What do you think should be on a billboard? Logo, product/service, website, phone number, tagline, catchy headline? Maybe you have insisted on all of those on one billboard.

How about just a person in a visually engaging pose? How about without a logo or product/service? Apple breaks marketing ground and not only gets its outdoor advertising noticed, but earned media as well.

Apple wanted to make sure that on one day, the AirPods Pro would be introduced to the world. That can easily be accomplished in a digital format, but not in the tangible world or printed Billboards. So Apple designed a two-stage rollout. The first stage was giant, dramatic and highly noticeable people shots that break through clutter; the second stage added Apple AirPods in the people’s ears and a small Apple logo. Yep, a small logo.

AdWeek said that Apple took more than 30,000 photos to find the right look for the billboards. The campaign also used extensions (extensions are artwork placed outside the “live” billboard area). Extensions provide another visual technique that attracts attention.

The real power was the dramatic imagery. Photography is underrated for its pulling and selling power. It tells a memorable story that doesn’t need all the words, numbers, websites. It breaks the rules and breaks through the clutter.

Mark Mathis III is chief creative & strategy officer, partner and cofounder of AMPERAGE Marketing & Fundraising.