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from a RR trestle
Or better, his message, to reach driver eyeballs
By Kathy Prentice
For advertisers who want to move their traditional out-of-home messages from the side of the highway directly in front of commuters’ eyes, signage affixed to railroad trestles could be the answer.
Bridge bulletins stretch across several lanes of traffic and can be placed above surface roads and highways to reach commuters traveling to the office as well as soccer moms en route to the mall.
To find out how to get your client on railroad trestles, read on.
This is one in a Media Life series on buying the new out-of-home venues. They appear weekly.
Fast Facts
What
Signage affixed to overhead railroad bridges that is visible to street traffic—both vehicles and pedestrians.
Who
Viacom Outdoor, formerly TDI; central region headquartered in Chicago.
How it works
Full-color signage is placed on both sides of railroad trestles that cross major thoroughfares and expressways.
Signage is placed directly above the traffic line and can be seen long-distance as well as close-up.
The advertiser provides creative and produces banners. Viacom installs, maintains and removes banners, and can assist advertisers with arranging production.
“Keep creative large, direct, colorful,” says John Blunda, Viacom Outdoor's vice president for the central region. “You don’t need to have the company’s whole life history up there. Keep it very simple.”
Advertisers frequently use their web site addresses and phone numbers as reference points on bridge bulletins.
Bridge banners come in three sizes:
- four- by 40-foot banners
- five- by 50-foot banners
- eight- by 80-foot banners
The majority of bridge banners sold are five- by
50-feet,
Blunda says.
Dimensions include a two-inch border on all four sides.
Banners must be produced on 12- to 18-ounce reinforced
vinyl and must be UV coated.
Campaigns are generally six to 12 months.
“They’re normally branding campaigns,” Blunda says.
Many campaigns are used to direct
consumers to nearby retail and service outlets. “For instance, ‘Hungry? McDonald’s
is two blocks ahead,’” Blunda says.
Directional campaigns can be especially effective in
areas where a product category is competitive, Blunda says.
“They work well in areas that have, say, three or four car
dealerships on a major street. Then
you’re obviously within the area of influence where you’re going to
hit your demographic.”
Promotions are also the focus of bridge bulletins.
“If Sears is having a tire sale you can utilize this signage, say,
in addition to bus advertising,” Blunda says.
Exclusive point-of-purchase coverage is available
near many retail outlets like malls and supermarkets.
Advertisers can cherry-pick available locations by
region.
Approximately 75 percent of bridge bulletin
advertisers are
local, with the remaining 25 percent national accounts.
Bridge bulletins are used as stand-alones or part of
mixed-media campaigns. “When
used as directionals they can stand alone,” Blunda says.
In multimedia campaigns bridge bulletins are
frequently teamed with bus and radio advertisements.
Seasonality is not a factor, except possibly from the
advertiser’s perspective. “The
product would be the only seasonal thing,” Blunda says.
“For instance, ice cream sells better in summertime.”
Markets
Chicago, New York and Connecticut.
Numbers
How measured?
Daily effective circulation figures are used,
calculated using the intersection that the bridge is located on.
Research
What product categories do well?
Directional ads to area restaurants and shopping do
well.
Also retail and services such as fashion, food and
beverages, banks, hospitals and health care, travel, automotive,
construction and housing, and political campaigns.
Demographics
Audiences can be targeted by destination. For instance, signage near a shopping mall could
reach consumers
headed for the stores.
Audiences can be targeted by neighborhood, especially
when an advertiser is trying to reach a certain ethnic group, Blunda says.
Generally, the impact is not targeted. “When you put your ad on a railroad overpass, everybody and
his brother is going to see it going to work, going shopping,” says Tom
Rhodes, sales manager for Madison Place Condos by Norwood in Skokie, Ill. “It does get you exposure.”
Making the buy
Lead time is a minimum of one month.
Campaigns generally run for several months with a
minimum buy of 30 days.
Prices vary by location.
Other factors that affect pricing include size of
signage and size of the buy. Monthly prices are $3,500 and up, Blunda says.
Production costs are additional.
Banners must be received by Viacom a minimum of 10
working days prior to installation.
Who’s already on railroad trestles?
Old Navy, Lexus, Saturn, Coca-Cola, ESPN radio,
Midtown Bank, Southwest Airlines, Crate and Barrel, McDonald’s, Burger
King and others.
What they’re saying
“The biggest difference between bridge bulletins
and other outdoor signage is that consumers drive directly underneath.
The message is always in the line of sight.”–John Blunda,
vice president for the central region, Viacom Outdoor
Web site info
Go to Viacom Outdoor.
Click on "Rail Trestles" under "Rails/Subways."
February 25, 2002 © 2002 Media Life
-Kathy Prentice writes about out-of-home advertising for Media Life, penning her stories from the resort town of Traverse City, in the upper reaches of Michigan.
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