Billboard Advertising in San Antonio

Continuing in our three part series on the features, characteristics, and benefits of out of home media, I will discuss the primary time-related and duration features of out of home advertising.

So far we have discussed the cost advantages, geographic targeting, clutter busting, and scalability of out of home/outdoor advertising in the San Antonio market (as well as any other market) so let’s get started on topics 5 - 9.

Characteristic #5 - Repeated exposures to a mobile market

If you accept the premise that consumers are highly mobile, then it follows that an advertising medium that is capable of meeting your consumers where they are would be an effective way of gaining exposure.  As cities increase in size and technological advances remove your customers from traditional advertising, out of home advertising is an increasingly effective way to use your ad dollars to promote your unique selling position to your consumers.

Have you considered using innovative out of home in order to build top of mind awareness?  If your customer does dry cleaning 2-3 times per month, and sees your ad on his bag and hangers you will have created a top of mind awareness with that customer.  Multiply this effect over 10 dry cleaners at 150,000 bags per month, and you are building a strong equity stake in a select zip code (or area of San Antonio in my case).

Characteristic #6 - Out of home media complements and enhances current advertising

This is characteristic is closely related to the dimensions of frequency and continuity.  Since out of home’s cost per thousand is incredibly low and it is most powerful when approached from a long-term mindset, out of home advertising can act as an umbrella for the rest of your advertising mix.  For example, you might send out direct mail twice per year, advertise on television for 2 weeks 3 times per year, and advertise on the radio during your peak selling season.  These are great methods of advertising that have different purposes than billboards or out of home media, however by adding outdoor or out of home advertising to the mix you can capitalize on two things: frequency and continuity.

• Frequency gives your company numerous exposures to your target demographic.  If you have wrapped a vehicle and parked it in your parking lot, then passing by traffic will be exposed continuously to your advertising.  Restroom billboards, pizza boxes, and nail salons can all act as in a similar manner by 1) targeting your target demographic consistently and 2) creating a top of mind awareness
• Continuity acts like an insurance policy on your advertising portfolio, allowing to to maintain contact with your prospects and ensure that your company is advertising when your other advertising medium is not

Characteristic #7 - 12 to 24 hours per day

This is a self explanatory characteristic, but it is important to realize that if you choose to advertise using traditional outdoor, that night advertising can work amazingly well.  A back lit transit stop or lit bulletin board can stand out against the surroundings.

I was on the phone with the owner of a mobile billboard fleet out of Dallas, TX.  He can run his trucks at any time his clients desire, and I am very impressed with this company.  He can run his rotating banners, which are brilliantly back lit at night, on routes which are the busiest in all of Dallas.  This exposure is completely flexible and can be driven anywhere at any time for very reasonable pricing!  Talk about all day exposure.

Characteristic #8 -  Out of home focuses your advertising - pure advertising

Unlike newspaper or radio, which require content for the advertising to work, out of home is pure advertising which catches your prospects while they are out running errands.  If someone does not feel like reading the section of the paper where your ad was placed, or if a bad song is on the radio, your ad is useless.  Outdoor advertising is pure advertising.  Take this characteristic,  couple it with a geographically specific strategy, and your ad dollars will create more opportunities for your prospects to be exposed to your services and products.

To be continued…