Embracing Change

When comparing outdoor advertising to other mediums, we often mention the simplicity of our medium. Billboards are advertising in it's purest form. We have no content to deliver. We don't have to worry about editorializing, on-air personalities, delivering an agenda, adjusting our content to reach a wider demographic or retaining talent. And best of all, our ratings come to us. Nothing we do will hurt or improve our viewership.

We've always looked at this simplicity as a benefit, because let's face it, we really had no other choice. But with the advent of digital billboards, we do have a choice. We could utilize unsold space to turn our screens into a dynamic channel of content. This would give us the power to improve the amount of attention paid to our signs, by offering information that is relevant to consumers. But do we really want to subject ourselves to the perils and pitfalls that other mediums must face as a result of taking control of content?

To be honest, we have everything to gain, and nothing to lose. The fragmentation of TV, radio and print is a result of the consumer's ability to choose their channel, which is not a concern with outdoor advertising. We represent an unusually dominant medium, which maintains its presence day in and day out. You can't change the channel, turn the page or turn us off.

Digital billboard operators should be thinking like program managers. We should continually be asking ourselves how we can transform each billboard into a more engaging, dynamic canvas. What kind of useful information can we deliver to our uniquely captive audience? How can we showcase the power of the digital technology? Can we add something to the cultural landscape? We have the ability to update the boards in minutes, so we have the power to create a dialogue with consumers. We can actually take part in (and eventually become) the water cooler conversation.

Embracing this mentality is the only way we can change the perception that a digital sign is "just a billboard that does tricks." The ad industry is starting to understand that we are witnessing the birth of a powerful new medium. One that offers a very different set of benefits from traditional outdoor.

Context is Key

It's one of the most successful and often imitated advertisements of the late 20th century. With two simple words, the copy line invades our space and makes us stop in our tracks and think... Have I "Got Milk?"

Why does the "Got Milk?" campaign work so well? In his book Rhetoric: A User's Guide, John D. Ramage explains that the consumer's response to a particular ad partially depends on the relationship between the time and place of the consumer, and the time and place in which the ad was created. It's all about context. If a tagline or slogan is able to position itself as being relevant by showing that it lives in a world similar to ours, we're much more likely to respond.

From the middle of October, until the first week of January, our minds and checkbooks are fixated on the holiday season. Pumpkins and turkeys give way to stockings and presents, and before we know it we're ringing in the new year. Middleton Pest Control has been using outdoor advertising for a long time, but their new digital outdoor campaign is setting itself apart by taking context into consideration. Their original "Trick or Treatment" design was replaced on November 1st with a design featuring a roach-infested Thanksgiving feast.

The flexibility of the medium allows Middleton to easily swap out one message for another, continually mirroring the buzz that surrounds each passing holiday. The timeliness of the campaign maximizes its effectiveness, and keeps the message top-of-mind in an especially oversaturated season for advertising.

Injured? Why Wait?

It's never a "good" time to get hurt, but we can tell you when it's a good time to visit the hospital.

Last May, I wrote a post outlining some creative ways for hospitals to utilize digital billboards. One of the options I mentioned was to use a live feed to broadcast the current wait time in the emergency room. Brandon Regional Hospital has been broadcasting ER wait times on their website for some time, but now they are using Clear Channel's digital billboards to broadcast the info to thousands of commuters every day. The campaign showcases one of outdoor advertising's greatest strengths: the ability reach a convenient, susceptible consumer.

HCA, the parent company of Brandon Regional Hospital, is pairing the billboard campaign, with a text message service that will deliver the info directly to your cellphone. Simply text "ER" to 23000 to receive the current wait times for the 3 nearest hospitals. HCA spokesperson Ed Fishbough said the company has been "very pleased" with the results of the ad campaign.

Today's consumer wants access to information on-demand. Blackberrys and iPhones are making that kind of information increasingly obtainable, but as we all know, texting while driving is not recommended. Marketers are discovering that digital outdoor advertising can deliver the same kind of relevant content while people are away from home and active in the marketplace.

A Turning Point For Digital Creative?

Whenever something new comes along, there are always early adopters. But it usually takes time for game-changers like digital billboards to become a natural part of the ad planning process. With all of the cool things digital billboards are capable of, the fact remains; the medium is only as powerful as the creative message it displays.

While digital outdoor advertising has been one of the fastest growing segments of the ad industry, we've only seen a handful of advertisers push the creative possibilities to their limits. This seems to be changing.

In the past few weeks, several exciting campaigns have launched here in Tampa. In addition to E! News, Fox Sports is currently advertising weekly headlines for their Fox NFL Sunday program. And instead of cramming all 6 co-hosts onto one billboard design, they are rotating several designs, each one featuring two of the on-air personalities.

In anticipation of the premiere of the all new Jay Leno Show, our local NBC affiliate is running a live countdown, which keeps Tampa informed of how much longer they'll have to wait to see the new 10pm comedy program. Down to the minute. Talk about building anticipation!

Back for a 3rd consecutive year, Universal Studios Orlando is using our digital network to tease the theme for this Fall's Halloween Horror Nights. The boards feature classic horror movie villains, such as Chucky and The Wolfman, announcing their eventually takeover of the theme park starting September 25th.

Setting Up The E! News Digital Billboards

Digital billboards have been making lots of headlines over the past few days. Ad Age, Media Week and several industry bloggers have all reported on the E! News channel's decision to use digital outdoor displays in several markets, including Tampa.

125 billboards, 12 in the Tampa Bay area, will provide commuters with dynamic headlines that are pulled directly from a website. "The ability to test different headlines in different ways is very interesting to us," said Annemarie Batur, VP-marketing and advertising, E! Entertainment. "E! News is all about what's happening in that moment. The fact that we will now have the ability to change out headlines as breaking news happens will be a great way to see how we drive traffic."

