Loriah Webby
Review of Lit
November 11, 2008
Billboards have always been an essential part in an advertising campaign for various
companies. One of the first advertising campaigns on billboards was for a product called
Burma-Shave. It was a product developed to increase sales for a family business in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. A man named Clinton Odell saw that his father’s product Burma-
Vita, used to help achy muscles, was only good for potential customers who only needed it
when it was necessary. They needed something for customers to use on a daily basis.
Burma-Shave was a brushless shaving cream, which boosted sales. Their campaign was a
little unique and is now part of U.S history. (Vance)
Between 1920 and 1960, baby boomers would remember a series of six white on red
signs along their travels. Each consisted of one to five words. The first sign was put up in
1925 and something unusual happened. Orders for Burma Shave started to pour in from the
local drug stores, which was unheard of for such a little company. The Odells decided to
increase the sign budget to $25,000 the following year. “Their system evolved into catchy
five-line jingles on six signs spaced approximately 30 meters apart and located just inside
the property fences.” (Vance) The jingles were corny and funny but never crude. For
example:
Give the guy/
the toe of your boot/
who tries/
to hand you/
a substitute/
Burma Shave.
By mid 1930’s, social messages started to appear while other coincided with the war times.
Drinking drivers/
nothing worse/
they put/
the quart/
before the hearse.
Burma Shave
Let's make/
Hitler/
and Hirohito/
look as sick as/
old Benito.
After several years of concocting their own jingles, the Odells decided to turn to the
public for help. They made it an annual contest for the best verses. “Of the 50,000 entries,
some 25 were added to the crop each year, with a $100 prize going to the composers.”
(Vance) Business flourished, thanks to those little signs, which the company cleverly
seemed able to have appeared everywhere.
Burma Shave grew through the 1930s even with the hard times of the Depression and
became a $3 million annual gross enterprise. “In the glory years -- the 1930s to the 1950s --
there were 600 jingles displayed on more than 40,000 signs in 45 states.” (Vance) Clinton
Odell died in 1958, and the company was sold to Philip Morris, Inc. in 1963, who decided to
eliminate the signs and they were all taken down. For almost 40 years, the Burma Shave
signs were a simple and clever way for advertising that helped make a small family business
significantly increase sales and profit.
The campaign is now part of cultural history and a set of billboards can be found in the
Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
If you/
don't know/
whose signs/
these are/
you can't have/
driven very far/
Burma Shave.
After the 1960’s, billboards grew with time and companies used them in various ways.
Advertising strategies were increasingly clever and unique such as the image hanging past the
borders of the actual billboard. The Pedigree billboard features a puppy as if it was lying on top
of the sign sleeping. Another example would be Prestige Omega Cookware. After some research,
the company discovered consumers were disappointed with how weak the handles were in their
current pots and pans. Prestige Omega was determined to create a line of cookware with stronger
handles. To promote the new products, the company created a billboard that is held up by one of
their frying pans which jokes that the strength of the handle is strong enough to hold the entire
sign by itself. (ads of the world) It is a clever way to promote your new product and also get a lot
of attention.
When advertising on a billboard, it is always said simple is better and that is exactly what
these two companies were setting out to do. When companies include billboards in their
advertising campaigns, they need to decide what it is they want to tell consumers in six words or
less which is the industry’s standard rule of thumb. “Billboards are viewed quickly, generally in
vehicles going over the speed limit. This means there isn’t much time to read a complex
message. You can have a few extra words in smaller type or a secondary position to give location
information or a call to action, but your primary message should be 6 words or less.” (Johnson)
Just when advertisers were getting used to the strategies and rules that went along with
traditional billboards, digital billboards were born. Although some rules and strategies are still
the same, others differ. According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA),
when advertising on digital billboards they advise not to use white backgrounds. “White is a
mixture of all color in these situations, rather than an absence of color, and will appear subdued
or muddy. White does not carry the same vibrancy that other colors convey.” ( Outdoor
Advertising Association of America)
Another key strategy is for companies to try to design a story with numerous details
within their campaign. One company who took advantage of this feature was Dove. Its
“Campaign for Beauty” in Toronto used digital billboards to its advantage. On the city’s
Gardiner Expressway, a highly visible digital billboard “asked drivers to state their preference on
issues like ‘fat or fab’ and ‘bald or beautiful’ through a toll free number, while at the same time
watching the results displayed.” (Dobson) People had the chance to see the results and stats in
real time.
