BILLBOARDS: MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER. BUT DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT!
When blogging, I usually I try to stay away from billboard-specific “propaganda”, focusing instead on big picture ideas that all businesses can benefit from. However, today, I’m going to make an unabashed argument for considering our medium… why? Because if you ARE evaluating different types of advertising for your business, and finding it hard to come up with clear answers… or think that billboards are out of step with modern marketing… well, think again. Most businesses CAN benefit from our product! The 2017 numbers are finally coming in, and there are 3 story lines that deserve your attention.
1. Apart from digital/online advertising, the only mainstream medium growing is billboard/OOH (out-of-home) advertising. Over the last 17 years, that trend is becoming clearer and clearer.
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The OOH industry just wrapped up our 31st consecutive quarter of growth. Not many businesses or categories can say that, let alone one in media. That growth is primarily fueled by two amenities – firstly, billboards continue to offer huge reach in an age of audience fragmentation. Specifically, our digital inventory is aligning with the evolving needs of marketers: real-time messaging, flighted programs with no hard production, high-demand inventory, and unmatched aided recall. Road systems cost billions to construct, so that means what’s already in place is deeply embedded, and audiences are strong and powerful in these road systems. They rarely build more roads. Unlike radio or TV, which went from 10 viable channels or stations 20 years ago, to hundreds today, people are still stuck in traffic on the same basic roads in their communities. This is where our medium remains – matching up with busy lives. What that means to you, business owner, is high reach and high frequency – all still at a very low cost per 1,000 impressions… and all geographically relevant, or in other words, no waste. It simply does not get any better than that.
So don’t take our word for it: see who’s buying billboard advertising. HBO, a TV platform… Tech gods Apple and Google… Not your average Joe’s… The best of the best… And those who understand media extremely well… all buying billboard advertising, right now. More often than ever before. Um, shouldn’t you?
2. Other media accounts for almost 9% of all billboard revenue – $680 million dollars!
This is a continued powerful statement at a local level, further validating billboards. In this ever-changing world, our medium does what other mediums CAN’T – we deliver full reach of a given geographical area. There really isn’t a better way to show a potential advertiser that billboards work. Those who truly understand media… those IN other media… BUY OUR MEDIUM!! Why? We deliver audiences they can’t, even though they have unlimited advertising at their disposal. There’s no stronger validation than that.
3. Tech giants like Amazon, Google, Verizon, and Apple are all top 10 advertisers! Crazy, right?
At a national or even global level, this is another tell-tale affirmation of billboards’ continued relevance in a complicated world of digital media and overwhelmed lives. For brands in super competitive situations, OOH delivers impact by piercing clutter with dynamic visibility and constant connection to customers. Again, incredibly powerful brands with massive influence and free exposure opportunities at their disposal still need and want billboard advertising! Why is that? Because with the average American consuming 10,000 media impressions per day, it’s hard to be impactful and be remembered. The very smartest and savviest advertisers in THE WORLD recognize that only through tremendous repetition and impact can their brands remain at the top of the mind. Furthermore, they recognize our media offers exactly this because it’s both dynamic, AND immersed in peoples’ daily lives and commutes with high reach and frequency.
Written by Eric - May 15, 2018
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