Here's how we set it up. First we uploaded the background image with Ryan Seacrest, Giuliana Rancic and a yellow background on which the live headline could be placed. Next we added the dynamic content item. To do so, first we enter the address of the website from which we want to pull the headline; http://www.eonline.com/ for example.

Next, we need to indicate which piece of text from the webpage we want to place on the billboards. To do this, we need to look at the website's html code. You can look at the code of any website just by clicking "Source" in the "View" menu of your Internet Explorer browser. Once we find the desired headline in the code, we look at the last piece of text before the desired headline, and the first piece of text after the desired headline. We enter these "tags" into our software so that the program knows to pull the text in between the tags.

Now, any text that is entered in that spot on the webpage will automatically appear on the digital billboards. From there, we can adjust it's placement, font, color and size. Essentially, whomever is updating the website is changing the billboards simultaneously. The picture below shows the "Dynamic Content Editor" screen in our software, where we make the magic happen.

Some local advertisers, such as Action Air Conditioning and the Transitions Championship have already used this type of live feed on their digital billboards. What has me particularly excited about the the E! News campaign, is that it indicates that national advertisers are starting to jump on board with the capabilities of our new medium.

Paper-Thin Digital Displays

I'm always on the lookout for potential game-changers in the development of digital billboard technology. Billboard companies have experimented with alternative technologies in a few cities, LED technology probably won't be completely replaced any time soon.

Meanwhile, Sony and Samsung have been tapping into OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology to make sleek, thin screens for televisions and cellphones. However, brightness is still an issue. What looks great on a television in an artificially lit room, simply can't overcome natural sunlight.

Interestingly enough, Ford Motor Company began the research project that might be the next big breakthrough in digital out-of-home advertising. Originally intended as a way to make brake lights that blend seamlessly with the contour of a car, ILEDs (inorganic light-emitting diodes) can also be printed on thin, flexible materials, but are much brighter than OLEDs.

What does this mean to the outdoor advertising industry? In addition to improved portability and ease of installation, digital billboards would become much more energy-efficient, since ILED technology doesn't require a backlight. Such screens could be applied to the surface of existing billboards like wallpaper, allowing advertisers to change their message remotely.

Of course, it's still very new and very expensive, so it may be a long time before we're seeing cityscapes like the ones in Minority Report or Bladerunner.

Own The Intersection

(Click photo to enlarge)

The local law firm of Abrahamson, Uiterwyk & Barnes recently decided to shift some of their Yellow Page dollars to an outdoor advertising campaign. 27 billboards, emblazoned with the faces of Eric Abrahamson & Mary Jane "MJ" Arbutine, are now catching the attention of motorists across the Tampa Bay area.

As the attorneys were hand-selecting their billboard locations, they came across two 14' x 48' bulletins that are positioned across the street from each other on Ulmerton Road in Clearwater. When faced with the challenge of picking between the two, they simply said, "Why don't we just buy them both?"

The result is the towering presence of Abrahamson on the north side of the road, and Arbutine on the south side, making a bold statement about the strength and prestige of their firm. Instead of sharing a printed page with a handful of competitors, why not dominate your competition as the sole owner of a high-traffic billboard? And if possible, own the intersection!

Wi-Fi Enabled Bus Shelters in San Francisco

An interesting bit of news came out of our San Francisico division this week. Clear Channel Outdoor has built a network of 20 transit shelters, which double as Wi-Fi hotspots. In addition to displaying an advertising message on the shelter's static banners, sponsors will be positioned as the provider of free internet service, which will be accessible within 30 feet of the shelter.

The scenario would work something like this: as you approach the transit shelter which has been branded with the sponsor's logo, your cell phone or internet enabled device will pick up free service from the wireless box inside the shelter. When you open up your browser, you'll be directed to the sponsor's web page before continuing with your internet session.

I love the idea of positioning your brand as the "Free Wi-Fi Provider." It's a great way to pair your marketing with a service that's genuinely valuable to the consumer. Additionally, by combining the shelter ad with the redirect to your home page, it creates an immersive experience for the customer.

You can watch an awesome video demonstration of a client using this technology here.

Ocala Goes Digital

November 4th, 2006. I'll always remember it as the day we turned on the first digital billboard in Tampa Bay. It represented so much more than the installation of a 14' x 48' LED screen on a 50 foot monopole. That day marked the beginning of a new era in outdoor advertising in Tampa.

I work with several individuals who were a part of this business when every billboard was hand-painted or pasted up in sections, like wallpaper. Those individuals were here when we began to print our billboards on sheets of vinyl, which drastically improved our productivity and turnaround times. But even the transition to vinyl could not compare to the impact that digital has had on our business.

Since 2006, over 150 advertisers have used our digital billboard network to reach Tampa Bay consumers with a timely, dynamic message. And now we can offer the same exciting opportunities in the Ocala market. Clear Channel Outdoor's first back-to-back digital billboard was installed today on SW 17th Street, just west of US 441 in the heart of Ocala. The unique location has a long viewing distance and reaches commuters as they come to the crest of the overpass.

In addition to offering high-impact advertising to local and national businesses, Ocala is committed to using their digital billboards for community service messages, hurricane evacuation information and for helping the FBI to track down wanted criminals. I've spoken with Ocala's Digital Manager, Matt Adams, and he's got several more exciting tricks up his sleeve for the digital network. I'll be sure to post updates as they unveil more. For more info, email mattadams@clearchannel.com or follow him on Twitter: @mattadamscco.

Why Did I Go Into The Billboard Business?

Paul Flanigan, author of the Experiate blog, inspired me with his post about why he works in the digital signage business. People often ask me why, with all of the various forms of media today, did I choose outdoor advertising. It's true that my intentions after school were always to embark on a career in the advertising industry, but when I think about what made me choose billboards, I have to go back to my childhood.

