January 22, 2009

Four years ago, the mayor of Sao Paolo, Brail banned all billboard advertising because he considered it to be “visual pollution.” In that context, he was right to do so: literally tens of thousands of illegal billboards had been erected on slum rooftops, instilling a migraine into whatever passerby would even bother to make out just what brand, product, or service, was being advertised.

Thankfully for pedestrians and those considering advertising in Chicago, billboards are not noise pollution and are actually, per capita, rather sparse. This is especially good news for advertisers because it ensures that their message will stand out to passersby. And it is even better for businesses there because of the large-scale commute that takes place daily thanks to the city’s being a case study in suburban sprawl.

Chicago billboards placed along major commuter routes receive literally millions (some even ten million) eyeballs per day, amounting to over a billion views annually. Often for less than a tenth of a cent per view, advertisers have the ability to reach busy Chicagoans (and those just passing through) many times of day, making their brand top of mind. Studies have recently shown that people who are exposed to a weak or neutral brand message on a daily basis are far more likely to consume that brand’s product or service than people who are exposed to a strong brand message through television or radio advertising (which is why so many companies advertise on such large scales when they do run radio and television advertising campaigns.

For companies looking to get the biggest bang for the advertising buck, advertising on Chicago billboards represents the most efficient way to get noticed, get remembered, and to ultimately convert passersby into customers when they need your product or service in the future