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This issue of the OutdoorBillboard.com Newsletter
includes:
Visit us at www.outdoorbillboard.com The weekly Q&A show with Frank Rolfe is available on the 2nd week of the month. You can call in for FREE on the second Monday of each month at 5:00 Pacific, 6:00 Mountain, 7:00 Central, or 8:00 Eastern and ask any Outdoor Advertising Question you would like. The Q&A sessions are 1 hour in length as long as questions are being asked. Here is the call in info: Dial in Number: 712-338-8000 Participant Passcode: 5539# OutdoorBillboard.com is the place for:
Outdoor Advertising National Directory: this
is our one-of-a-kind directory of Outdoor Advertising
Industry Companies and it is FREE to list your
company in the directory. We will also link directly
to your website and all we ask is for a reciprocal link back
to OutdoorBillboard.com. OutdoorBillboard is committed to the industry and dedicated to helping your company succeed! Featured Company: Daktronics 1-888-325-7446 The company provides dynamic electronic outdoor displays and indoor displays to the Out-of-Home industry for use in third party advertising applications. Daktronics service network excels in the control of large display networks through display installation and maintenance, content creation, advertisement logging and comprehensive system monitoring. HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF A BILLBOARD WITH BAD VISIBILITY Sure, everyone has a billboard face with poor visibility. Maybe you built the sign for the great visibility of the other side, or maybe it was a great read at one time, but there is at least one bad advertising face in every portfolio. So what do you do to maximize that one clunker? Here are some ideas: · If the problem is blockage – try to fix it. As long as a tree is on private property, you have the right to ask the neighbor if you can trim or remove it. It never hurts to ask. You may offer them cash or some other concession if they will allow you to do so. Even if a tree is on highway right-of-way, it still never hurts to ask. You’d be amazed how many trees and other vegetation obstructions have been removed legally by just asking the proper authority. If the problem is blockage from a man-made obstacle, such as a flag or someone’s business sign – again, it’s the right step to ask if the obstruction can be moved or removed. One of my best billboard deals of all time was buying a vacant sign in downtown Dallas from a big company for next to nothing, because it had a terrible blockage from a “parking” sign right in the middle of it. Apparently, they had never bothered to ask the “parking” sign owner if it could be moved. I immediately got the green light from the owner, without a penny of compensation, just to be a good neighbor. I lowered the sign to where it did not block the billboard at all, yet did not damage to the effectiveness of the “parking” sign either. · If the problem is the angle of the billboard face to the highway – try to increase it. Many a billboard has gone from a dog sign to a winner by significantly increasing the angle of the “V” – the angle of the sign face in relation to the road. For example, a back-to-back sign , depending on the orientation of the highway, be virtually unreadable. However, with a sharp angle aimed at the traffic, that same read takes on a new life. If the law allows you to, it is possible to increase the V of the sign without a lot of construction – but be sure it’s legal to do so. In some markets, the ordinance allows such a trick since you are not increasing the size, height, or lighting of the ad face, just the angle (which is normally not even in the ordinance). If you have not built the sign yet, then put a big V on it from day one. · If the problem is the height of the billboard face over an obstruction that cannot be changed, such as a roof line of a neighboring building, see if you can build a smaller sign or a taller sign. Many times, a billboard owner does not realize that he can actually build the sign higher than he thinks. Often, this is due to a lack of understanding as to where the height of the sign is measured from. Sometimes, you are given some extra feet in height if the sign begins on land below the grade of the highway. Another thing to check is if there is a different configuration that eliminates the blockage. For example, instead of a 14’ x 48’, maybe you should build a 10’6” x 36’? You’ll pick up almost 4’ of additional clearance. A clearly visible 10’6” x 36’ is worth a whole lot more money than a badly blocked 14’ x 48’. · If there is no way to fix the visibility issue, then try and improve what you’ve got to sell. Paint the empty face day-glow yellow and put your phone number in huge black letters, the full height of the sign face. Or put some “rhinestones” on it so that the face glimmers in the light. If someone should rent the sign, then make sure their ad copy if only a few HUGE words, and paint it in obnoxious colors to get your attention. · Use this sign for public service messages or put in a barter program. Sometimes, when people are not paying cash, they are more tolerant of a bad sign than others. As I’ve said many times, I’ve never met a sign I couldn’t rent. Even if your sign is the worst one in the world there is, at some price, someone who will rent it. At least demand is always strong, even when your visibility isn’t. Never give up, and often something goes your way. Remember the ugly duckling that becomes a swan. Well, you may not get a swan, but you could get a pricey chicken. You just don’t want a turkey! About the Author: Frank Rolfe is the author of the book... Big Bucks From Big Signs and has also put together a series on how to succeed and make money in the Billboard Business. A set of 6 one hour tele-seminars on CD. Find out more here!
