The wheels aren’t the only things on the bus going ‘round and ‘round. If you’ve invested in transit advertising, your message is going all ‘round and through the town. Not only do you get high coverage, but transit advertising is one of the few mediums that offers a full range of pricing that can accommodate both big spenders and micro-budgets alike. But will transit advertising work for you? Of course! Here are some benefits of transit advertising:
Flexibility of Ad Size, Location, and Cost
With transit advertising you have 2 main options: interior and exterior. Interior ads capture transit riders. Exterior ads also capture transit riders, but more importantly capture everyone else on the road and on the route. In the Montgomery market, interior cards run as little as $10-25 each plus a $1 placement charge, making interior cards some of the most affordable advertising available anywhere.
Exterior ads can be placed on the back (Back Wraps), sides (King and Queen Wraps), windows (Window Wraps), or even encompass the entire exterior (Full Wrap). Naturally, the bigger the wrap, the bigger the price tag, but at a cost of $60-6,500, everyone can afford to put their message somewhere.
Mixed Audience, Based on Market
If you are considering interior cards, discover the ridership stats in your market to determine if your advertised product or service is relevant to them. Depending on your location, consumers taking advantage of public transit are doing so for different reasons. In smaller markets, like Montgomery, AL, many riders use the bus as their sole means of transportation because it’s an affordable option. Meanwhile, in larger markets like Denver, CO, riders from all economic sectors ride the bus for its convenience and environmental impact. College town transit systems are a different animal altogether.
Undivided Attention
Consider this:
- Transit ads can’t be turned off, skipped, or clicked away.
- Drivers and riders alike will see your message no matter who they are talking to or what music they are listening to.
- Bus wraps are at drivers’ eye level so you aren’t competing with outdoor ads up in the sky.
- Interior cards cure boredom which can often accompany longer—or if you’re like me, shorter—transits.
- You have an exclusivity in your space and another ad isn’t going to pop up and replace yours in 3 seconds.
In short, transit advertising is “ultra-print” in its permanency and ability to get a message across. Consider your market and evaluate if your target audience rides available transit lines. If so, you should be using interior cards. If your target audience doesn’t ride the lines, the wide array of exterior options and costs allows you to utilize transit space as a mobile billboard. If you turn your back on this affordable and effective marketing option, your marketing plan is likely just spinning its wheels.