Billboards+&+Advertisements+Statistics,+Effectiveness,+Etc.

On this page our group will explain the effectiveness of billboards/advertisements. As well as some of the statistics behind billboards.

** Billboards: Past and Present **

Billboards are used by companies big and small to advertise for their products and services. For companies who cannot afford radio or television advertising, billboards are the cheapest way to get the word out to a large number of consumers. For people unfamiliar with the area, a billboard can be a beacon for a hungry traveler or a person looking for the nearest gas station. This type of advertising goes back for thousands of years. The first really good example of outdoor advertising is the Egyptian Obelisk, a tall stone pillar with a pointed top on which hieroglyphs were carved. The Washington monument is modeled after the obelisk. They were used to convey religious ideas, but also served as an early form of advertising. Politicians used them to gain name recognition and were also used by the Pharaohs themselves to ensure the public’s awareness of new policies and social expectations. In 1450, many centuries later, Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable metal type printing press. Soon, posters could be seen in many public places. This idea evolved as posters began to grow larger and advertisers were looking to place their ads in more desirable high traffic areas. What we know today as the billboard was first implemented in the Unites States to advertise the traveling circus, with New York erecting 50 square foot posters along its street railways in 1853. In the early 1900s, the first commercial billboard campaigns were launched by companies selling everything from hair pomade to breakfast cereal. The pictures were bold and elaborate. Billboards were also being used for public service advertising of various social concerns and also to rally support for wars. Technology has affected the evolution of the billboard. First, advances in manufacturing allowed billboards to be made larger, faster and more durable. Eventually, machinery was added which caused panels to alternate, allowing for two billboards in one (thus increasing revenues). With the introduction of computer technology, better imaging was available. Today, we can see the epitome of billboard technology with the recent introduction of digital billboards which allow images to change every so often, therefore more advertisers can have access to highly desirable advertising spaces (and even MORE ad revenue can be collected).