admin, Author at Outdoor Advertising News

Top 5 Beaches in Puerto Rico

Posted on August 28, 2019 by admin

When it comes to selecting the top 5 beaches in Puerto Rico, it’s hard to make a choice because Puerto Rico has many fine beaches. There’s also the definition of “best”. Criteria might include any or all of most scenic, safest, best sand, clearest water, highest quality of water or sand, easiest access, amenities, cleanest, lack of crowds, family-friendly, best artists’ location; lifeguard on duty, most accessible by public transportation, most user friendly…and the list goes on! Islands of Puerto Rico website made their own list of Puerto Rico’s best beaches, too.

Having considered a long list of criteria here are the overall picks of the top 5 beaches in Puerto Rico.

1. Flamenco Beach

Location: North area of Isla de Culebra
Getting there: Arrive on the island via ferry or plane. If you’re renting a vehicle, head down the main road 251 from the ferry dock. Follow the road north until it ends. Taxis also offer a direct shuttle to the beach.
Features: Perfect for families. Water is calm and safe for beginner swimmers. The beach also offers all accommodations including snorkeling, beach activities, outdoor showers, bathrooms, and more.
Scenery: Only place in Puerto Rico where an Old Navy tank is parked on the sand.

Flamenco Beach, on the island of Culebra, has been named one of the world’s best beaches. Its waters are clear and clean. The gentle waves change color with the time of day moving from turquoise to deep emerald as the sun moves in the sky. The while-sand, crescent-shaped beach is surrounded by rolling, green hills and lush tropical plants. It’s little wonder that artists and photographers try to capture the beauty of this changing landscape in their work.

Those who want to build sandcastles will find the white fluffy sands of Flamenco Beach the perfect medium. Go snorkeling. Collect shells. This safe, family-friendly beach has lots of things to see and do. You can even buy food there.

Most of the year this little piece of paradise isn’t crowded. Avoid holidays and the summer months and Flamenco is practically yours for those long lazy beach strolls or just for sitting and watching the changing flora and fauna. If you’re searching for a romantic spot to propose this is the place.

To get to the beach, catch a ferry from San Juan at Fajardo. It’s a spectacular, ninety-minute ride to Culebra. The ferry travels this route several times a day. Arrive several hours before departure. You can also a thirty-minute flight from Isle Grande Airport.

2. Luquillo Beach

Location: Public beach located on Porta Antillas (the east coast region) of the main island. A 45-minute drive east from San Juan International Airport.
Getting there: From San Juan International Airport enter expressway PR-26 toward Carolina/Fajardo for 4.2 miles. Take Toll Expressway PR-66 for 12 miles. Take Exit highway PR-3 for 7.5 miles.
Features: Perfect for families and water is calm for children. It’s often very crowded during tourist months.
Scenery: Beautiful beach and scenery renowned for its food kiosks and views of the Rain Forest.

Luquillo Beach is just east of San Juan. It’s not a beach in the traditional sense of the word. Luquillo Beach is actually a plantation of coconut palms. These huge trees provide shade for over a mile of white sparkling sand which forms the beach area.

Very popular with tourists and San Juan locals, this public beach has clean bathrooms, showers, and food buildings. The beach is also accessible for mobility challenged.

On the east coast of the beach is La Selva. This cove is one of the best surfing locations in Puerto Rico. It’s worth the walk.

To get to Luquillo Beach you can take a taxi, a tour bus, rent a car or bicycle or you can use the shuttle from San Juan.

3. La Chiva Beach

Location: Southern coast of the center of Isla de Vieques.
Getting there: Quickest way is from Vieques to take a direct taxi or shuttle
Features: Water is calm and shallow for swimming of all stages. Snorkeling, scuba diving, and other activities are available.
Scenery: Proclaim the most beautiful beach in Puerto Rico with contrasting blue waters and pristine sand.

Voted the best beach in Puerto Rico in our previous poll. Located on Isla de Vieques, La Chiva is also known as Playa La Chiva. This is the perfect spot for snorkeling and long walks. Often included in the best ten beaches in the Caribbean, La Chivahas mesmerizing sands and fascinating blue waters.

