Political advertising especially outdoor types have since assumed prominent places in advertising plan during campaigns. However, there is a sharp division among researchers on the influence of these important advertising tools in our contemporary world. Therefore, the study was conducted to ascertain the role of billboard advertising in mobilising electorate during the 2023 general elections in Delta State. The study adopted the survey research method. A sample of 400 was taken from the population of 3,221,697 voters in the state and the researchers relied on questionnaire as instruments of data collection. The study saw a 97 percent response rate with the analysis based on 386 respondents' perceptions. Research findings revealed that there was massive use of billboard during the 2023 general elections in Delta State. It also revealed that the voters were exposed to billboard as a tool for political advert. Part of the findings of the study was that certain appeals were embedded in the political advertising to which the electorates were exposed with youth appeal being the most prominent. The researchers found that the exposure of electorate in Delta to billboard advertising did not influence their choice of candidates during the elections. The study concludes that billboard are important aspects of tools for 21st century political advertising but are not as powerful as assumed especially in respect of influence on voter behaviour and electoral decision during elections. The study, among others, recommends that there is the need to keep improving billboard advert to further make it a viable tool for political advertising in Nigeria.

Ajo, T. F. (2006). The role of advertising activities on the choice of political candidate; a case of the 2007 presidential election. African Journal of Democracy and National Development. 29(1), 2-48.

Asemah, E. S. (2011). Perspectives in advertising and public relations (Revised edition). Jos: Matkol.

Ata-Awaji, A. R. & Zekeri, M. (2020). Political advertising and voters’ behaviour in Lokoja during 2019 governorship poll in Kogi State, Nigeria. International Journal of Advanced Research, 8(3), 995-1005. https://doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/10717

Bardi, J. N. (2010). Advertising practice in Nigeria: Development, new trends, challenges and prospects. EJOTMAS: Ekpoma Journal of Theatre and Media Arts, 3(1-2), 47-54.

Bishnoi, V. K. & Sharma, R. (2009). The impact of tv advertising on buying behaviour: a comparative study of urban and rural teenagers. JK Journal of Management & Technology, 1(1), 65-76.

Bochkareva, A. & Petrova, K. (2010). Advertising as a marketing communication tool. Differences and similarities between customer’s perception and company’s expectations. Case study of Swedish telecommunications operator Tele2 AB. Bachelor thesis in Business Administration submitted to Mälardalen University Sweden. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:324534/FULLTEXT01.

Chioma, P. E., Akinsiku, M. A., Ntiwunka, G. U. & Ogu, M. I. (2015). Influence of political advertising on electorate’s voting decision in Nigeria. Studies in Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(1), 45-51.

Edegoh, L. O. N., Asemah, E. S. & Okpanachi, R. A. (2013). Guinness Stout billboard advertisement and gender representation: views of media practitioners in Anambra State, Nigeria. New Media and Mass Communication, 18, 55-64.

Ekhareafo D. O. & Akoseogasimhe, I. M. (2017) A textual analysis of 2015 presidential election advertisements in selected Nigerian newspapers. https://unimaid.edu.ng.

Elijah, F. A., & Aer, G. (2017). Exposure to tummy-tummy noodles television advertisement and its influence on patronage in Makurdi, Nigeria. Nasarawa Journal of Multimedia and Communication Studies, 1(1), 85-98.

Essien, E. O. (2021). The influence of billboard advertising on electorate's voting

decision: A study of the 2019 Cross River state gubernatorial campaign. Dissertation. Dublin, Ireland. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.28674.15049

Esuh, P. & Umanah, A. J. (2019). Advertising billings in the 2015 presidential electioneering campaigns in Nigeria. Research Journal of Mass Communication and Information Technology, 5(2), 1-14.

Ezegwu, D. T., & Mbonu, A. N. (2013). Audience perception of the use of billboard in showcasing government’s social development projects: a study of Anambra state integrated development strategy billboard. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Review, 4(1), 197-210

Ezegwu, D. T., Etukudo, O. R., & Akpan, U. A. (2015). Political advertising and the electorate's choice of candidates in Nigeria's 2015 general election: A study of select electorate in Anambra state. Communication Panorama: African and Global Perspectives, 1(1), 1-6.

