When we think of GIs, we don't think of folks who make a lot of money, and that's certainly the case when it comes to the paychecks of young recruits. But the reality is that with so many of their expenses picked up by the government, military personnel do decently, especially in these tough times.
They have considerable spending power, measured in the billions.
It's also a large group of people, well over a million, and that's not counting their families or the hundreds of thousands of civilians who work on some 200 posts and bases in the U.S.
The challenge for advertisers is reaching service people at those installations.
One can always advertise in the post or base newspapers, which are widely read and available at kiosks around the installation. But increasingly there are opportunities to reach military personnel through out-of-home advertising.
In addition to posters on newspaper racks on the installation, there are billboards and transit boards just outside the gate that are seen by thousands each day coming and leaving.
Read on to find out how to get ads on military bases.
This is one in a Media Life series on buying out-of-home venues. They appear weekly.
Fast Facts
What
Out-of-home ads on military bases or near the entrances of military bases.
How it works
Ads on military bases are typically posters placed on newspaper racks or vinyl posters hung on fences or walls.
Sometimes ads are placed in recreational areas on the bases, including in bowling alleys, computer labs and even on golf courses.
Posters on military installations commonly measure 17 inches by 21 inches. Those outside the gate are often bigger, with billboards measuring 10 feet by 36 feet and sometimes larger.
Prices are typically flat fees, dependent on the type of ad and the number of military bases in the campaign, with some campaigns targeting a single base and others covering bases around the country. One 17-inch-by-21-inch poster goes for roughly $200 per month.
The military discourages ads that may be considered risqué or offensive.
Markets
Military bases are scattered around the country, including massive bases in major metropolitan areas like Camp Pendleton in the San Diego area to bases well outside metropolitan areas such as Fort Hood in Killeen, Tex.
Numbers
The audience for OOH ads on military bases varies by the base and the location.
How it is measured
Each military branch keeps tabs on the number of soldiers and military families and employees on their bases.
And increasingly outdoor companies are conducting research to better understand the number of people exposed to these ads and their demographics.
What product categories do well
Most advertisers using OOH advertising on military bases are specifically reaching out to soldiers.
Often advertisers target soldiers a few years into their active duty who are planning their future, whether it be finding work once they get out or attending college or some sort of civilian training.
But a lot of advertising is for everyday products of the sort civilians buy but with some military element, for example car or life insurance plans designed for military personnel.
That's in addition to ads for cars and vacations and homes near the installation, as well as banks and cell phone plans.
Demographics
Of the estimated 1.4 million active members in the major military branches – Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines – 85 percent are male and 80 percent are under 35 years old, according to Alloy Military Explorer, a new research study conducted by out-of-home company Alloy Media & Marketing.
Military families, numbering some 3.3 million people, spend some $71 billion a year on consumer products.
Making the buy
Alloy Media & Marketing places ads in military-based newspapers and also has access to a slew of newspaper kiosks where poster-size ads are placed. It also offers other forms of OOH advertising on and near bases.
EMC Outdoor handles all aspects of on-base outdoor campaigns.
Fairway Outdoor offers traditional out-of-home advertising, such as single-sheet posters and standard- and large-size bulletins outside a few military bases.
Who’s already advertising on military bases
Current or recent advertisers include AT&T, Bank of America, Blue Cross, General Motors and ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
What they’re saying
“When you look at active duty, reservists, employees and their families, it’s 6 million people. You’re talking about this great audience of young adults and young families for advertisers.” –
Tammy Nelson, vice president of marketing and research at Alloy Media & Marketing.
Web site info
Alloy Media & Marketing
http://www.alloymarketing.com
CBS Outdoor
https://www.cbsoutdoor.com/Pages/default.aspx
Clear Channel Outdoor
http://www.clearchanneloutdoor.com
EMC Outdoor
http://www.emcoutdoor.com
Fairway Outdoor Advertising
http://www.fairwayoutdoor.com
Lamar Outdoor Advertising
http://www.lamar.com/main/default.cfm
