By Frank C. Kalil, Founder, Kalil & Co.
We know outdoor works.
Subtle proof of that would be by putting a large letter “O” on a board and watch people yawn two blocks later. Or, less subtle, how many calls do you think John Doe would get if there was a board which said, “John Doe is a silly person.”
When I started Kalil & Company, Inc, 50 years ago, billboards were either the side of a barn or something police hid behind on a highway.
Contrary to popular opinion, I truly believe the future of outdoor is digital. And it is bright. Technology continues to improve. Brighter lights… Lower consumption… Intelligent software allowing editing of content in real time.
I see a time when digital will not be sold by the flip but sold like broadcast commercials. For instance, Joe’s Restaurant can be on every board in part or all a city from 5:00 to 5:15 advertising a dinner special. Sam’s Coffee Shops could be on every board in town at 7:15 in the morning. Sara’s Dress Shop could be on neighboring boards from 10:00 to 10:30 in the morning promoting a summer dress sale.
For products which are not time sensitive, the lure is constantly changing interesting faces. Those digital boards will be fun to watch, and the viewers will respond. I see huge results for the advertiser and monster profits for outdoor companies.
The only reason every static board is not already digital is cost and that cost is coming down every day. Imagine how happy an advertiser will be with the ability to change the face instantly. Inflexible copy will be a thing of the past.
The electronic ability to do all of this is available today.
And do not let anyone tell you autonomous or semi-autonomous cars will lessen viewing. It is exactly the opposite. Drivers will have to spend less time looking at the road and will have more time to see the sights…great boards!
Everyone is a great operator when the economy is good. The truly great operators distance themselves from the rest during what we just went through. Operators are trying to meet or beat their 2019 in 2021. The ones that accomplish this will jump into the pool with all the other buyers. The ones that do not hit their numbers will be on the market.
The demand for quality inventory is and always will be there. We see activity ramping up significantly the remainder of this year and next year could be bigger than 2019, 2020 and 2021 combined.
Outdoor is worth watching!
Frank Kalil, President
Kalil & Co., Inc.
Media Brokers
Outdoor, Television, Radio, Towers, Digital
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