During the time the Navy was stationed on La Chiva, they nicknamed it “blue beach” because of the unusually bright blue of its crystal, clear water. It is an artist’s and photographer’s dream because of the changing hues of blue as you move along the beach.

Most beachgoers head to the east end of the beach to snorkel. But, if you want solitude and space to paint the turquoise waters then stay at the less frequented west end.

La Chiva is very family-friendly. Even in the winter months, waves are small and gentle. From a glass-bottom boat or snorkeling, you can see grass beds that form homes for the colorful fish that dart about delighting the children. There are gazebos for beachgoers’ use.

The best way to get to La Chiva is to rent a car or book a seat on a tour bus. You could also get to know one of the locals and offer to pay for the gas.

From San Juan, you can take Cape Air to Vieques. On an eight-seater plane, it’s a thrill ride. Once there, it’s a short taxi ride to the beach.

You need to pack your own food, water, sunblock because there are no amenities.

4. Crash Boat Beach

Location: Puerto Rico’s northwest coast
Getting there: From the San Juan area, take PR-22 west to PR-2 west. Turn right onto Road 107, and then left onto Road 458. Follow the signs and traffic.
Features: Surfing, paddleboarding, water skiing, and other water activities are popular here. Water is ideal for sport.
Scenery: The are remnants of a crashed ship just off the shoreline. Pristine blue waters are very much apart of this beach, as well.

A trip to Crash Boat Beach is worth it for the history alone. Located on Puerto Rico’s northwest coast, Crash Boat Beach is midway between Ramey Air Force Base and Aguadilla. Once used to rescue aircrews that had crash-landed, Crash Boat Beach still has some of the old piers. There are two large white sad public beaches where people can swim and sunbathe.

Crash Beach is famous for its surfing and bodyboarding. You can also scuba or snorkel around the old pier where fish dart in and out.

Paddleboarding, Jet skiing, and water skiing are also popular. You can rent a motorboat and all the equipment you need for water sports.

If you want to build sandcastles or walk on the beach, gentle palm trees provide shade.

The sunsets of Crash Beach are spectacular. That’s why artists and photographers linger here as night falls.

To get there you can book a tour that includes this stop or you can rent a car.

5. Buye Beach

Location: Puerto Rico’s western beaches, located in Cabo Rojo
Getting there: Take the exit to Cabo Rojo, keep straight until you pass McDonald’s. At the traffic light, make a right. When you arrive at the T, take a left toward “Playa Buye” on Rt. 307.
Features: Gentle waves, beautiful landscape, water, and sand. It has plenty of features like grilling areas, outdoor facilities, and gazebos. A great place to relax!
Scenery: This beach is very popular with the locals of Puerto Rico and a fun place for quality family time.

Also known locally as Playa Buye this beach in Cabo Rojo is a favorite of the locals and often voted one of Puerto Rico’s western region beaches.

Its crystal, clear water is so warm it is like taking a bath. While there is a bar at the beach, they do allow beachgoers to bring a cooler. Families wade in the calm blue waters. The white-sand beach is in pristine condition.

It’s not easy to find Buye Beach. It is tucked away. To get there, you can rent a car and park it at the rental property. Then the best way is to ask a local to help you find it.

Besides breathtaking scenery and gentle waves, the beach has several attractive amenities including a clean bathroom, gazebos, a gift shop, a pool room, and a cafeteria.

On weekdays, the beach is not crowded. However, on weekends and summer months it is busier. Take a walk and find your own little spot on this beautiful beach.

There are actually two different beaches. On the west side, water is quieter and gentle for children. It’s a safe, relaxing, family-friendly location.

We had hundreds of submissions from our last post about which is the best beach in Puerto Rico. We recorded all the responses and determined the following list as the top 5 beaches in Puerto Rico. Now we need your help to vote for one of the options below so we can know which is the #1 best beach in Puerto Rico. Thanks for your participation!!

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What is the Best Beach in Puerto Rico?

Posted on July 30, 2019 by admin

So you want to know what the best beach in Puerto Rico? No matter where you travel, locals and tourists alike will claim a beach to be the best in the state, or county. All have reasons for their claim. Many are based on their own experiences.