When creating the design layout, usually for traditional billboards, the graphics would
have to be printed at high resolution, at least 300 dpi (dots per inch). Now, companies have to
create their layouts at low resolution, which is 72dpi since digital billboards are equivalent to
advertising on the web or on television. This is actually a positive outcome because it saves a lot
of space on companies’ computers and servers. Along with low resolution, the layouts have to be
saved using RGB (red, green, blue) color mode unlike CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black)
which is used for printed materials. ( Outdoor Advertising Association of America)
Although the rule of thumb varies with digital billboards, there are also many benefits.
Digital billboards count for a tiny fraction of billboards (about 700 out of an estimated 450,000
total billboards in the United States). ( Outdoor Advertising Association of America) However,
OAAA estimates this will rise to several thousand per year. Outdoor advertising is the second
fastest-growing marketing media after the internet. (Lind)
Digital billboards have brought in increasing profit and revenues. According to the
OAAA chart for outdoor sales for the past ten years, it is clear that outdoor advertising is an
increasingly popular media outlet.
In 2007, advertisers spent $7.3 billion (up 7% from 2006) on outdoor advertising.
Chart from http://www.oaaa.org/outdoor/facts
Paul Meyer, president and COO of Clear Channel Outdoor, says digital billboards are
lifting revenue. He states, “Out of all the out-of-home products we sell, clearly the fastest
growing [revenue stream] is digital billboards.” (Stilson) Lamar Advertising Company “notes
that the digital billboards currently, represent only about half a percentage point of all the
company’s billboards—800 out of 150,000 boards.” (Stilson)
Advertisers are lining up for a chance to advertise on digital billboards because of the
various advantages. The most favorable benefit is that a company can change their ad at any time
to keep up with different sale specials or timely information without the need of direct human
contact. “Dynamic content refers to a text or data feed that is automatically pulled from a
designated source in cyberspace and is seamlessly inserted into the digital
billboard…Immediately after your message appears in rotation, a digital server connected to
each billboard ‘pings’ a designated XML feed that contains the information you want to update.”
(Lind)
Another feature is the flashy colors. Bright colors attract people to the ad being shown,
making it more likely the person would absorb the information being presented to them.
According to the OAAA, brightness is adjusted according to lighting conditions outside.
Dimming sensors monitor and adjust light levels so digital billboards aren’t too distracting and
bright for people to look at during certain times of the day.
Along with advantages, come disadvantages. Digital billboards can be very expensive.
According to Nina M. Ziomek, owner and sales executive for Northway Ventures LLC in
Wethersfield, CT, digital billboards “cost about $500 per sq ft, totaling $340,000 to upgrade
from a traditional static display to a digital technology.” (Ziomek) Many companies may not
have this type of budget for their advertising campaign. However, Nina continues by saying that
usually media buyers will put aside a percentage of their total budget for outdoor advertising
along with radio, print and television advertising. With digital billboards, they are able to take a
portion of all the other media budgets. Northway Ventures also has a unique way of advertising
this new media geared toward advertisers who are targeting the young generation.
“Northway Ventures, LLC, as an upcoming Outdoor Advertising Provider in the area
realizes the need to offer this media to target the new generation. This new generation
steps over the news paper on the way out the door, listens to satellite radio on the way to
work and fast forwards through commercials at night. However, this key demographic
will be driving past this Digital Media all day and all night.” (Ziomek)
Sharing space on digital billboards is also sometimes an issue. Some advertisers do not
like to share space with others who are also advertising, since ads are only visible on an average
of six-second intervals. Advertisers are paying a lot more for people to look at their ads for six
seconds which may only target those cars passing during that duration. The ads then miss all the
cars that pass until their ads shows up 45 seconds to a minute later.