I grew up in a little town about an hour north of Tampa, Florida. At the time, there was no mall, no department stores, no Target, not even a Walmart. The acquisition of any kind of name-brand merchandise required a trip to Tampa. When one of us needed new school clothes or a new pair of basketball shoes, my parents, my siblings and I would load up in the car and make a day out of it. We'd visit the mall, maybe the Museum of Science and Industry or Lowry Park Zoo, and catch a late afternoon movie.

Unable to read street signs, I had to gauge our proximity to the big city by the sudden appearance of landmarks that were foreign to our little town.... Billboards! As we got nearer to downtown, they welcomed us to the city with their colorful painted characters and slogans. Chick-Fil-A cows painted their pleas for us to "Eat Mor Chikin." Snoopy proclaimed, "Get Met, It Pays." And the Marlboro Man sat proudly on his horse as the sun set in the background. Our fascination with the roadside signs sprung from the same place that made us love dinosaurs, spaceships and monster trucks... They were HUGE!! And we were so small.

As I got older, the billboards looked a little smaller, and when I moved to Tampa for college, they became a common sight as I drove around town. But they always fascinated me. And I think the child in us makes each of us want to feel like we're a part of something much bigger than ourselves. Having worked with hundreds of clients with various marketing needs, I can personally attest to the power of such a dominant and penetrating medium, and each time I look up at a billboard that I was a part of, I still get that same sense of awe and achievement.

Now Playing: Ads That Reach A Captive Audience

Cinema advertising is flourishing despite the lagging economy. As people flock to theaters for a relatively inexpensive means of entertainment, advertisers are rushing to meet them.

Personally, I have seen four movies in as many weeks, and have been noticing the advertising more than ever. I started thinking about the benefits of movie screen advertising, and wondered if it's really that much different from advertising on billboards. National Cinemedia is a leader in the industry, and as I browsed their website I noticed some familiar phrases:

"Most media audiences are scattered. Some watch TV, others talk on the phone, podcast, play video games, or worse…they do all of the above simultaneously. Cinema advertising is completely different. It's no mystery that we deliver a full sight, sound and motion experience on a larger-than-life canvas. But that's not the only advantage cinema has over other media outlets. Our audience is engaged, and they're voluntary - perhaps that's why moviegoers remember ads in the cinema 1.5 to 4 times more than they remember the same ads on TV."

Hmm... Engaged audience. Larger-than-life canvas. Memorability. Sounds familiar.

It's true when you think about it; cinema advertising and billboard advertising have a lot in common. They both reach people who are on the way to where they're going, unlike television, print and radio, which try to sprinkle advertising throughout the main attraction, interrupting and annoying consumers.

Additionally, both mediums recognize the dangers of maintaining the status-quo. Developments in technology have allowed companies like National Cinemedia to offer customers flexible, dynamic ways to reach audiences with a message that's exciting. Digital billboard technology is revolutionizing the outdoor industry in a similar way, by letting advertisers present a changeable message on a dynamic, backlit screen.

When you compare the benefits and business models, it's no wonder that both mediums are projecting strong growth in the coming years.

Getting To Know Your Audience

The more relevant an advertising message is to a consumer, the more effective it will be. If you take the time to consider where your target audience will be and what they will be doing when your message is delivered, you can construct a more relevant, and therefore more effective message.

Radio commercials use the unnerving sounds of police sirens and squealing tires to grab your attention. Television commercials display slow-motion footage of mouthwatering food while you're sitting on the couch, wondering what's for dinner. Likewise, billboards messages can be constructed to cater to an audience on-the-go.

Start by creating a list of things you know, or can infer about people who see billboards.

• These people are usually in a car...
• They might be listening to their radio...
• They might be talking on a cell phone...
• The should be wearing a seat belt...
• Maybe they have a passenger or two...
• They might have a navigation system or GPS...
• They will eventually need gas...
• Are they hungry?...
• Are they tired?...
• Are they late for something?...
• Are they lost?...

Now think about your product and create a tagline or image that caters to one of these characteristics about your audience. This will give the ad the appearance of having been personalized for the audience.

Billboards reach people while they're active in the marketplace and prepared to buy. This gives the advertiser the 'last word' in the consumer's buying cycle. Even more timely are digital billboards, which can target people with specific messages for specific times of day, or days of the week. Click through the slides below to see some great examples of advertisers who have effectively capitalized on the unique timeliness of outdoor advertising.

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'Going Google' campaign is going with billboards

Google's decision to employ billboards as a key part of their marketing campaign for their "Google Apps" program, makes a strong case for the value of outdoor advertising. After all, when the most powerful brand in the world does something, people pay attention.

Some experts applaud Google's use of billboards as a strategic way to "get a bigger bang using fewer bucks." Others insist that Google should have employed digital billboards, since the signs will sport a new message each day. Personally, I'm just excited to learn that the search giant is taking advantage of one of the few remaining mass mediums. Billboards are too often unfairly dismissed as being antiquated relics of the past. The reality is that outdoor advertising is positioned nicely to benefit from the growing fragmentation of most other mediums.

I'm a huge advocate for digital signage. But, the power of outdoor advertising is in its ability to cut through the clutter and reach a captive audience. And regardless of whether it's displayed by an LED screen or on a printed vinyl, putting your message on a billboard offers a cost effective way to ensure that you stand out from the crowd.

The Importance of Adaptability

There is a BP gas station next door to our office. The convenience of it's proximity is great. Sometimes bringing a bag of M&Ms to a brainstorming session, or drinking a soda during an afternoon conference call can make the workday much more enjoyable. The owners know our staff and always greet us with a friendly smile.

Recently, the store had to replace their underground fuel tanks, which meant they couldn't sell any gasoline for almost 3 weeks. This had the potential to be a deadly blow to our friendly neighbors. A gas station without gas is a challenged business model, to say the least.

