What
   Advertising on the interior, and in some cases on the exterior, of public school buses.

Who
   School Bus Media (SBM), headquartered in Miami, offers interior bus ads with an emphasis on healthy lifestyle messages.
   Roadmark, headquartered in Webster, Mass., offers interior signage and exterior posters.

How it works
   Ads are printed on pressure-sensitive vinyl and placed inside school buses. Exterior signage is available in some markets.
   Creative is sometimes developed specifically for the school bus program.
  “It may be a logo with a message or information that is beneficial and age appropriate,” says Roadmark president Scott Campbell. “For instance, a car manufacturer may put in a reminder to wear seat belts.”
   A brand’s standard creative is often used unless deemed objectionable.
   “There are common-sense guidelines,” says SBM national marketing director Wendall Collins. “Nothing abusive or intrusive to kids.” School districts have right of refusal on ad content.
   Interior bus signage by School Bus Media is 12 inches high by 25 inches wide and is made of self-adhesive vinyl. Stickers are placed at the height of the curve of the bus roofline and are treated with an anti-graffiti coating.
   Signage ranges from 12 inches by 26 inches for interior signage on Roadmark inventory to 21 by 44 and 21 by 70 for exterior posters mounted on aluminum frames.
   On each SBM bus there are six commercial messages and two public service announcements.
   Healthy eating and physical activity are featured in School Bus Media ads.
   “Our goal is to fight obesity,” Collins says, "by getting the corporate world to come in and sponsor this campaign to reach students, their future employees, with a healthy lifestyle message.”
   Roadmark also encourages positive messages. “A fast food company could portray their salad products as an alternative to fat food,” Campbell says.
   School Bus Media’s public service announcement component features two PSAs per bus that are created, produced and installed at no expense to the school system. Character Counts, Black History and Be Drug Free are examples of programs promoted through PSAs.
   Signage can change seasonally and can be different from market to market. Service is turnkey.
   Product exclusivity is available through SBM.

Markets
   School Bus Media offers districts in the Southeast with a focus in Florida, including Miami and Palm Beach.
   Roadmark offers districts in California, Colorado and Arizona for interior advertising and all five boroughs of New York City for exterior ads.

How measured?
   Ridership numbers provided by school systems are used for basic measurement.
   GRP showings represent that percentage of the numbers riding the public school transportation system. For example, in a district with 625 buses with each bus carrying 60 students twice a day, a potential of 75,000 potential viewings are possible on a daily basis. To reach 25 GRP an advertiser would place ads on 188, or 25 percent, of the buses.

Research
    The spending power of school-age children is between $24 billion and $72 billion a year, according to a 2000 study conducted by the Center for Research & Evaluation at the University of Maine. The study also concluded that children are heavy influencers on their parents’ purchasing habits when it comes to goods and services for the family.

What product categories do well?
   Here are a few: Pens, pencils, markers, crayons, bottled water, packaged goods, energy drinks, exercise equipment, backpacks, paper products, educational electronics, board games, literacy programs, computer software, book publishers, recreational equipment, and arts and crafts products are all audience appropriate.
   Tobacco, alcohol and political ads aren’t accepted.

Demographics
   Students in kindergarten through high school who attend public schools are the targeted group.
   Campaigns can focus on kindergarten through eighth-grade students or be aimed at high school students.
   Interior signage is directed at students. Signage placed on the outside of buses can be directed at the general public. Additionally, demographic groups can be targeted by market.
   “Basically, we link to the U.S. Census Bureau,” Campbell says. “When an advertiser has an objective, we help them achieve it.”

Making the buy
School Bus Media:
   Lead time is 60 days. Campaigns are typically 90 to 120 days with a 30-day minimum. Creative can be changed seasonally.
   Advertisers can buy district-wide or region-wide. Campaigns typically include one poster per bus in a fleet, but an advertiser can buy all six.

Roadmark:
   Lead time is contingent on the print process, Campbell says. Advertisers are responsible for their own production.
   Advertisers can buy a district, a region or everything in the national inventory.
   Cost for interior signage ranges from $25 to $40 per sign per month, contingent on quantity and length of contract. Production costs aren’t included.
   Contracts are for half or full academic years, translating to 4 1/2- or nine-month periods. Signs are left in buses over summer months at no extra cost. Advertisers can come on board in the middle of a run, Campbell says.
   Exterior signage ranges from $200 to $250 per month per unit for 21 inches by 70 inches to $125 and $150 for 21 inches by 44 inches. Lower prices in each size are for the full academic year. Production costs are additional.
   Advertisers can choose interior, exterior or both.

Who’s already on school buses?
   This is a new medium in most markets. Both companies have advertisers pending for the back-to-school season.

Web site info
   School Bus Media at www.schoolbusmedia.org
    Roadmark at www.roadmarkinc.com

Etc.
   Roadmark says it can coordinate buys with a Pennsylvania company offering school bus signage and a Massachusetts company offering wraps.