On average, a driver is distracted by a traditional billboard for 2.3 seconds that does not
rotate ads. (Dickson) It is also said that a large percentage of crashes are when distracted drivers
take their eyes off the road for 1.6-2 seconds or longer just before the accident. (Wachtel) With
these studies, it shows that driver’s are potentially distracted by traditional billboards that don’t
even move which means digital billboards maybe more of a distraction for drivers. Further
studies are still pending. In Milwaukee, crashes on a section of Interstate 94 increased 35 percent
after a sign that changed ads 12 times per minute was installed near a stadium. The sign was
eventually removed in 2000, according to a Federal Highway Administration report. (Dickson)
However, OAAA posted a study on its website done by Albert Martin Tantala, SR., P.E. and
Michael Walter Tantala, P.E. from Tantala Associates Consulting Engineers. For their study,
they picked seven recently built digital billboards that were previously traditional billboards on
137.07 miles of Interstate routes in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. They compared the number of
accidents in a given month for 12 months and also for an 18 month period when they were
traditional billboards and after they were converted to digital billboards in 2007. Their results
found no correlation between traffic accidents and digital billboards. The accident statistics and
metrics were consistent for both traditional and digital. Their results can be seen below.
Charts from http://www.digitalooh.org/digital/pdf/FOARE-TantalaReport7Jul07.pdf
With both of these statistics, local government officials are considering restrictions on
billboards including where they are located, the size of them and especially how often the ads
rotate. Some cities already have rules in place and others are in the process of looking at the
options. In the city of Raleigh, NC, “new signs are limited to industrial zones and must be at
least 1,000 feet from other billboards and 400 feet from a residential zone, said Larry Strickland,
inspections director.” (Ranii) Along with those regulations, billboards are limited to 150 square
feet which is less than one-fourth the traditional size, and even if a billboard is destroyed by
storm damage, it must comply with the specifications. In the county of Durham, digital
billboards can only rotate through all ads eight times in a 24-hour time period and only four
times every 24 hours in Raleigh. (Ranii) With the regulations, advertisers are forced to pay more
for a prime billboard location. Since there are fewer locations with billboards, billboard
companies have no choice but to raise prices based on supply and demand. Paul Hickman who is
the general manager of Fairway Advertising in Raleigh states, “It’s basic Economics 101. But I
want to emphasize that we, Fairway Advertising, did not create this situation.” (Ranii)
Some officials are accepting the advances in technology and allow digital billboards.
According to OAAA, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation stated, after issuing a
policy to accept digital billboards, “Messages change on nearly all signs. It is appropriate that the
Department establish a policy regarding safe and reasonable change intervals to promote the
orderly display of outdoor advertising.” ( Outdoor Advertising Association of America) It seems
some officials are trying to coexist with the advances of technology but in a safe and
understanding way.
Digital billboards are mainly used for advertisers to promote their product or timely
information. However, digital billboards are often used for other purposes that may affect the
way cities and local government view the benefits of digital billboards. Amber alerts are being
considered for digital billboards across the country. In the United States and Canada, an AMBER
Alert is used to notify the public on confirmed child abductions in progress. AMBER is an
acronym for America's Missing Broadcasting Emergency Response. It was named for Amber
Hagerman, a 9-year-old who was abducted and then murdered in 1996.
Marty Elrod, vice president and general manager for Lamar Outdoor Advertising in
Jackson, Mississippi, donates space to America’s Most Wanted and the results have been
phenomenal. They have caught nine murders, two rapists and one child molester. (Gillette)
Police in New South Whales in Australia are considering using digital billboards for all sorts of
public service announcements such as missing persons and road closings. (Lister) They are
hoping to get a trial run set up with both digital billboards and traditional billboards due to the
regulations in New South Whales. Operators can only receive approval for digital billboards in
speed zones up to 70km/h. (Lister)
Other options include using digital billboards for timely sport scores, weather, and day-
to-day television show updates. Even though these aren’t as community-friendly, they could be a
positive addition to the normal ads you see rotating. But how safe are they? Sports scores can be
very distracting to drivers waiting for the score to rotate around and weather can take awhile to
look at to see all the details.