The construction began, and I started to notice some changes. A handmade sign went up near the street letting drivers know that the BP was still open for business. The owners began cooking homemade meals for breakfast and lunch, and they graciously asked us to post their "specials" in the break room at our office. Employees started heading to the BP for a new lunch destination, and people started talking in our hallways about how surprisingly good the food was. Though the gas pumps were dry, the store was bustling with customers and I started to think maybe the little store would make it after all.

This morning I stopped in for a snack and noticed that the construction was nearly complete. When I asked the cashier how much longer, he told me it would be finished this week. He was beaming with pride, relieved that his family had pulled together and weathered this tough time.

Most businesses have seen their share of tough times in the past year or so. Some sit on their hands and wait for the storm to blow over. Others embrace the new business climate, and adapt their business model accordingly. It's important to work hard, think smart and remain positive. But more than anything, it's important to be adaptable. How are you changing your approach to ensure your company's continued success?

Introducing 'Microsoft Tags'

What if real life was more like the internet, and you could learn more about things just by pointing and clicking? Microsoft has found a way to do just that.

Microsoft Tags are colorful little bar codes that can transform pretty much anything into a live link for accessing a web page through your mobile phone. By adding the bar code to a billboard, bus shelter, t-shirt, business card, or any other object, advertisers can direct people to a specified website. After downloading the free "Tags" app to their phone, consumers simply point their camera phone at the bar code and snap a photo, and they are immediately directed to the specified web page.

This technology will allow advertisers to drive traffic to their websites via offline advertising mediums. Additionally, it will give billboards and print media the same "click-through" measurability that internet ads have always offered. Reports can be created that show number of "scans" per day. Like any other breakthrough, this will only succeed if it becomes commonplace, but I'd say it's likely that Microsoft will put a significant amount of muscle behind this one.

Click here to learn more about Tags.

Designing for Digital

One of the most common questions I hear is whether designing a digital billboard is much different than designing a traditional vinyl billboard. Technically, the answer is no. Digital billboards are capable of displaying any color imaginable, and during the day they're almost indistinguishable from traditional billboards. However, there are certain things you can do to take advantage of the unique qualities of the LED technology.

First and foremost, remember that you're literally painting with light. The face of the billboard is made up of hundreds of thousands of tiny light bulbs which recreate the image that you've designed digitally. Embrace this fact by starting with a black background. When you see black on a digital billboard, you're seeing the absence of any lights, so anything you place on top of this canvas will stand out prominently. Conversely, white backgrounds are created by burning all the bulbs at maximum intensity, so anything you add will be inherently dimmer than the background itself.

Another point to consider, is that sunspots, glares and polished or beveled edges will add a dynamic new dimension to your layout. This is because they are being reproduced with actual light, instead of a painter's rendition of what light looks like. As always, remember the cardinal rule for designing any outdoor ad; "Simple is better!" It would be a shame to ruin the beautiful, backlit canvas of a digital billboard by adding a ton of unnecessary copy. After all, you can rotate as many designs as you want, so why not break it up and keep each design simple?

Bay News 9 coverage of BillboardTweets

After receiving numerous calls and emails inquiring about the Twitter billboards, reporter Laurie Davisson decided to do a segment explaining what our little project is all about...

BillboardTweets in The Tampa Tribune

Tampa Tribune columnist Richard Mullins called me this week to discuss BillboardTweets, our Twitter account that is being published live to our digital billboards. Mullins writes:

"Would you like to see your Tweet up in lights, perhaps on 12 Jumbotrons
around Tampa Bay roads? Ryan Frazier gets to do that. Clear Channel Outdoor is experimenting with putting Twitter messages on its 12 Tampa Bay digital billboards, mixing in the 140-character-or-less messages among ads for restaurants, car dealers and lawyers."

The article goes on to explain that every time I update the Twitter account with a new headline, or "tweet," the digital billboards update as well, giving me the ability to reach the entire bay area instantly. I can even update the message from my mobile phone. The idea was meant to encourage advertisers to take advantage of this incredible technology, and now that this article has come out, I can't wait to see who starts "tweeting to billboards" first!

To read the entire article click here.

Digital Billboards: The Movie

This is a pretty slick little video that outlines some of the benefits of digital outdoor. It also has a ton of great creative examples of how the product has been used across the country. Pass the popcorn, please!

Don't wait for the "Bounce-Back"

Microsoft's chief executive Steve Ballmer recently made some interesting assessments about the global advertising industry. "I don't think we are in a recession, I think we have reset," he said. "A recession implies recovery [to pre-recession levels] and for planning purposes I don't think we will."

Ballmer argued that traditional media companies need to expect a smaller share of the advertising market, as dollars continue to shift toward digital mediums. "All content consumed will be digital, we can [only] debate if that may be in one, two, five or 10 years," said Ballmer.

Digital outdoor advertising is positioned to be one of the key beneficiaries in this shift, projecting year-over-year growth in the double digits through at least 2011. Unlike internet ads, digital billboards don't have to compete with content for the viewer's attention. They create timely opportunities for advertisers to reach a captive consumer audience.

Is your business waiting for the economy to "bounce back" or are you formulating a strategy for adapting to the new "reset" media landscape?

Fortune has smiled upon you in the form of a hot, glazed doughnut...

In the 1970s, Krispy Kreme began illuminating a "Hot Doughnuts Now" sign in front of their stores to indicate that, if you hurry, you can experience the delight of a pristinely perfect pastry, straight out of the oven. In 2005, Southwest Airlines launched the "Ding!" desktop application, which could be downloaded to alert PC users when a special "deep discount" flight became available. In 1965, a Kmart store manager famously created the "Blue Light Special" to move merchandise that was slow to sell.

The results? Strict dieters found themselves gobbling up doughnuts, businessmen booked impulsive mid-week trips, and that Kmart manager's idea became an iconic pillar of retail history.

People like to feel special. Creating a "right place, right time" scenario for consumers can reap huge benefits for your business. With the ability to change your digital billboard design instantly, you can create the same kind of urgency as these companies, and you can do it while people are away from home & in the marketplace. This will facilitate impulse buying and bring you a quicker return on your advertising investment.

