Digital billboards are quickly changing the way outdoor advertising is done because of their potential for new creative formats and the ease of ad placement to multiple sites. Today digital billboards are the main driver of growth in outdoor advertising.
Digital billboards were invented a few decades ago but hadn’t really become cost effective enough until the last decade. Advances in technology are making electronic billboards bigger, brighter, higher resolution and cheaper every year.
Billboard companies are increasingly replacing high traffic static billboards with digital ones. Most digital billboards cost about the same or more than static billboards, yet they are several times more profitable, as they allow more ads to be displayed on the same property. Digital billboard ads generally attract more attention as they are brighter and often have movement. Digital signage software allows media owners to connect digital billboards into networks and easily manage the location targeting, buying, executing and accounting for the campaigns.
Advertisers usually book digital billboard campaigns for 4-week increments for a single ad slot. A slot is approximately 8 to 10 seconds per minute of exposure on the board for 4 weeks (which means about 6 to 7 different ads per minute).
Advertisers can buy multiple slots. Most billboards are on from dawn to midnight, while some are on 24 hours per day.
Advertisers have the ability to change creative at almost any time and with only about a day’s notice or less. This allows marketers to change ads for new promotions with great ease. The network software also makes it possible to schedule different ads to show at different hours (day-parting). For example, a television network news program may advertise its evening news during the morning commute and then advertise its morning news during the evening rush hour.
The laws governing digital billboards are continuously evolving and vary greatly from one city to another. Some cities don’t permit them at all, while other municipalities welcome them. The city of Los Angeles is an example of a legal battle between the opponents and supporters of digital billboards.
Some local authorities prohibit digital billboards in order to prevent blight, others worry about a potential driver distraction. Sometimes residents complain about digital signs causing light pollution.
At the same time digital billboards have been praised for their ability to help communities. Law enforcement bodies are successfully using them to find and apprehend criminals on the run. Digital billboard networks help local governments disseminate public service and charity announcements, coordinate disaster relief efforts and even display famous works of art.
Outdoor advertising is the last remaining true mass medium, and digital billboards are the most advanced and fast-growing part of it.
Digital billboard technology allows for the most creative advertising campaigns.
Below are examples of creative digital billboards from different cities.
What creative digital boards have you seen? What are your thoughts on digital billboards in your city?
Contact Blue Line Media for a quote on digital billboards across the United States.