Why Truckside Advertising?

The significant reach of outdoor mobile media is rapidly becoming one of the hottest methods for advertisers to communicate their message. Truckside advertising has the ability to target all segments of our society. The versatility and sheer impact of truckside advertising allows advertisers to capture the attention of business decision makers and consumers during part of their daily routines.

Truckside advertising is a cost effective out-of-home method, especially when you compare Cost Per Thousand (CPM) to other media.

Average CPM (cost per 1,000 exposures) for other media:

• Truckside Advertising – approximately 85¢
• Radio (Top 100 markets/60 second, Drive Time) $8.61
• Magazines (4-color Page) $9.35
• Television (Top 100 Markets/30 second Prime Time Spot) $17.78
• Newspapers (Top 100 Markets/third page-B/W) $22.95

Today’s consumer is on the go. Heavy vehicle mileage and long commutes are becoming the norm. The increase in travel is making it harder for advertisers to reach their target with conventional advertising methods. The findings of a recent Arbitron Outdoor Media Study seem to suggest truckside advertising is the perfect answer to reaching today’s consumer:

• Americans report traveling an average of 302 miles in a vehicle in the past seven days
• The average person says their mileage over the past four weeks is 1,101 miles
• The average American’s one-way commute takes 27 minutes, with the round-trip commute taking nearly an hour. The heaviest traveled commuters spend nearly two hours a day getting to and from work

It Works!

Truckside Advertising is hitting the road and the results are impressive. The following research reports suggest truckside advertising not only works, but is the wave of the future.

McDonald’s

People PC

In January of 2001 McDonald’s ran a 12-week campaign aimed at driving hungry patrons to its golden arches in the Chicagoland market. The entire promotion consisted of five trucks carrying the McDonald’s message. Sue Petrusek, McDonald’s Chicago marketing supervisor stated, “We selected truckside advertising because it provides us a unique opportunity to drive store traffic in very specific geographic areas with tremendous impact and minimal advertising waste.” The results of the 12-week campaign were impressive :

• Total campaign impressions: 17,942,664

• Average daily impressions per unit: 55,123

In February 2001, the computer marketer People PC ran a campaign with traditional print and broadcast programs. The Detroit, Michigan market supplemented the media plan with a truckside advertising campaign. Below is a listing of a few key findings from the Detroit market :

American Trucking Association (ATA)

Visual Impact of Trucks in Traffic by R.A. Stanley, Dept of Economics, Washington, D.C

• 75% of people developed an impression about a company and its products
• 29% would base a buying decision on the impression
• Average truck/trailer creates almost 5 million visual impressions annually
• Average truck travels 49,125 miles
• 81% of the viewers see one or both sides

The Arbitron Outdoor Study

Ninety-six percent (96%) of Americans say they have traveled in a vehicle either as a driver or a passenger in the past week