Residents and tourists in Puerto Rico are no different. There is much controversy about how many beaches this island nation actually has. Some sources claim there are anywhere from three hundred to well over one thousand Puerto Rican beaches. The Government of Puerto Rico notes that there are 258 by their official calculations.

Best Beach in Puerto Rico Poll

In an attempt to answer this question, we conducted two polls. These polls include thousands of Puerto Rican local residents who were asked to name their top five beaches.

From that list of the top five, as shown on the graph below, locals were asked to pick only one. The winner was La Chiva.

Why La Chiva Beach?

Previously known as Blue Beach, La Chiva has long held the title as one of the best beaches in Puerto Rico. It has been called a piece of paradise by locals and tourists. You can find it on Puerto Rico’s smaller island of Vieques. This area is home to some of the region’s best beaches.

Facts about La Chiva

Here are a few known facts about La Chiva Beach:

It received it’s “Blue Beach” title when the US Navy was present in Puerto Rico.
The beach has two areas separated by large rocks.

If you are planning to spend the day at La Chiva, you’ll be lucky enough to find shade; no need to drag along an unwieldy beach umbrella. However, don’t count on finding sunscreen, snacks, books, sand pails and shovels. Come prepared with all your beach gear.

There are no retail sites anywhere on La Chiva Beach.

There are parking areas all along the beach. Aim for spots at beach entrances 10 through 17. If it is a windy day, a good rule of thumb is: the higher the parking site number, the calmer the water. Sites 10 through 12 give the best view of the water.

The Beauty of La Chiva Beach

If you are an artist, you could make La Chiva Beach a study in blue. The west end of the beach has waters ranging from deep turquoise to navy blue along the horizon. At the east end, colors vary from sky blue to azure. Shades and hues change with the weather and the time of day.

Aptly named “Blue Beach,” La Chiva has brilliant contrasting shades of blue unequaled by any other Puerto Rican beach. As a matter of fact, some tourists have called La Chiva one of the world’s best beaches!

The Best Areas at La Chiva

The beach offers contrasts from west to east ends. It affords warm gentle waters in every season and a white-sand beach that is kept clean and natural.

This isn’t your typical touristy, crowded beach.

If you crave solitude then the west end of La Chiva Beach is a great spot to think, read, meditate, and just enjoy the scenery. The snorkelers head to the east end lured by the crystal clear blue waters.

La Chiva is a snorkeler’s dream

Below the surface of its clear waters, avid snorkelers can explore an ocean environment rich in sea life and coral. You could spend entire days in the gentle waters investigating and studying this unique underwater world. If you are a novice or relatively new snorkeler, you might want to book a snorkeling class or take part in the many snorkeling groups available at La Chiva.

An interesting sheltered snorkeling spots it the Cay at the east end of the beach.

Activities at La Chiva

If you are not a snorkeler enthusiast, La Chiva provides excellent water for:

swimming
boating or fishing
scuba diving
hiking
kayaking

If you are not a water person, simply relax on La Chiva’s beautiful white sand beach, or take a walk. La Chiva’s white, pristine sands rank it among the top beaches in all of the Caribbean.

Take a drive to the end of the road where you will see remarkable flora and fauna that cover Puerto Rico in lush green.

Waves are also small and gentle making it an ideal place for children to wade in the clear waters.

Do you want to do some hiking? The Vieques National Wildlife Refuge has erected gazebos. These afford million-dollar views for walkers, photographers, and artists.

Scuba Diving at La Chiva

Near at hand for those who want to broaden your La Chiva Beach experience, you can book a scuba diving experience. Tours are available for both first-time and seasoned scuba divers. Instruction and certification are also available. Four-hour excursions are available from Ceiba. You can rent gear and wetsuits.

See marine life including tropical fish, lobsters, stingrays, and sea turtles up close.

Vote For The Best Beach in Puerto Rico

Posted on May 23, 2019 by admin

We need your help to solve a little argument we’ve been having in the office here at bMedia. What is the best beach in Puerto Rico? Please submit your answer below to help us solve this question. After we compile all the answers, we will create a second post with the top 10 most submitted answers for you to choose from. Thank you for your participation!