Every advertising medium affords you the opportunity to answer the consumer's question, "Why should I do business with you?" Digital billboards allow you to address the question, "Why should I do business with you right now?"

Advertising Job Opportunity

Clear Channel Outdoor is looking to hire an advertising account executive. If you understand that selling isn't about pitching products, but solving prospective clients' problems, then we would like to consider you for an account executive position. A position is available for a creative, self-motivated, organized professional seeking a career, as well as financial growth. We offer excellent benefits and compensation packages commensurate with experience. Email your resume to ryanfrazier@clearchannel.com

The Talking Billboard

At a time when consumers are unsure of who they can trust, it's important for advertisers to have a way to communicate with their customers directly. Providing current, timely updates of what you're offering can ensure that your products and services continue to be top of mind. However, the use and abuse of direct mail, email spam and door-to-door solicitation has made it difficult to reach out to people without being irritating.

Instead of depending on intrusive pop-ups or loud voiceovers, outdoor advertising uses passive penetration to create an impactful, image-driven message that is impossible to ignore. And with the arrival of digital outdoor, your marketing campaign can be just as timely as with other mediums.

Clear Channel Outdoor is currently displaying a live broadcast of our own Twitter feed, which can be updated immediately from my PC or mobile phone. Now I have the ability to send out traffic alerts, breaking news or weather info at the click of a button, no matter where I am. Any advertiser using digital billboards can do the same, with no additional costs. There's no better way for you to directly communicate with Tampa citizens, keeping them abreast of updated prices, current specials or anything new that you have to offer.

To see the headlines that have been displayed on the boards go to twitter.com/BillboardTweets

Nationwide Exposure Is Just A Click Away

Digital signage is popping up everywhere. Whether it be in retail establishments, shopping malls, at the gas pump or on an airplane, advertisers have opportunities to reach customers with extremely targeted, timely messages. Some of these networks are owned by the specific store in which they are placed, while others are part of a larger media conglomerate. The fragmentation of these networks has created challenges for advertisers seeking to reach a nationwide audience.

Today's announcement of Danoo's acquisition of Ideacast, marks a huge step forward in the conglomeration of digital out-of-home advertising. With the combined footprint of the two companies, advertisers will be able to reach more than 30 million people per month, in a variety of formats.

Since 2005, Clear Channel Outdoor's digital outdoor network has grown to include over 350 roadside billboard displays in 27 markets nationwide. Advertisers can reach a captive viewing audience with dynamic, relevant content- day in and day out. Our national digital network offers exposure opportunities equal to over a half a billion adults 18+ per month. While the place-based digital signage industry continues to consolidate, we can offer an extremely efficient way to achieve your national marketing goals, right now.

No Time Like The Present

In the competitive world of business, no one feels the effects of the unforeseen twists and turns like small businesses do. Among the enormous ships and tankers, they can be like a toy boat, tossed from wave to wave, taking on water more than can be bailed out. Sadly, the tidal wave that is this economic recession has forced many local business owners to close their doors for good.

Such is the case for Florida Billiards in Tampa, a locally owned and operated store that specializes in pool tables, poker tables, arcade games, dart boards and anything else you might need to turn a spare room into the ultimate party place. Florida Billiards will continue to provide premium entertainment merchandise at bargain prices at their Orlando store, but they need to clear out their Tampa store quickly, and they've turned to digital billboards to help them accomplish that goal.

Running their "going-out-of business" message on four digital billboards will give them exposure opportunities equal to over 300,000 people over the 4th of July weekend. Even more impressive is that they purchased the space, designed the artwork, and went up on the digital billboards, all in one day! Only digital billboards allow advertisers to solve their immediate marketing objectives in such a powerful, cost effective way.

Even The Billboards Are Feeling The Heat

Do you ever think about how much more productive you could be if you didn't have to drive? The average commute time in Tampa Bay is more than 20 minutes. That's nearly an hour each day that would probably be better spent preparing for your big meeting, catching up on the news or planning your weekend.

Unfortunately, until someone invents a teleportation device to eliminate travel time, we are all stuck driving for a good portion of our daily life. With digital outdoor, advertisers are starting to engage audiences by offering them relevant, useful information while they're stuck feeling trapped and unproductive during their time spent driving. Breaking news headlines, sports scores, weekend events, weather forecasts, stock tickers and virtually any other dynamic item can be utilized as part of your design.

Action Air Conditioning creates a much more compelling ad by playing to what people are thinking RIGHT NOW. It's hot, and chances are you can't wait to get home to your air conditioned house. Seeing this billboard makes you think about the poor folks who are in need of the services being advertised, and chances are that if you ever find yourself in such a situation, you'll remember Action Air as a company who feels your pain.

The technology that digital outdoor offers is begging to be utilized in creative new ways by forward-thinking advertisers. What relevant information could you offer to consumers that would make your ad more compelling?

A Discussion with Wildfire Marketing

Wildfire Marketing Group is a Tampa-based marketing and advertising company that specializes in helping smaller companies compete and win against larger companies through a powerful combination of unconventional and traditional marketing techniques. Wildfire has been featured in several publications including Entrepreneur, Fortune Small Business and on CNN Money.

Jeremy L Knauff, the CEO of Wildfire, took the time to ask me some questions about digital billboards as part of his website's "Thought Leaders Thursday" feature. You can read the interview here.

Digital Billboard Leads to Recovery of Missing Child

On Monday, I received an email requesting that we use our digital billboards to post photos of fugitive sex offender Robbi Potter, 27, and his associate Candace Watson, 24, who were wanted for the alleged kidnapping of 4 year old Haylee Donathan. Within minutes, we uploaded the photos to our digital billboards, as did several other Clear Channel Outdoor markets nationwide.