Rolfe started his
billboard empire from his coffee table, as a
fresh graduate from Stanford University. It
began as a resume builder for graduate school
applications, and ended with a sale to a public
company 14 years later. |
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This is AdSource’s first foray into the new technology, and
the experience exceeded all expectations, according to
In addition to the unmatched image quality,
“The key when moving from vinyl to digital billboards is to
modify your sales approach,” explained Gaspard. “Recognize
the dynamic nature of digital and reach out to new
prospects: those businesses that need to update their
advertisements regularly and can’t wait the two to three
weeks necessary to change a vinyl billboard. If you invest
the time to identify and target those industries, the payoff
will be tremendous.”
“
For a free copy of “10
Things You Should Know About Digital Outdoor Before Buying,”
go to http://www.watchfiredigitaloutdoor.com/freetips6.
###
About
Linda Muskin
847.432.7300 |
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WATCHFIRE DIGITAL OUTDOOR EXPANDS LOUISIANA
FOOTPRINT
WITH TWO NEW DIGITAL BILLBOARDS NEAR SHREVEPORT Watchfire Digital Outdoor (watchfiredigitaloutdoor.com) expanded its presence in Louisiana with the installation of two new 19mm digital billboards in the Shreveport/Bossier City market. The 10’6” x 36’ billboards were purchased by Ace Outdoor and are installed in Bossier City, La., along the new Benton Road overpass (see images).
According to Michael Grace, owner of Ace Outdoor, digital billboards are the most effective because they stand out among all other signs and provide advertisers unlimited flexibility. “With digital billboards, advertisers get their own private media center. They can day-part ads, advertise multiple products, create time-sensitive messages, or change their ad campaign quickly and from a remote location. This truly is the future of outdoor advertising,” said Grace. “We are very proud to bring this level of technology to this market. Watchfire manufactures the highest quality digital displays on the market today with the sharpest and best looking display.” Watchfire Digital Outdoor produces the industry’s only 19mm pixel pitch billboard—which packs 768 LEDs into every square foot and is capable of producing 281 trillion colors, the most in the industry. It is the only manufacturer that fully encapsulates the LED module in a thick bed of silicone gel, which enables the LED boards to operate in extreme conditions: over 180 days completely submerged in water, 60 days in a salt-spray chamber, and temperatures ranging from -40°F to 120°F. In areas like Louisiana, where heat and humidity are both high, the silicone gel protects the boards from humidity and moisture, eliminating the need for cooling units. All Watchfire boards feature unique cabinetry and a streamlined electronics design that improve operation and simplify maintenance. Watchfire’s warranty, lead-times, customer support, and no-fee software are considered to be the best in the industry. “We’re very excited to add Ace Outdoor to our quickly growing list of customers,” said Darrin Friskney, director of Watchfire Digital Outdoor. “Ace was looking for a combination of the best looking sign on the market and a company with a history of building extremely durable LED products. With 768 LEDs per square foot, our boards produce a crisper, sharper image than anything else on the market, and because of our unique encapsulation process, our boards stand up to Mother Nature like no other product. Ace did as much homework as any of our customers, and determined that Watchfire stands out on both of those fronts.” For more
information on our second-generation digital
billboard, 
About Watchfire Digital Outdoor
Watchfire Digital Outdoor engineers and manufactures the best looking and most durable digital billboards available anywhere. It is the digital billboard division of Watchfire by Time-O-Matic, which has been manufacturing outdoor electric signs for more than 75 years, has been manufacturing LED signs for 10 years, and has more than 12,000 outdoor LED signs in daily operation throughout North America. Watchfire Digital Outdoor is located in Danville, Ill. with marketing and sales operations in Indianapolis. For more information, go to www.WatchfireDigitalOutdoor.com.
