not the order files they link to. Check the current text before you print.
The RERA Act covers a hoarding: section 2(b) counts publicity in any form about a project as advertising. Section 11(2) says an advertisement shall mention prominently the website address of the Authority and include the registration number.
Maharashtra: MahaRERA lists an order of 8 April 2025 on QR codes and the font size of the registration number in advertisements. We have not read the order.
West Bengal: the notifications page lists an order on advertisement and other publicities of registered projects, dated 25 July 2024. We have not read it.
Andhra Pradesh: its guidelines page says the number goes on any advertisement, with the RERA registered details. We did not read its display guide, an image.
ASCI is the Advertising Standards Council of India, a self-regulating body. Its Code lists hoardings among the media it covers. Clause 1 of Chapter I asks that claims of fact can be substantiated. Clause 4 bars an advertisement that misleads by implication, omission, ambiguity or exaggeration.
Kolkata: the KMC page says hoardings fall under chapter XIV of the KMC Act, 1980, and need prior permission and a licence. A permanent hoarding on private land also needs a structural stability certificate from an empanelled engineer and the owner's NOC (no objection certificate, a letter of consent). Lighting needs illumination charges paid to KMC. See outdoor advertising in Kolkata.
Mumbai: Media4Growth reported on 28 November 2025 that the BMC policy asks for a structural stability procedure. It also reported an NOC from the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) for lit and digital boards. Read the policy. See hoardings in Mumbai.
Other states have their own orders, and every city has its own rules. Check your state RERA and ask the vendor for the permission number. General guidance, not legal advice.
/ 07 What happens next
What happens after you ask
For projects we think we can help, this is how it goes.
- 01
A strategist calls you
In one working day: a 30-minute call with one of our strategists about your business and what is not working.
- 02
You get a 1-page plan
A short, honest plan: what to fix first and what we would do. It is free.
- 03
A quote, if you want one
If you want to go ahead, we send a quote within 2 working days.
We confirm the timeline in the quote. Contracts start at 3 months, with 30 days' notice to stop. A single job, such as one event or one print run, is quoted as one project.
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What people say
What clients say about PromotEdge
“PromotEdge and their team did an excellent job with our website. They engaged with every team member, understanding their needs with great patience before collating them into a user requirement and a design spec. The result was both aesthetically pleasing and usable. PromotEdge continues to support us and our ever-growing and very demanding wish list. We hope to grow this relationship beyond website design and into content development. I am confident that PromotEdge's team will continue to guide us in delivering product content to our global customers, making the website an important tool for product awareness and lead generation.”
Bimal ShahExecutive Director at Fine Organic Industries LimitedManufacturing
“PromotEdge is one of the most hard working creative agency that LISTENS ! Do I need to say anything more ?!!!!Saurav is one of the most open person I have come across who is ready to speak abt the elephant in the room , that no body wants to talk about !”
Harsh GuptaManaging Director at Rishta FoodsFMCG
“I am delighted with the successful launch of our new website, thanks to the exceptional support from PromotEdge. I extend my gratitude to Benjamin and the team for their dedication and hard work, which has resulted in a new, fresh-looking site that perfectly meets our expectations.”
Mom MitraMarketing Head at IleadEducationABP Education
“Working with PromotEdge has been an enriching experience for ABP at many different levels. Your understanding of the digital space, customized brand solutions and prompt servicing have helped us achieve our brand goals with so much ease.I would like to especially thank the creative development team, the digital strategy team and above all the servicing team with whom I have worked in close association with, for their all-round support. I wish you all the best in your upcoming projects and I look forward to collaborating with you in future as well.”
Satabdi SahuLead - Brand and Content at ABP EducationEducationBrahmaputra Volleyball League
“I really want to thank Sayantan and his team from PromotEdge because what I find good in them is that, the team.When the team is wonderful, the outcome will definitely be wonderful. I have seen the first cut of the reel which they shot the first day, and they gave us on the morning of the second day.The entire first day they worked so hard and over the night they have edited and on the morning they shared it with us.This is just fabulous and the commitment they have shown. The FIVB team has said that they are very happy with team PromotEdge.And when I showed this clip to my friends, those who are from this industry, they (also said that they) have done a fabulous work.So happy and compliments to the team -- Sayantan and PromotEdge team.Thank you.”
