Tempted by the offer of a billboard ad campaign? Billboards, much like vehicle graphics are noticeable, however, there are some marked differences when comparing billboard advertising vs. vehicle graphic and wrap advertising.

Driving By vs. Continuous Visuals

Beyond the problem most cities running out of places to put billboards, there are other concerns to consider before you choose billboard advertising over vehicle wraps.

The Lease – Most consumers don’t realize that the owner of those billboards charges a lease which must be paid monthly, quarterly or annually based on the lease terms. And, where the billboard sits depends on the cost of the lease. A friend of mine who leased a billboard in a county with a population of approximately 30,000 people paid $250 per month for his billboard lease—that’s $3,000 annually—larger metropolitan areas mean the owner of the billboard will charge more. Further, that $3,000 didn't include the cost of obtaining the billboard vinyl!

Limited Use – Today’s billboard owners are savvy and many of them won’t allow a lease term longer than 30, 60 or 90 days meaning once your billboard ad is gone, so is your message! Vehicle wraps and graphics last up to five years and just one wrapped vehicle can achieve up to 70,000 visual impressions in just one day. That’s not to say a billboard won’t provide visual impressions but with limited use being a big concern, five years of mobile advertising is much better than a stationary billboard for 30 to 60 days.

Cost – There are all types of billboard sizes and they are generally measured in number of sheets. An 8 sheet billboard (5 feet x 12 feet in size) can cost between $5,000 and $10,000; the “8” standing for how the industry used to determine how many sheets of wallpaper were needed to cover the billboard.  Today, however, quality billboards are made of high-quality durable vinyl materials. For a billboard 12 feet x 24 feet in size, expect to pay between $20,000 and $30,000. The largest of billboards, 14 feet x 48 feet can run in the $100,000 range. Finally, if you think and an LED billboard is the way to go, you’ll need a spare million lying around!

Billboard Design – Along with the cost to rent the billboard and have the billboard installed, you also have design costs. Many billboard companies offer these services but they aren’t free and the prices vary depending on the amount of graphics you choose.

All-In-One Companies – There are companies that offer the billboard rental, design and placement (and removal) as an all-in-one service but as industry expert Frank Rolfe of BBU points out in his article, How to Determine What It Costs to Build an Outdoor Billboard Sign (on billboard costs), “…it completely depends on the type of billboard that you are constructing (or leasing) and, as in most things in life, you get what you pay for.” So, prudent billboard shopping is as important as finding the right sign company offering years of expertise in the vehicle graphics and wrap industry.

Vehicle Graphics and Wraps Advertising

We’ve heard it again and again from our customers—not only were their vehicle advertising wraps affordable, they get noticed and help to drive sales.

If you compare the cost of billboard advertising vs. vehicle graphic and wrap advertising, the better and more affordable choice is vehicle wraps.

Along with the 70,000 visual impressions per day and their five-year durability, vehicle wraps are also 100 percent removable and help to protect manufacturer paint so when it’s time to retire a company vehicle, you’ll gain a higher resale value.

And, while it is true a billboard in a popular metropolitan area will get noticed, after a while, the number of “unique” or “first time” visuals begins to drop. Those who drive the same route everyday are used to seeing the billboard and may disregard it totally.

On the other hand, stunning, eye-grabbing vehicle graphics get noticed again and again—mainly because the routes these vehicles travel vary from day to day and week to week—a new audience is born every day!

Where to Start

For vehicle graphics and wraps for all types of business owners—contractors, small Mom and Pop businesses, fleets and franchises, the best way to learn about advertising with auto wraps is to start right here at Sunrise Signs. We invite you to download these popular and useful materials:

Vehicle Wrap Information Kit – Learn the design process!

Vehicle Wrap ROI Calculator – Punch in real numbers to see how affordable vehicle wraps are compared to traditional ad methods.

QR Code Marketing Kit – Placing QR codes on vehicle wraps is another advantage over billboard advertising because smartphone scanners can’t scan something high above, but they can on a vehicle wrap.

Finally, prepare for your initial vehicle wrap consultation and then contact us for a free quote! Unless you are a big boy in the corporate business world, a billboard may be out of your reach where vehicle wrap pricing is much more in line with your advertising budget!