All of these strategies, regulations, rules and standards all concentrate on one thing; the
consumer. The consumer feedback is what truly matters and affects what is in the future for
digital billboards. According to OAAA,
“A substantial majority of Americans believe the benefits of billboards outweigh any
costs associated with them, according to a comprehensive analysis of 30 years of polling
data by Villanova Marketing Professor Charles R. Taylor, Ph.D. His report in the
Journal of Advertising Research reveals:
85% believe billboards are useful to travelers (provide directions, prices, and
availability of services such as gas, food, and lodging)
83% call billboards informative
82% say billboards help create jobs and help businesses attract customers
79% oppose a ban on billboards” ( Outdoor Advertising Association of America)
This data is related to traditional billboards, which do not rotate nor have bright lights. However,
an Arbitron study found that the public believes digital billboards are valuable for drivers and
make them aware of weather and traffic conditions along with Amber Alerts. More support for
digital billboards came from Texas, which recently approved the existence of them on state
highways.
“Media Post reported on the Arbitron findings, which were based on a survey of
Cleveland motorists who’ve been exposed to seven digital billboards for the past three
years. Of the 402 adults polled, 80 percent of drivers think the signs provide an important
community service. As for recall of billboard, 83 percent of viewers say they recalled at
least one of the nine ads in the test group and 65 percent recalled two ads. Arbitron
maintains that digital billboards benefit other media, too; 35 percent of respondents were
reminded of a local radio station, and 28 percent noted a TV show to watch because of
digital billboard ads. (via MediaBuyerPlanner)” (Weinfeld)
Across our country, the acceptance of digital billboards significantly supports the
increase in the digital signage industry. According to the data, consumers seem to be effected by
the digital age, some positive but others are still not sure what to take from it as will show in my
survey results.
One consumer mentioned in the study that she wanted to see an ad but then it changed so
she didn’t have time to read what the other one said. This can be a real downfall for advertisers
and consumers who are trying to react to the ads. Too many ads on a digital billboard can be
competition for each advertiser who pays large sums for their spot.
Digital billboards affect the advertiser, the billboard companies and especially the
consumer who is trying to be reached with advertisers’ ad campaigns. Digital billboards have
their advantages but also have their downfalls including high prices, competing with others ads,
and the possibility of being distracting to drivers, which leads to government intervention.
Government uses its power to regulate digital billboards by saying where they can be located,
how far apart they have to be and how many seconds an ad must rotate. Other uses may be able
to convince local and federal governments to rethink their regulations due to many positive
things have happened because of the use of digital billboards with Amber Alerts.
Works Cited
Outdoor Advertising Association of America. 2006. 25 October 2008 .
Bachman, Katy. "The Need for Speed." MediaWeek (2008): 21-21.
Corporation, Jupitermedia. Ads of the World. 2008. 3 November 2008
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Dickson, Gordan. "Signs of change: A push for more highway advertising and digital billboards
has critics fireseeing a landscape littered with distraction." Fort Worth Star-Telegram 8 October
2006.
Dobson, Sarah. "Interactive Outdoor." Marketing Magazine 16 May 2005: 15-20.
Gillette, Becky. "Digital Billboards Offering High-Tech Outdoor ad Option." Mississippi
Business Journal (2007).
Hillstrom, Kevin and Laurie Collier Hillstrom. "Advertising Strategy." 2002. eNotes.com. Gale
Cengage. 27 September 2008 .
Johnson, Warren Allan. Billboard Basics: Six Rules of Thumb for Creating Outdoor Advertising.
7 November 2006. 3 November 2008
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Lind, Daniel J. "Billboards Get a Digital Makeover." ABA Bank Marketing, May 2008.
Lister, Laine. "Police plan to use digital billboards." B & T Magazine 11 July 2008: 1.
Nelesen, Marcia. "Council to ponder regulations on digital." Janesville Gazette 23 February
2008.
Ranii, David. "Billboards draw eyes, advertisers: As other media struggle to keep customers,
billboard ads attract more money." Raleigh, 28 September 2006.
Stilson, Janet. "Digital Static." MediaWeek 18.25 (2008): 20-21.
The Gale Group, Inc. "Billboard." 2002. How Products are Made. 27 September 2008
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Vance, Bill. "One quick look and signs fell into history: Road signs for Burma Shave part of
driving lore." National Post (2002): 4.
Wachtel, Jerry. Digital Billboards on Highways: Bright Future? 13 January 2008. 23 September
2008
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Weinfeld, David. Digital Signage Insights. 4 March 2008. 3 November 2008
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Ziomek, Nina M. Billboard Company Perspective on Digital Billboards Loriah Ann Webby. 6
November 2008.