Ezegwu, D. T., Ezeji, A. & Agbasimelo, C. I. (2015). Comparative study of the influence of Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari’s billboard campaigns on voter’s behaviour in Anambra State. Communication Panorama: African and Global Perspectives, 1(2), 1-23.

Fill, C. (2005). Marketing Communications engagement, strategies and practice (4th ed.). Prentice-Hall: Financial Time.

GeoPoll. (2019). Case study: measuring the effectiveness of outdoor advertising. https://www.geopoll.com/resources/outdoor-advertising-association-of-nigeria-case-study.

Hobbs, L. (2020). The best strategy for political billboard in 2020. https://www.effortlessoutdoormedia.com/the-best-strategy-for-political-billboards-in-2020.

Hopper, D. (2020). Advertising as a marketing tool to reach and influence customers. https://www.business2community.com/marketing/advertising-as-a-marketing-tool-to-reach-and-influence-customers-02351013#.

Inobemhe, K., Santas, T., Nwafor, A. C., Aminu, J., & Udeh, N. T. -S. (2022). Utilisation of billboards for the mobilisation of the electorate during the 2019 elections in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa state, Nigeria. In E. S. Asemah, D. O. Ekhareafo & T. Santas (Eds.), Thoughts on political communication in Nigeria (pp. 55-68). Enugu: GO University Press.

Kalilu, R. O. R., & Alimi, A. O. (2022). The cultural attitudes in advertising designs in Nigeria. International Journal of Arts and Technology, 14(2), 158-169.

Lilleker, D. G. (2017). Political campaigns. https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29308/1/political%20campaigns.pdf.

Nwankwo, C. F., & Arimitan, O. G. (2021). Audience perception of political billboard advertisements of the 2019 general elections in Warri. Innovative Journal of Art and Social Sciences, 3, 196-205.

Ojekwe, G. I. (2016). Political advert campaigns and voting behaviour: Akinwunmi Ambode's 2015 election campaign in Lagos State. Journal of African Elections, 15(2), 13-27.

Okpara, G., Anuforo, R., & Achor, P. N. (2016). Effect of political advertising on voters’ choice of candidate: emphasis on the 2015 governorship election in Imo State, Nigeria. European Journal of Business Management, 8(26), 50-69.

Olujide J. O, Adeyemi S. L. & Gbadeyan R. A. (2011) Nigerian electorates' perception of political advertising and election campaign. Journal of Social Science, 27, 179-185.

Panagopoulos, C. & Green, D. P. (2008). Leveling the playing field: A field experiment testing the impact of radio advertisements on electoral competition. American Journal of Political Science, 52(1), 156-168.

Panagopoulos, C. & Ha, S. E. (2015). Billboards and turnout: a randomised field experiment. Journal of Political Marketing, 14(4), 391-404. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377857.2015.1086141

Ranjan, A., & Upadhyay, A. K. (2024). Exploring the continuity and change in political advertising research: A systematic literature review. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 2376853. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311889.2024.2376853

Santas T., & Ezeanoikwa, A. (2017). Students perception of the use of Facebook for political advertising during the 2015 gubernatorial election in Nigeria. Nasarawa Journal of Multimedia and Communication Studies, 1(1), 223-233.

Suprayitno, S. (2016). Creativity and impact of advertising electronic LED billboards in Jakarta. Humaniora, 7(2), 167-177. https://doi.org/10.21512/humaniora.v7i2.3513

Swallehe, O., & Mwilongo, K. (2022). A systematic review on the extant of outdoor advertisements literature in developing countries. Open Journal of Business and Management, 10(4), 1676-1694. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojbm.2022.104086

Tejumaiye, J. A., Simon, G. I. & Obia, V. A. (2018). Political advertising in Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election. Global Media Journal, 16(31). Retrieved from https://www.globalmediajournal.com/open-access/political-advertising-in-nigerias-2015-presidential-election.php?aid=87123.

Wroblewski, M. T. (2018). The advantages and disadvantages of billboards as advertising tool. Chron. Retrieved from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advertising-billboards-work-75826.html.