How has digital imaging impacted the billboard industry?

For starters, digital imaging has given advertisers the flexibility to rotate out billboards more frequently and it much more cost-effective. In the US today, approximately 80% of billboards are using digital technology thanks to continued advancements in digital imaging. Rather than hand paint a seat bench, advertisers can use self-adhesive graphic that can be digitally imaged within a short time. This becomes highly valuable when brands are launching multi-channel campaigns under tight deadlines.

Secondly, digital imaging has made vast improvements to billboard durability. Developments in weather resistant inks and materials have given graphics a longer lifespan. Wide-format inkjet printers that use special fade-resistant UV-protected solvent-based inks, which can directly print onto fabrics, vinyls, or plastic sheeting. These developments also extend to bus shelters, transit stations, commuter rails, street furniture, airports, etc. These long-lasting billboard substrates, from vinyl to flexible-face fabric, can sometimes create a billboard in less than 60 minutes.

Another technology that has played an important role is the advent of new true colour LED technology. LED’s have made it possible of performing like a real outdoor television even under direct sunlight, and been utilized by several facilities for quickly relaying text-based information. While

Electra Link, based in Houston, TX specializes in the installation of voice and data, audio visual, and security systems. Katie Trapani, Electra Link’s Austin-based marketing coordinator, explains “For awhile we did not even considered including outdoor LED signage in our audi0-visual packages. Once we started exploring this more, though, we found several small campuses and churches utilize this type of signage, and they consider important to the marketability of their business’s discounts, events, and offerings.”

LED technology has allowed even quicker change in advertiser message, although comes with higher costs due to electric mainatenence as well as costs of electricity to run.

Another important technological factor to the ambient advertising are satellite lighting systems that allow companies to remotely adjust billboard lighting to change with seasons and daily variances. Lights can even be programmed to turn off at the end of an advertiser’s contract. This is made possible via GPS technologies that determine longitude and latitude. They even have the ability to enable advertisers to test its creative designs at specific locations from a computer before it commits to them.

As billboards are likely to increase upwards of 80% over the next few years, I’m anxious to see what advancements in technology will have an impact on ambient advertising.