Yesterday at approximately 4:30 pm (PST), a tip was received by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, which led to the apprehension of Potter and Watson and the safe recovery of little Haylee. The tipster reportedly saw one of the digital billboards which we posted in partnership with the U.S. Marshals.

The success marks the end of an intense nationwide manhunt over the last several weeks, which has garnered significant national media attention, especially on CNN shows Nancy Grace and Headline News, as well as America’s Most Wanted. Potter and Watson will face extradition back to Ohio to face their charges. Haylee is safely in the custody of the San Diego County Children Services pending further review.

“We are very thankful to our partners in the media, especially CNN, America’s Most Wanted and Clear Channel Communications, for getting the photos and story out nationwide.” said U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott. “Clear Channel was able to quickly put up digital billboards in multiple states across the nation and this ultimately led to the tip that brought a safe ending to this investigation.”

Watch the ABC news report here.

Absolute Transparency

We love new technology, but we don't always completely trust it. Fear of the unknown is a natural human instinct. We buy surge protectors, credit card insurance, and read consumer reports. We take comfort in the security of an extended warranty. It's understandable- we want to make sure that we get what we've paid for.

The benefits of digital outdoor should be enjoyed without the hassle of having to worry about your investment. That's why we've installed webcams on each of our digital billboards. The camera feeds are monitored 24/7 by a team in San Antonio, and a local service technician is deployed at the first sign of a problem. Any problems are corrected within 4 hours, ensuring that down time is kept to a minimum.

Now, we're taking our commitment to service excellence to a new level. All current advertisers will have the opportunity to view the webcams at their leisure. You'll be provided with a username and password that will grant you access for the length of your campaign. This will allow you to to view your ad as soon as it goes up, verify that any creative changes are made correctly, and make sure that your ad is never displayed back-to-back with a competing advertiser.

You can access the login page by clicking on the animated banner ad at the top of the page. It's our way of tearing down the wall between you and your digital campaign, so kick back, relax and enjoy the show!

Combining Internet With Outdoor

Residents of the Tampa Bay area who visit local news website TBO.com this week will see a brilliant red banner ad for an upcoming sale at Macy's. With premium placement on one of Tampa's most popular internet sites, the department store will effectively reach potential shoppers where they live and work. That pretty much covers the bases if you're an advertiser trying to deliver a message, right?

In the late eighties, sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term "The Third Place" to describe the spaces we occupy when we're not at home or work. The amount of time people spend away from home is steadily increasing, making it more important than ever to find a way to reach consumers while they're occupying these third spaces.

Before digital billboards, it was tough for advertisers like Macy's to use out-of-home advertising to promote sales and specials, because of the static nature of the medium. But now, through the use of digital billboards, outdoor campaigns can effectively mimic online banner ads. There are no production charges, so short term buys remain cost effective, and artwork can be changed in less than 24 hours.

But, you don't need to tell that to Macy's. In addition to their internet campaign, they are currently advertising their sale on Clear Channel Outdoor's digital billboards throughout the bay area.

Overcoming the Competition

It's undeniable that we're living in a buyer's market. Virtually everything can be negotiated, and as a salesperson it can be tough to know where to draw the line. The philosophy that unsold ad space is waste, and that we should let the market determine the value of our product is more difficult to dispute than ever. In a bad economy, the tendency is for businesses to take turns lowering their prices in order to gain market share.

There is however, an alternative to this slippery-slope price war. Imagine for a second, that instead of offering their products at a lower price, your competition gave away their products and services for free. Let's face it, with the desperate times we're facing, it might not be all that far-fetched. So, how would you compete if you charged for your products and your competition gave it away?

Think about some of the things people pay for that they could essentially have for free. People buy books, when they could get them from the library. About 1 in 10 people pay for satellite radio, while terrestrial radio costs nothing. I buy music from iTunes when I could get all the music I want for free from file sharing services like Limewire or Bit Torrent. So, what makes us willing to shell out money for things we can obtain for nothing? And how can we adjust the way we do business to create that same kind of value in the minds of our customers?

Looking at the aforementioned industries that have thrived by selling products that are available for free can teach us a lot. People are willing to pay for good service. The easier we can make the consumer's experience with our product, the better. People are willing to pay for a sense of membership. Think about how your relationship with a customer, and their personalized experience with your product can give them a sense of pride and passion about their decision to do business with you. Finally, people are willing to pay for something if you're the only one who offers it. Stop thinking about how you can make your product better, and start thinking about what you have that they don't.

If you assume your competition will start giving their product away for free, you'll minimize the amount of time you spend negotiating rate, and you can start building value for the future. After all, as a billboard I saw recently said, "Interesting thing about recessions: they end."

Newspapers Search for Ways To Stay Relevant

This weekend, I spent some time visiting my parents at their home in a small suburb of Tampa. While I was there, I encountered a form of media that has become almost foreign to me over the past few years: the newspaper. Being a typical twenty-something, I get my news online. In twenty minutes or so, I can visit the St. Pete Times, The Tampa Tribune and The Business Journal, scan the headlines, read the articles that interest me and when I'm finished I have no litter to throw out or recycle.

Flipping through my parents' Sunday paper, I began to think just how antiquated the medium has become. My father even admitted that the only reason they've kept their Sunday subscription is for the retail sales inserts (which are also available online). David Weinfeld recently wrote an article that explores the demise of newspapers, citing that in the first quarter of 2009, ad revenues in the newspaper industry declined by more than $2.6 billion from the previous year. I'm in agreement with David when he says that the newspaper industry will survive in one way or another, either in an alternate form or as a gateway to a deeper media experience.

In order to survive however, newspapers must change. They must seek new formats for their content and new platforms to broadcast from. This is where digital billboard advertising comes in. The Las Vegas Sun is using 18 digital billboards across the city to broadcast their top headlines each day. Rob Curley, a columnist for the Sun, wrote a blog post about the campaign, in which he states, "In the last three months, our traffic has increased by 32 percent on lasvegassun.com. Potential advertisers have also taken notice." By increasing their reach, they're building value for their advertisers, and thus finding new streams of revenue.

