Sep

The Use of Mobile Billboards in Advertising

By emily

Everyone has seen plenty of billboards in their travels, unless their country outlaws them. In fact, the number of billboards along our US highways is, to some, an eyesore. In some areas this is probably true. Yet, often, the billboards provide valuable information for travelers.

Yes, billboards are an effective means of advertising, but they have at least two major problems. First, the ad awaits the motorist to drive by. It is stationary and, if no one comes that way, the message is a waste of money. Second, the standard billboard can’t do anything to attract attention. It is lifeless, and, with the competition of other billboards, might be totally ignored.

To overcome these two obstacles, some ingenious people have come up with the concept of a portable billboard. It has all the advantages of size and color found in a stationary billboard, but it actually moves to where the people are. A portable billboard operates in a variety of ways but, basically, with all of them, the billboard is displayed on the side of a truck, called truckside advertising, or trailer and then driven into the target area.

The least expensive way to do this is simply to rent the sides and back of a truck that will then carry your message wherever it goes. You can even cut costs by sharing the truck with another company, posting a different ad on each side and on the back. Your ad is seen everywhere the truck goes. If the message is attractive, people waiting in traffic or seeing it parked somewhere will be motivated to read the ad.

For more money, you can rent a moving ad. One version of this is designed on the same principle as the vertical three sided changing billboards. The ad is attached to these vertical sticks and, as they rotate, an entirely different picture or message will appear, almost instantly. They are excellent for attracting attention. Trucks or trailers equipped with smaller versions of this display will travel through traffic, the message on the sides and back changing every ten or fifteen seconds. Of course, three messages at a time can be displayed this way on each of the three surfaces of the vehicle.

Another method of changing the message on the truck or trailer is through rolled up banners displayed a little at a time. A timer activates a motor and, almost instantly, the roller at the top or bottom pulls a different message into view, similar to messages at the stats tables of a basketball game. One firm sells such 10′ by 10′ trailers and claims ten messages can be stored and displayed on each of the three sides. Tempered glass protects the message and mechanism. These are also lighted internally, a fact that makes them visible even at night.

The final way to change messages on portable billboards is through electronics. Just as some new billboards are fitted with a myriad of lights and can be programmed to display multi-colored messages, so this same technique is used on portable trailers or truck sides. The message is designed and the computer does the rest.

Each of these techniques has one thing in common, the great advantage of moving the billboard message to the populous. It is an effective way to reach a larger audience as well as to advertise goods or services that are not related to highway travelers.

AirSign is an aerial advertising company dedicated to maximizing the value of every dollar clients invest in them. Check out their mobile billboard advertising options today!