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DEC Calculator

Posted on May 3, 2019 by admin

A DEC calculator can be used to calculate the daily effective circulation or potential billboard exposure for an outdoor media installation in a given location. Please use our DEC Calculator below.

Daily Effective Circulation Calculator

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Specifications

According to the OAAA the DEC is calculated by assuming that each vehicle contains 1.38 people (18 years and older). That variable is divided into two (to measure only one direction of the road). This data was provided from the Ministry of Transport and Public works of Puerto Rico which was published in January 2005 with data pertaining to 2003. These statistics assume outdoor media is featured with 24 hours of illumination.

Vintage Billboards

Posted on April 29, 2019 by admin

Advertising has evolved much over the ages. Before the advent of cheap, high-quality photo printing, painted illustrations were required to cover the large area of billboards. This meant that vintage billboards were works of art in and of themselves. Due to the limitations imposed by the use of illustrations, even the design of such ads was different.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the most effective, beautiful, and well-crafted vintage billboards to analyze and deconstruct.

Vintage Pepsi Billboard

For anyone who has seen the classic 1985 popcorn science fiction film, “Back to the Future”, this billboard might bring back a bit of nostalgia. There’s a scene in which the main character travels from an empty lot in 1955 to the same space in 1985, except the area is now occupied by a newly built suburban neighborhood. While this ad is clearly about Pepsi, it still manages to be highly representative of its era- a time when suburban development was on the rise as the American middle class prospered.

Perhaps the most interesting and striking aspect of this billboard is that it uses the scale in order to defy the expectations of the viewer and catch their attention.

Small objects such as the Pepsi bottle cap are drawn to dwarf traditionally larger objects such as the house being constructed. The technique is quite subtle, yet still manages to disarm and interest viewers.

Vintage Coca-Cola Billboard

Of course, if we are to look at old Pepsi ads, it is inevitable that vintage Coca-Cola ads be brought up as a contrasting point. The evolution of the marketing behind Coca-Cola is an always fascinating subject. Here is a rare snapshot of the brand’s humble beginnings. Simple, yet ever present, this ad was found in Puerto Rico and was among the first of the brand’s international marketing efforts.

Coca-Cola’s presence has been felt around the world for decades, this image highlights just how long Coca-Cola has been at the forefront of popular culture.

1920’s Spanish Tile Billboard

The ad pictured above is from a relatively recent photograph, meaning that this advertisement has remained intact for almost 100 years at this point, all thanks to the quality of craftsmanship and the materials used.

This billboard found in Sevilla, Spain dates back to the 1920s and is a beautiful and quite rare find. Comprised of painted tiles, it has more in common with traditional Spanish art than advertising materials. The amount of detail, care, and raw artistry that has gone into this piece come off as incredibly uncharacteristic with what audiences have come to expect out of ads. Thrilling and interesting they may be- modern ads are ultimately understood to be disposable and fleeting.

Motorcar Silhouettes Retro Billboard

Flat design is highly distinguished by shape and color instead of perspective, lighting, and detail. These two elements are commonly found being manipulated in vintage ads. This ad is a prime example of how shape can be used and taken advantage of in an ad.

This ad for some motorcars is focusing specifically on the shapes of the front of each car, relying upon the highly distinctive and iconic silhouettes of the vehicles to add impact to the billboard’s message.

1967 Chevrolet Camaro Vintage Billboard

This famous ad for the then brand-new Chevrolet Camaro is worth highlighting thanks to its striking use of bold colors.

As previously mentioned, color is the other side of the coin when it comes to flat design. While the last advertisement made great use of shapes and silhouettes, this Camaro ad chooses to shift the focus mainly to its usage of color, though the shape here is still very distinctive and clear.

The high contrast between the yellow, red, white, and black, makes it stand out and leaves an impression in the mind of the viewer. Such imagery has had a drastic impact on popular culture, inspiring visual effects in movies such as Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” and in video games such as “The House of the Dead”.

2.5D Oldsmobile Retro Billboard

In this example, the vintage billboard is comprised of multiple 2D elements layered in such a way to give the impression of depth, guiding the eye from the front left to the back right.