These are dark days for print media, but rest assured that forward-thinking publications like the Las Vegas Sun aren't going down without a fight.

Art Exhibit Wrap-Up

Tampa's first Digital Billboard Art Exhibition ended Sunday after two weeks of dazzling commuters with the works of 12 bay area artists. The number of visitors to The Mainframe nearly tripled during the exhibit, as people flocked to our artist profile page to find out more about the paintings and photos displayed on the digital billboards. I received letters and photos (see above) from many of the artists, who were thrilled to have their names up in lights.

Due to this wildly successful first campaign, we are planning to hold future exhibitions based on availability of the billboards. Fall 2009 is our next projected date, and we've already received dozens of submissions that didn't make it into the first run.

Our hope for these campaigns is that the billboards are not a final destination for bay area commuters, but a launching point from which they can dive into the vast and expansive world of talent that resides in Tampa. My thanks goes out to all the artists who participated- I couldn't have asked for a better collection of art to broadcast to the masses.

Want A Remote Control for Digital Billboards?

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article that explored the idea of using Apple's iPhone to interact with digital signage. Well, those musings are becoming reality in London's Westfield mall, where visitors will encounter a 57 inch LCD screen which displays objects that can be controlled by touching and tapping the face of their iPhones.

Visitors can zoom in on items, rotate them and select different color variations. The screens launched with an image of a shoe, which users can spin and flip to view from all angles. Wanna see that in blue? Simply select your color of choice and the shoe instantly changes to the desired hue. The interactive shoe program was designed to show advertisers the potential of the screens as a marketing tool.

Russell Townsend, managing director at the digital creative agency Clusta, commented "Digital outdoor is an incredibly innovative medium, and as an industry we are really just scratching the surface of the weird and wonderful ways it can engage.” Roadside digital signage doesn't present the same opportunities for interactivity as pedestrian signage. Nevertheless, the linking of digital billboards to personal devices for passive interaction, such as automatic content delivery, seems like an inevitability at this point.

Rocking Out On Digital Billboards

This was just too cool not to post. Clear Channel, along with some other media companies held a fundraiser last week in Toronto's Dundas Square. Ad agencies and media groups gathered at the Hard Rock Cafe to compete in a Rock Band tournament which was broadcast to digital billboards outside on the street. The live streaming footage of the video game contest was periodically interrupted with a leaderboard, keeping pedestrians and commuters up to date on the current points leader.

"We wanted to show that, as competitors in the digital OOH industry, we can come together to showcase how impactful large-format digital outdoor can be when used boldly and creatively," says Dora Alexander, VP of ad sales at Outdoor Broadcast Network.

Media service company OMD was crowned the winner with their rendition of "Eye of The Tiger," and were awarded a four week digital campaign to donate to the charity of their choice. What a great way to prove the power and impact of digital outdoor to a large group of media planners and buyers. Thanks to Marketing, Canada's leading advertising and marketing magazine, for sharing the photos!

The Survival of The Smartest

This week, Office Depot is launching the "Adopt A Small Business Contest" on digital billboards across the country. The billboards encourage people to visit TheSurvivalOfTheSmartest.com where contest rules are explained in full. Participants must send in a short video explaining the smart things their small business is doing to cope with the current recession. 500 winning small businesses will each be awarded over $2,000 in prizes for sharing their bright ideas.

Additionally, Office Depot is using their new website as a resource center for small business owners. The site includes tools such as marketing tips, sample budget spreadsheets, expert advice and HR training. Virtual hosts Matt and Matt guide visitors through the site's offerings, and they will be hosting informative webisodes which will be broadcast via the website.

I love the way Office Depot is essentially offering a partnership to their customers. They don't want to simply be a supplier of manila folders and scotch tape. They want to help businesses thrive and grow. After all, every bankruptcy filed represents one less customer they can serve in the future. Smart, indeed.

Billboards Get Personal

A few years back, I received a call from a man named Eric, who was interested in purchasing some billboards. When I asked him what kind of business he was looking to advertise, he simply stated that he was in construction, and wanted to meet with me in person to discuss his options. Intrigued by the vagueness of his request, I agreed to meet with him at one of his construction sites, where he was laying cement for a sidewalk near Ulmerton Road.

When I arrived, he grabbed his lunch and sat down with me at a nearby picnic table. He apologized for the dried cement on his hands as he shook mine, and he wiped some sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. I asked him a couple of questions about what he was looking to accomplish with billboards, and what locations he might be interested in. He quickly stopped me, and proceeded to explain that he wasn't looking to advertise his construction business.

Over the next 15 minutes, with tears in his eyes, he explained that he wanted to use billboards to apologize for things he had done. Infidelities with multiple women, which had destroyed his marriage to his wife of 27 years. His confession had torn them apart and he was willing to try anything to put the pieces back together, including spending thousands of dollars on billboards to publicly profess his love for his wife.

It was one of the most memorable sales calls I ever made. When the billboards went up, everyone started asking what they were all about, and eventually the newspapers even picked up the story. I don't know what happened to Eric and his wife, or whether they were able to repair the damage that was done, but Eric's profession was a loud one.

Whether it be a statement about Geico's new low rates or a profession of love, it's undeniable that billboards make quite a statement. Digital billboards make it even easier and more affordable to put a personal message up for the world to see. Last February, we helped a man propose to his wife on a digital billboard (she said yes). This week, we arranged for a proud mother to congratulate her son on his high school graduation.

Everyone has something to say. With the flexibility of digital, we can put together daily (or even hourly) rates for people to shout it from the rooftops.