Abhijit BhattacharyaFormer Captain Indian VolleyBall Team; and Founder of Brahmaputra Volleyball LeagueSports
“Hi, my name is Hitesh Malhotra. I'm working in FIVB. We are working with PromoteEdge (with Team Sayantan).I would like to give you a brief detail. So when we started this project, we had a good discussion with them. And personally, I feel PromotEdge is kind of a one stop solution for us. So basically, they provided us the whole storyboarding regarding the digital assets and how we can use those with our ambassadors programme.They helped us a lot to structurize the whole concept from our side. So in fact, there were a lot of great ideas they provided, guiding us...what we should do and what we should not do in this regard.And the best part was that they were very clear from there, from the whole blueprint. So they understood our request from the proposal and then accordingly they executed it.”
Hitesh MalhotraSports Development at Fédération Internationale de Volleyball - FIVBSports
“I've known PromotEdge for quite a few years. PromotEdge is passionate, knowledgeable, and destined for success. What stands out is their positivity, energy, passion, and innovative thinking. They bring a warm presence to their work. Best wishes to PromotEdge.”
Mahendra SurekaFounder & CEO at India MACJ - A Buyers Choice Home InspectionsReal estateBirdman Chemeng Pvt Ltd.
“PromotEdge has been a unique creative group amongst unique creativity world. Approaching, analysing, understanding the deliverables with ethos and transferring the same into a spellbound creative identity, just cut out for clients’ requirement are signature values of the team. A huge ROI, thy name is PromotEdge.”
Rajat ChatterjeeHead Business Development at Birdman Chemeng Pvt Ltd.Manufacturing
“We are thoroughly impressed with the extensive knowledge and professionalism demonstrated by PromotEdge. Their adept management of our digital and creative requirements has significantly contributed to our satisfaction with their digital marketing services and expertise.”
Rahul MishraAssistant Manager Digital Marketing & Ecommerce at Magik LightingElectricalsShyam Metalics Group
“We have been working with PromotEdge for almost a year. We have engaged them to manage our Digital marketing campaigns and are impressed with the outcome. Within weeks, we had noticed an increase in performance and they continuously worked on adapting to a new strategy if required to get the maximum mileage for us based on our requirements. A big thank you to their team, and I would highly recommend them to anyone who is considering growing on their Digital Space.”
Shubham GadodiaDeputy Brand Manager at Shyam Metalics GroupSteel and metalsUnimark Group
“As a progressive and emerging digital marketing company, PromotEdge is doing something right to enhance the experience of companies associated with them.The format they have created is great, there is a smooth flow of communication, great brainstorming sessions and additionally super ideations and executions.Pritha, the account manager, has always been supportive. Whether day or night, weekday or weekend, she came through and solved the problems.…”
Anish Basu MallikMarketing Executive at Unimark GroupReal estatePrime Volleyball League
“I would just like to congratulate, PromotEdge Led by Sayantan and his Team who have done an absolutely fantastic job of branding for the Kolkata Thunderbolts, the Branding, the social media campaign was bang on, and I think it help not just the Kolkata Thunderbolts but its really helped me because in the East there was at least one Team that looking very well promoted and branded. Thanks guyz, well done.”
Joy BhattacharjyaCEO at Prime Volleyball LeagueSports“In the city of Kolkata , there are very few full service advertising agencies which are compact, agile, quick and yet have the vision and creative /executional abilities of large reputed agencies. My experience with PromotEdge has been extremely satisfying and they have done world class job for Brand Building exercise of LION INDIA.In my professional life spanning over 4 decades I have always worked with leading agencies like Lintas, Grey, etc so my benchmarking was rather high. I am delighted to say that i did find the agency measuring up nicely on every parameter of our expectations. The team […] comes majorly from experienced staff who have had experience in large agencies. Added to this is the” young oozing with unique new.”
Hardeep SinghMarketing ConsultantTATA Metaliks
“PromotEdge has been working with our organization for social media management and other creative activities. They are responsive, supportive and hard working. We look forward to a long and positive relationship with them.”
Medha SharmaStrategic Head at TATA MetaliksSteel and metals
“I commend PromotEdge as a content and advertising partner. I applaud their top-notch team, swift problem-solving, and outstanding digital media work for my brand. I express my happiness and eagerness for a long-term partnership.”