The beauty of billboards as an advertising medium comes from the fact that they exist within three dimensions. Many modern billboards take advantage of this by making use of models and other 3D constructs. As previously mentioned, however, many vintage billboards favored flat designs and thus approached the use of the Z-axis in a different way, utilizing a method

Interested in more creative outdoor media? Check out our article on funny signs and billboards.

Advertising in Puerto Rico

Posted on April 12, 2019 by admin

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The Locations of our Billboards
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Advertising in Puerto Rico through billboard advertising is often overlooked as outdated in the digital age, but this belief couldn’t be less correct. This is especially true when you’re looking at a market such as Puerto Rico because it’s a densely populated island, and many people spend a lot of time in cars. Without much else to stimulate their mind while sitting strapped into their seats, striking advertising signs will really catch their eyes. Also, you don’t have to go through the great expense of finding advertisement signs for sales. We offer competitively priced solutions for you to simply rent space on the signs that we maintain.
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Here are some statistics from the Arbitron National In-Car Study about outdoor media advertising.

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Learned about an event they were interested in attending
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Reported receiving directional information from a billboard
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Visited the retailer they saw on a billboard later that week
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Learned about a restaurant they later visited
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Whether you’re already a fan of outdoor media or are just thinking about getting involved, bMedia can get you through the process in a way that will produce positive results. We have 18 outdoor billboards at strategic locations throughout Puerto Rico, and they’ve all been positioned in places that are most likely to be seen by large groups of potential customers. Additionally, we’ve done a lot of tracking to know how many people will view each one, and we can even give you more details about what types of people these are. This will help you plan your advertising campaigns in a way that they primarily target the groups you’re hoping to reach. Also, our expertise and experience in the business allows us to give you plenty of advice on what makes a good billboard, as well as what methods will be less successful and should be avoided.
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There are many different results that can come from a successful billboard campaign, so the amount of strategies that can be followed is pretty much unlimited. However, two of the biggest reasons for creating outdoor advertising billboards are to boost your image and increase your sales numbers.
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The advances of computers and technology have offered many other opportunities for advertising in Puerto Rico, and this is probably the main reason that people so often think that billboard outdoor advertising no longer works. They get used to using all the detailed tracking data provided by online sources, and they forget that physical objects can also be analyzed. But, outdoor billboards are still extremely useful, and there is still a lot of data that can be examined to determine their usefulness.

Additionally, outdoor billboards have some specific advantages over purely electronic forms of advertising. For example, when they’re driving down the road, consumers don’t have a million other flashing icons to catch their eyes like on computer screen. Also, they are basically a captive audience who has no choice but to see your message. Plus, outdoor billboard advertising doesn’t have to compete with technology because it can be used in line with other digital resources. For example, you can use your outdoor billboards to advertise your website address, and then consumers can visit that to start working with your digital strategy.
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Unlike with many other forms of advertising, you can control where someone will be when they see your outdoor billboard. Using this physical advantage can be beneficial in many different ways. For example, knowing where the viewer will be allows you to put an advertisement that is relevant to their current situation, and the message can be customized to fit the feelings of the customer at that point in time. This will help them recall the message later because they will associate the feelings they received from the outdoor media billboard with what they were doing at the time. For example, if they were on the way to the beach when they saw an ad for a product to protect their skin from the sun, then they will be more likely to think of that brand when they’re shopping for something similar. Additionally, this whole strategy make consumers feel that the brand is thinking about them and is actually a part of their life. It’s a great step on the pathway to brand loyalty.
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At bMedia Group, we have helped many successful companies increase their brand with our knowledge. Working with so many organizations has given us the experience we need to help your campaign be even more successful, and we’ll use everything that we’ve learned about outdoor media to help strengthen your advertising strategy.
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Funny Advertising Fails

Posted on March 27, 2019 by admin

Advertising is all about creating associations. People who see a clear message alongside your brand will connect the two in their mind even if they don’t consciously realize it. But this effect is a double-edged sword; if someone attaches their brand to a poorly made advertisement, it can really hurt their image. Of course, if an advertisement is so bad that it’s funny when people share it online. So these advertisements are either fails or successes depending on whether or not you believe that all publicity is good publicity.

Yahoo 404 Error?

