Billboards are everywhere on US highways. Though some feel the number of billboards on our US highways is an eyesore, the billboards often provide valuable information for travelers.

Though effective, two problems stand out with billboard advertising. First, the ad must wait for the motorist to come to it. It is stuck on the side of the road but if no one drives that way, it is a waste of money. Second, standard billboards can’t do anything to attract attention. They are totally stationary and, with the competition of other billboards, might well be ignored.

To overcome these two obstacles, some ingenious people have come up with the concept of a portable billboard. It has all the advantages of size and color found in a stationary billboard, but it actually moves to where the people are. A portable billboard operates in a variety of ways but, basically, with all of them, the billboard is displayed on the side of a truck, called truckside advertising, or trailer and then driven into the target area.

The simplest and least expensive way to do this is to rent the sides and back of a truck that will post your printed ad there. You can even share the truck with another company, posting a different ad on each side and on the back for a given period of time. Everywhere the truck goes, the ad is seen. If the ad is attractive, people waiting in traffic or noticing a parking area will read the ad.

For more money, you can rent a moving ad. One version of this is designed on the same principle as the vertical three sided changing billboards. The ad is attached to these vertical sticks and, as they rotate, an entirely different picture or message will appear, almost instantly. They are excellent for attracting attention. Trucks or trailers equipped with smaller versions of this display will travel through traffic, the message on the sides and back changing every ten or fifteen seconds. Of course, three messages at a time can be displayed this way on each of the three surfaces of the vehicle.

A second method of changing the message on the truck or trailer is through roller banners. A timer activates a motor and, almost instantly, the roller moves the material vertically, displaying another message. This is similar to what is seen at the stats tables of a basketball game. A firm selling such 10′ by 10′ trailers claims ten messages can be stored on one roll, and, of course, a different roll can be on the back and other side. The message boards are covered with tempered glass for protection. Some also contain internal lighting, allowing for nighttime effectiveness.

The third method of changing messages on portable billboards is through electronics. You have probably seen one of the new billboards that can be programmed to display multi-colored messages. Portable billboards are trucks or trailers with the same ability. Nothing needs to be printed. The message is designed and the computer decides how to display it.

No matter which method you choose, your ad has the boost of being brought to the populated areas. This increases its effectiveness and allows for mass visual advertising of goods or services not applicable to highway travelers.

AirSign is an aerial advertising company dedicated to maximizing the value of every dollar clients invest in them. Check out their mobile billboard advertising options today!