Have you ever heard of Wall Drug? If you have spent much time on the interstate highway system, especially the east-west thoroughfare I-90, chances are it rings a bell with you.
For the record it’s located in the tiny town of Wall, South Dakota at the entrance to the Badlands. Depending on your opinion, Wall Drug is either an iconic piece of Americana … or a silly tourist trap. All of this is thanks to billboard marketing.
Why the Wall Story Matters
What’s the point of this little travelogue? Millions of people have heard about Wall Drug for one reason and one reason only: The hundreds of billboards lining highways and interstates most of which say XXX miles to Wall Drug along with corny/catchy slogans. This is a testament to the effectiveness of billboard marketing. While the advertising world is much different in 2021 than when Wall Drug started putting up billboards in 1936, Duffy Marketing believes billboard marketing should still be part of any business marketing plan.
The Numbers Tell an Interesting Story
That belief is based on solid research. One of the goals of any advertising campaign is to reach a captive audience. In this day and age of short attention spans and social media that’s difficult to do. But commuters might be as close to a captive audience as you will get when you consider:
- The average American is in the car 20 hours per week
- Many commuters are in the car by themselves
- Americans age 35-49 (a key demographic) drive the most at 13,000+ miles each year
It’s hard to duplicate those factors with almost any other advertising medium.
Maximizing Your Return On Investment (ROI)
Billboard marketing provides the best ROI when it’s used to increase brand awareness. For example, if you are new to a market or are trying to compete with a more-established company, billboards will get your name in front of thousands of people every day. When you are trying to promote a specific sale or product, you will likely get a better return on investment using other marketing services like direct mail, or radio and TV.
Learn How Billboards Can Work For You
Duffy Marketing isn’t saying we can turn your business into the next Wall Drug, but we are saying billboard marketing is still an effective component of business marketing. There are other “walking billboards” that we help you implement and make sure your business stands out with as well. Not sure what we mean? Call us today to talk about marketing services for your company. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