For any website, serving a user up a 404 error is an embarrassment. For one of the world’s largest search engines, producing a 404 should probably never happen, so the unfortunate number placement in this baseball stadium next to the Yahoo banner makes for funny advertising fail. Location always matters!

What Does That Say?

If you’re having trouble reading this on a screen that’s standing still imagine trying to read it while you drive past at more than sixty miles per hour. This sign seems like a real traffic hazard. Even if you can read it the slogan “see your teeth as we do” doesn’t feel worth the effort required.

Hunters and Hygienists

So I’m confused, are they holding my dental hygienist hostage? Listen, it’s great if you have hobbies and sometimes you can even work your favorite pastime into your ad campaign. But your job and your hobby need to align in some way for it to work. All this sign makes me think of is my teeth mounted on the wall beside some antlers.

Quality Control is Crucial

Even great designs can blow up in your face if the idea isn’t executed correctly. This ad must have looked great on the screen it was designed on but because the people putting the sign up didn’t put care into their work the whole impact was ruined. It just goes to show how important everyone, from the ad executive down to the person who actually has to physically put the ad up.

Diabetes, Straight Ahead

This sign placement is either incredibly unfortunate or ingenious. If the diabetes sign was there first, then McDonalds made a huge mistake. But if the McDonalds sign was the original sign then the people at the Ad Council found a great way to spread their message and make people question their unhealthy eating habits.

Join the Fun!

Because of the way the picture was cropped we can’t tell what the full sign says. What we can say for sure is that this sign seems to be encouraging people to die, and that’s always going to be a bad advertising move.

Celebrating Remarkable Women

Mixing social issues and personal promotion always requires a tricky balancing act and the people behind this sign handled the challenge with the grace of a boozed-up bull in a china shop. Honoring women is a worthy goal, but when that’s your goal you probably don’t want to make it look like your company doesn’t have any female leadership.

Love Your Curves

On the topic of mixed messages, here we have another case of good intentions and poor execution. If you want to sell your product to women who identify as curvy, then you should probably hire some models who aren’t so skinny. This advertisement manages to feel pandering, tone deaf, and insulting all at once. In that way, it’s actually quite an accomplishment!

This is Bland Flavor

Always triple check your font choice. Look at it yourself, show it to a friend, then show it to a stranger. If the designer behind this ad followed those steps, someone might have pointed out that the cursive I and S come together to look like a B, turning “island” into “bland.” It doesn’t help that the food in the picture ranges from black to brown to white. A little bit of garnish might wouldn’t have hurt.

Technical Error

Just as technology has opened up new avenues for success, it has also created plenty of new chances for failure. In the old days, a billboard ad would never need to be rebooted. Then again, this might be a good advertisement if it was put up by one of Intel’s competitors as a way to paint their products as faulty.

1-800-CALL

Last time I checked 1-800 numbers needs a few more numbers than this. What are the last three numbers? I know that CALL translates into 2255 but what three numbers do you get out of four generic looking lawyer types? Who thought this sign was complete? So many questions, so few answers.

For more humorous advertisements check out our article on: Funny Signs and Billboards.

How Does Facebook Spend its Advertising Budget? Billboards.

Posted on February 26, 2019 by admin

Have you ever seen a billboard ad for Facebook and stopped to wonder why one of the top online advertising powers in the world invests its marketing dollars into outdoor advertising?

Maybe not, but oh the irony. We personally think it’s pretty powerful that Facebook – an online marketing tool that stresses using its advertising tools to promote business – spends it’s own marketing dollars on a traditional form of marketing in billboards.

Live What You Love Campaign

One of the more noticeable Facebook billboard campaigns took place early last year across India. The campaign, entitled “Live What You Love” pushed groups, pages and events to Indian users in an effort to encourage them to join groups to find like-minded people.

The ads aired on prime time tv, and across prominent billboards in Mumbai, New Delhi, and several other cities.

Spam Is Not Your Friends Campaign

Perhaps the better-known example of Facebook using TV, print ads and large billboards is the most recent campaign that began in March of last year around America. The sparse billboards and bus stop signs proclaimed “Spam is not your friends”, “false news is not your friends” and “clickbait is not your friends” along with a promise to change the way things appear in the newsfeed.