Now Hiring

Clear Channel Outdoor is looking to hire an advertising account executive. If you understand that selling isn't about pitching products, but solving prospective clients' problems, then we would like to consider you for an account executive position. A position is available for a creative, self-motivated, organized professional seeking a career, as well as financial growth. We offer excellent benefits and compensation packages commensurate with experience. Email your resume to ryanfrazier@clearchannel.com

Or, fax or mail your resume to:

Clear Channel Outdoor
5555 Ulmerton Road
Clearwater, FL 33760
FAX-727-571-1564

Sneak Peak: Art on Billboards

Tampa Bay's first ever Digital Billboard Art Exhibition will begin on Monday May 25th, but you can already preview some of the featured artwork in the slideshow below. Throughout the two-week exhibition, we will be adding profiles about each of the artists to the "Art on Billboards" page, which you can visit by clicking here.

Special thanks goes out to Melissa Poirier and Marina Williams for introducing me to ArtPool, where many of our featured artists' work can be found.

Artwork on Billboards

View more OpenOffice presentations from ryanfrazier.

700 Square-Foot Banner Ads

Tampa Bay area home sales hit a 22-month high in April, with 1,429 homes sold, the highest number since June of 2007. It also marked the fourth straight month of growth over prior month. Regardless of the incessant doom and gloom being delivered by traditional news media, things are starting to change.

The outdoor advertising industry has felt the effects of the sagging housing market. Home builders have shifted what marketing dollars they have left to quick-hit campaigns, primarily advertising online. Web-based advertising is a good way for builders to promote weekend sales, because they can create urgency quickly, without paying expensive production fees.

More recently, home builders have begun to supplement those banner ads with digital billboards, taking their message out of the home and into the marketplace, where business decisions are made. The two mediums have very similar features (flexibility, high reach, no production costs) and complementary benefits (reach people wherever they are) so it's not surprising that advertisers who pair the two are seeing such fantastic results.

Rock You Like A Hurricane

Offering relevant information, such as weather or traffic updates, is a great way to ensure people pay attention to your ad. The ability to display live content on digital billboards has been underutilized by local advertisers. Most people probably don't realize that any text or image that's on the web can be added as an automatically updating element on the sign.

In the Tampa Bay area, there is a huge market for windows and doors specifically designed to withstand high-impact winds. As hurricane season approaches, I've been thinking about how cool it would be to show a live 24/7 Doppler radar image of current cloud coverage as part of a campaign to promote the storm-proofing of homes. Over the course of such a campaign, drivers would make a point to check the radar as they pass each day, enhancing the effectiveness of such a branding campaign.

Effective advertising is essential to weathering the current economic storm. Adding live content to your outdoor campaign is a great way to set yourself apart from your competition, ensuring that your company's future will be bright and sunny.

There's An App For That

With more than 1 billion apps downloaded for the iPhone, it's clear that the multi-functional programs for your mobile phone are here to stay. According to the folks at Apple, there's an app for just about everything. So the question some people are asking is, "When will there be an app that gives consumers interactivity with digital signage?"

Think of the possibilities... As you pass a billboard for a restaurant, your phone could download a takeout menu. A billboard for an upcoming concert could provide you with a free download of a song by the performing artist. If you've used your phone to call Domino's in the last week, a billboard for Pizza Hut could send you a personalized message telling you why you should order from them instead. It's a little bit "big brother" but it seems like the obvious next step in the digital out-of-home revolution. It could also solve the problem of measurement.

Instead of providing a constant, annoying flow of text messages, which would be similar to email spam, the app could be something you would open as you pass a billboard. Advertisements that have the interactivity function could carry a stamp or symbol that indicates you should check your app for content. This would make the content available on demand, instead of cramming it down the consumer's throat. Someone with more advanced programming skills than me is going to invent this thing eventually and will probably make themselves a fortune.

Gathering Artists For Billboard Exhibition

ArtPool Gallery & Vintage Boutique in downtown St. Petersburg is one of the hidden gems of Pinellas County. Started by Marina Williams in 2008, ArtPool lets up-and-coming talent display their work at a very low cost, and allows the artists to keep 100% of the proceeds.

I spoke with Marina regarding our upcoming Digital Billboard Art Exhibition, hoping to spread the word that we will be using our billboards across Tampa Bay to display the work of local artists. Our goal is to generate interest in local culture and the arts, while beautifying the streets with something bold and meaningful. Her enthusiasm about the exhibition was contagious. I truly can't wait to see some of these paintings up in lights.

If you haven't been to ArtPool, you're missing out on one of the best additions to St. Pete culture. The gallery will host a launch party tomorrow, May 9th for "Zero: Modern Arts Directory", a sort of Yellow Pages of local talent.

Check back here for interviews and articles on participating artists, and if you or someone you know would like to display your work in our free Digital Billboard Exhibition, please call 727.299.2456 or email ryanfrazier@clearchannel.com.

The Doctor Will See You Now

Why is it that almost any television program set in a hospital becomes wildly successful? From General Hospital, to ER, to Scrubs, to Grey's Anatomy.... At almost any given time over the past few decades, there has been at least one hit show set within the walls of a hospital.

Truth is, you'd have a hard time finding more going on under one roof anywhere, than in your average metropolitan hospital. People being born, people passing away, people being diagnosed, people being cured.... The marketing department of a hospital has a challenging job. How do you support all the different departments and services that your hospital offers with one consistent ad campaign? What you need is an advertising medium that is flexible enough to deliver multiple messages and change on a dime.

The picture above shows how a hospital used an LED sign to announce the birth-weights of each new baby born in the maternity ward. Of course, this was executed before today's full color digital displays were introduced to the market, but the basic concept remains. A current billboard campaign in Tampa shows the number of lives saved in a specific hospital. Now, imagine if that statistic updated automatically with a real-time number. You could show the current wait time in the ER (providing it was short). You could alert the market at a moment's notice of a shortage in a specific blood-type. There are so many different ways to use the technology...

Your business has to adapt daily to keep up with the changing market. Why shouldn't your ad campaign be just as flexible as you are?