Priyanka GuptaDirector at Nitya Gold & DiamondsJewellery retail
“An aligned partner is always a welcoming step. Someone who can think deep through lines, understand the matrix of product management. Fortunate enough, PromotEdge has been a partner in progress for me. Their uniqueness lies in their hands down knowledge of delivering the strategy and communication needed for the hour. A practical approach to ensuring return of investment has been the day one mantra. An advisory to an executionist, the systematic approach by team PromotEdge has been the impeccable.”
Bobby SrinivasChief Manager Marketing & Brand Marketing at Utkarsh IndiaSteel and metals
“PRAN & PromotEdge have been working together for last 1.5 years. Throughout, the work experience is good and satisfactory.As a client, we found PromotEdge very professional and dedicated towards any project assigned to them.Most importantly, They have a bunch of energetic young people who always think from clients’ point of view and come up with the solution which is appropriate for them.I would personally refer PromotEdge to those who want creative and contemporary work.We wish PromotEdge a successful journey ahead.”
Sharif Rezwan KabirBrand Manager at PRAN RFL GroupFMCG“It’s a great way to be back at PromotEdge. I had a great time working them in Kolkata Tunderbolts doing the Volley Biswas character and they all are like good friends like family Saurav Bhaiya, […], and as I speak, I see Sayantan da walking in. HA HA! But it’s been a great experience I am glad to again meeting them and being here at the PromotEdge. Make Calcutta relevant again.”
Priyam GhoseContent Creator“I had a great time in Kolkata, I met entire PromotEdge team and they are amazing. Design language that they follow is crazy, the copywriting is crazy. I think they are one of the best digital marketing agencies, not just in Kolkata, entire eastern region and I think brand should not leave the chance to interact with these guys, make stories together.So, if I had something here, I would have definitely collaborated with them and worked. Now is the time, I mean it’s not even a question whether digital is important or not you don’t have an option today. Go digital work with PromotEdge and create your brand stories. Thank You.”
Manish PandeyConsultant & Coach to Content Creator“The PromotEdge Agency stay with us all these 3 days, since when we arrived..more, more than 3 days. Since in the airport, they stayed together with us (FIVB team).Sayantan and his team is providing you to see this video.I just (want to say) _Shukriya_. Thank you so much for your team, because we are here in front of the camera but all the team is behind. The entire team together did this great job so that you can see how much volleyball is a lovely sport.”
GibaBrazilian Former Volleyball PlayerSports
Builder, developer or plot marketer?
Tell us about your board and your site, and we'll mark what needs a fix before print
Common questions
-
It is the planning of an outdoor board for a housing or commercial project. It fixes one picture, one line, an offer or milestone, a way to respond and the RERA details, and fits them to the board's size, light and viewing distance.
-
Section 11(2) of the RERA Act says an advertisement shall mention prominently the website address of the Authority and include the registration number. Section 2(b) counts any publicity about a project as advertising. Some states add rules on size, position and QR codes, so check your state RERA's current orders.
-
It depends on the state. MahaRERA's orders page lists an order of 8 April 2025 on QR codes and the font size of the registration number in advertisements. We have not read it. Check your state RERA's current text, and test any code on a printed proof.
-
We found no letter-size rule for hoardings in the pages we read. A US highway study quotes 30 feet of reading distance for each inch of letter height, and 20 feet for drivers with weaker eyesight. Read a scaled proof from the road instead of trusting one number.
-
The local authority gives permission. In Kolkata the KMC page asks for prior permission and a licence, and for a board on private land a structural stability certificate and the owner's NOC. In your team, marketing, legal and the RERA owner should each sign the design.
-
Section 3(1) of the RERA Act says no promoter shall advertise, market, book, sell or offer for sale, or invite persons to purchase in any manner, before the project is registered. A teaser board is risky, so ask your lawyer first.
-
It depends on the number of boards and sizes, the languages, whether you have renders and photos, whether boards are lit, and the rounds of change. We publish no price list. A written quote follows within 2 working days of a 30-minute call.
-
Our view: one line, plus the project name, the registration details and one way to respond. We found no standard that sets a word count. Show the draft from the right distance for a few seconds, then ask what was remembered.
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Ongoing monthly work has a 3-month minimum. After that you can stop with 30 days' notice. A project has a clear end, and we confirm its timeline in the quote. The smallest first step, a free 30-minute call and a one-page plan, commits you to nothing.
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Before work starts, we agree in writing who your main contact is, how often you meet, and who signs off each piece of work. The person who plans your campaign talks to the person who designs it every day. The seniors you meet at the first call are the people who run your work.