This campaign was in response to bombshell revelations about how Russian bots used Facebook to disseminate false information, spam, and clickbait to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Facebook then went on to launch a summer campaign in the European Union to advise users of their rights under the General Data Protection Regulation Act.

Traditional Advertising is Still Key

Facebook’s efforts to reach its users not only on its own platform, but through traditional advertising methods like TV commercials, print ads and outdoor advertising on billboards, bus stops, subway signs and more underscore that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

In fact, outdoor advertising and billboards are the only advertising industry that is seeing more forecasted growth. In 2018, outdoor marketing was expected to grow 2% to account for an $8 billion market.

On the other hand, other traditional advertising saw a decline last year:

National TV Advertising: -1.5%
Local TV Advertising: -3.5%
Newspaper Advertising: -19%
Magazines -15%
Radio: -4%

The fact that outdoor advertising is the only section of the market seeing profitability amongst a mix of other traditional advertising methods shows us that outdoor media, billboards and signage are still one of the most effective ways to reach consumers when not on a digital platform.

Digital is the Difference

However, there is a marked difference between the success of traditional billboards and of digital billboards. Digital options are proven to be more cost-effective, and the bright, eye-catching effects that allow for multiple ads to appear on a single billboard makes the display more profitable for agencies and billboard owners.

Industries are taking notice of this, too.

Across a span of 10 years (2013 forecasted to 2023) spending on traditional billboards remains flat at $6 billion total. However, digital billboard advertising climbs year over year. From $646 million spend in 2013, the market is expected to hit $2 billion in 2023.

Billboards of the Future

In the world of digital advertising and smartphones, some of the biggest streaming and service providers spend a huge amount of their marketing budget on strategic outdoor displays. In fact, even the iPhone has poured marketing funds and innovation into billboard strategy, with its iPhone X selfie campaign. Netflix also invests in billboards everywhere.

The Outdoor Advertising Association of America estimates that for every dollar spent on an outdoor advertising ad, it delivers $5.97 in return on investment. With new developments in location data and tracking, this is only forecasted to grow.

That’s because billboards are being fitted with tech and sensors to recognize when a person is nearby, or even analyze their smartphone data to specifically target passerby with curated content. Technology integration is revealing new advertising avenues every day, including computers analyzing data and statistics to decide when and where to place digital ads for the best impact.

In addition, new surfaces for advertising are being explored, including stationary car and taxi windows, as well as interactive and targeted directories, bus stop signs, retail windows and more. The outdoor advertising industry shows no signs of slowing, and the future of the digital billboard is bright!

Evolution of Outdoor Advertising

Posted on January 27, 2019 by admin

Outdoor advertising isn’t a new marketing method. In fact, it’s been around since ancient times. The earliest outdoor advertising methods were chiseled on monuments in ancient cultures- including in Ancient Egypt! Hieroglyphics have been found describing laws of the country. Travelers were meant to stop and learn the rules of the civilization before entering. In this way, it can be described as an early form of outdoor advertising.

However, actual billboards as we know them didn’t evolve for many more centuries. Let’s take a look at a brief history of the evolution of outdoor advertising and where the industry is headed today.

Early Forms of Advertising

Many people have heard of the famous Gutenberg press. Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable type printing in 1450. He was most likely influenced by primitive examples from China, Japan, and Korea. These traveled by traders along the Silk Road to Europe cultures. His inspired invention, the Gutenberg Press, rang in modern forms of advertising as we recognize them today!

In particular, handbills became very popular. Handbills, which were exactly what they sound like, were leaflets with advertising information handed out. They can be likened to early versions of newsletters!

In 1796, the first major form of outdoor advertising emerged- the illustrated poster. Using lithography, companies could create large numbers of posters for advertisement to be hung in storefronts, store windows, and even street corners.

Primitive Billboards

Primitive versions of billboards have been in use for centuries. The most common example would be posted by trails to notify travelers of an inn ahead. Travelers on foot, horseback or being pulled in a carriage would learn how far the inn was ahead, as well as what they had to offer in the way of amenities.

