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.