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Double Take
Advertising LLC FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Double Take Mobile Advertising Tests the Denver Market Provo, Utah, 2/20/08 – Double Take Advertising, after its first year of operation in Utah, has expanded into the Denver area. “The Denver market, with its metropolitan environment, lends itself naturally to the effectiveness of mobile advertising. This expansion represents an opportunity to serve the needs of larger, national brands looking for innovative ways to catch the attention of those on the road,” says Rachael Bushman, Advertising Coordinator for Double Take. Double Take has primarily worked with local companies from Salt Lake and Utah County since opening in 2007. Double Take is assessing market needs in the Denver area with a two-sided, single truck campaign. The success of this campaign could lead to the opening of a new branch. A recent study shows that 64% of Americans spend at least 15 minutes commuting twice a day, while an average American travels 302 miles every single week. “With Americans spending so much time on the road it is important to get in the path of consumers with eye-catching advertising messages,” says Bushman. Double Take Advertising offers unique outdoor advertising solutions including mobile billboard vehicles. This allows companies to market to consumers wherever they live, work, and play. Some of their distinguishing features include GPS tracking and flood lighting to ensure maximum exposure around the clock. Customers have the flexibility of creating their own route as well as specifying the eight consecutive driving hours. A survey reported by Outdoor Advertising Magazine stated that 96% of respondents find mobile advertising to be more effective than traditional outdoor advertising methods. For additional information on Double Take Mobile Advertising, contact "Katie Edwards" or visit www.doubletakeads.com. 1515 N. Riverside Ave, Provo, UT 84604
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For Additional
Information Contact: ADAPTIVE DELIVERS COMPLETE DIGITAL PICTURE FOR BIG PICTURE MEDIA A quality board, a turnkey solution and a short lead time result in Tupelo, Mississippi, billboard installation. Milwaukee, WI, February 22, 2008 . . . Adaptive Micro Systems LLC today announces a new digital billboard installation for Big Picture Media Group, LLC. Adaptive was awarded the project based on the overall value of the Excite(tm) billboard offering, an attractive lead time and an ability to manage the entire implementation process, including structural design, installation and content management systems and support. "Image quality was essential to Big Picture Media," notes Chris Olinger, Director of Billboard Sales for Adaptive Micro Systems. "After shopping around, they really liked what they saw from Adaptive. They also liked the fact that our short lead times meant they could get the board up and generating revenue for them within three weeks." Efficient installation Thanks to careful up front planning, the entire installation process took less than a week. "Adaptive personnel oversaw all phases of the design and implementation," says Jeff Neumann, Corporate Project Manager for Adaptive. "We worked with Big Picture Media to assure the construction of the pole and head went according to plan. Once the overall structure was in place, the one-piece board was hung in a couple of hours." Satisfied customer "Overall Adaptive just seemed like a better deal for us," says Jay Enis of Big Picture Media Group. "Their image quality just speaks for itself. In fact, there is a competitor's digital board just down the road from ours and we're very happy with how ours stacks up. The Adaptive board just looks clearer and brighter to us. The installation went smoothly. Even Adaptive's simplicity of design and ease of maintenance should help minimize total cost of ownership. To top it all off, their content management software will allow our customers to update their own content quickly and easily. In every phase of the process, Adaptive has really delivered. It's been a good experience for us." About Adaptive Micro Systems LLC Founded in 1978, Adaptive Micro Systems is the leading supplier of indoor and outdoor programmable LED electronic display systems. The ALPHA(r) brand is the defacto industry standard for multiple indoor applications as diverse as state lotteries to manufacturing automation. Adaptive's Eclipse(tm) brand is fast becoming the popular choice for any digital display need from commercial on-premise and off-premise advertising to integrated transportation information systems. Adaptive leverages its US, Malaysian and European manufacturing, sales and service capabilities to provide high-value solutions and world-class customer support. For more information visit www.adaptivedisplays.com or contact us at 414.357.2020. ### A photo to accompany this story is available for download at the link below: Photo Caption: A short lead time, smooth implementation and exceptional image quality make Adaptive Micro Systems digital billboard a welcome addition to Big Picture Media Group's outdoor offering.
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Your feedback matters to us! Why not forward this newsletter to a friend or associate? Visit us at www.outdoorbillboard.com Sincerely, Dave Reynolds 18923 Highway 65 |
Ace Outdoor provides select billboard displays in
Tyler, Texas and Louisiana. Until now, all of the
company’s billboards have been either vinyl or
tri-vision. 