Posted signs along the roadside served the purpose to aid travelers to find food and shelter rather than advertising many types of goods that are found today. Widespread advertising using billboards didn’t become popular until the invention of the car.

Automobiles & Outdoor Advertising

As automobiles were created and boomed, pioneering marketers realized that there was a prime opportunity to use long stretches of road to advertise products. After all, automobiles encouraged travel and mobility. This, in turn, created a need to inform travelers of what they could expect from landmarks, attractions, and hospitality on the road ahead.

Advertisements lauding local sights, national parks, and curiosities sprang up just before towns in an attempt to encourage travelers to stop and spend their money in town. Restaurants and hotels quickly followed suit, creating a real demand for enticing designs that drew travelers into a town.

Bigger Becomes Better

Billboards and outdoor advertisements had to grow larger and larger over the years for an interesting reason. As motor vehicles evolved and gained speed, advertisers needed to make their billboards bigger in order to be seen from further away! If advertisers didn’t make their billboards big enough, the motorist would zoom past their sign without being able to read it!

However, bigger didn’t mean better to everyone – in particular, the United States Government. In the 1960’s, President Lyndon B. Johnson introduced the Highway Beautification Act, which prevented billboards from overtaking America’s roadways. This legislation was passed in an effort to check outdoor advertising companies from blocking America’s scenic landscape with various advertising.

Digital Technology Changes the Game

Prior to digital technology, meticulously handpainted billboards were the norm. However, beginning in the 1990s, computer-painted and printed materials became standard. More recently in the first decade of the 2000s, LED lighted and completely digital billboards have become popular. Technology has allowed smart sensor billboards or even billboards that scroll through several images in a minute.

As the industry continues to evolve, more unique effects can be expected in outdoor advertising. 3D elements and visually engaging details have emerged. For example, the famous cows on the Chik-Fil-A signs that “graffiti” billboards to plead consumers to “eat more chikin.” The sides of buildings and skyscrapers are cleverly used for enormous posters and advertisements (such as the now iconic Times Square!) Full vehicle wraps have placed outdoor advertising on the sides of buses, cars, and even planes.

Smart sensor technologies and facial recognition technologies have created bus stop advertisements that interact with viewers. From games to targeted advertisements with videos and audio, outdoor advertisements have evolved to capture consumer attention in a multitude of different types of digital billboards.

Outdoor Advertisement is Still Evolving

It seems that every day, new innovations and methods for advertising outdoors occur. Driven on by market competition, development of new capabilities and polishing of existing processes makes the sky the limit with outdoor advertising.

Vintage Rum Ads from Puerto Rico

Posted on January 15, 2019 by admin

Puerto Rico is well known for being one of the finest producing islands of rum in the world. Combine that with that fact that alcohol advertising, in general, has always been a very competitive and creative space and you’ve got a very interesting space for advertising. Over the years there have been a large number of rum companies who have tried to make an impact on the industry.

As advertising has switched to a digital medium we often miss the simpler times of advertising where had drawn art and creativity were crucial. We’ve put together some of our favorite rum ads from a variety of different companies, some that still exist today and some that didn’t make the cut. Regardless of how they faired in business, they did a great job at making some very cool retro rum ads.

Learn more about why billboards are so effective

Ron Rico

Started: 1935
City: Arecibo
Status: Active

Ron Merito

Started: 1946
City: Arecibo
Status: No Longer in Production

Riondo Rum

Started: 1941
City: N/A
Status: No Longer in Production

Don Q Rum

Started: 1865
City: Ponce
Status: Active

Extra: Christopher Columbus Rum (From Dominican Republic)

Started: 1930
City: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Company: Barceló
Status: Active

Whether we like it or not, advertising has changed significantly since the rise of computers and the Internet. Decades ago, it was a far simpler time for companies looking to try and get their message across. Radio, outdoor media, newspapers, magazines, and eventually TV advertisements were the preferred options where businesses would spend their advertising dollars. From social media to Google Adwords the online world’s impact on the industry have changed the game forever. As consumers are inundated with ads nearly every minute of the day, it often becomes a game of quantity versus quality in advertisements. While this is a reality that we just have to accept. We hope these rum ads took you back to the good old days of advertising for a little while.