Though billboards are by far not the only outdoor advertising format in Maryland, they do rake in about 64% of the outdoor advertising dollars.
One thing about it: there’s not much time to convey a message to people moving at speeds of 60, 70 or more miles an hour. Fixed billboards have to be quick and to the point.
Billboards advertise everything from God to gum and they are the most popular form of outdoor advertising in Maryland. They direct us to eating establishments, fuel stops and let the weary traveler know where he can lay down his head and how far away it is.
Commercial billboards usually let us know what is up ahead. They also advertise products from perfumes to printers. Services too, are advertised on billboards.
Billboards in Maryland are also used in political campaigns.
Billboards have become a powerful crime-fighting tool. Arizona recently advertised a serial killer’s crimes on a billboard and the FBI profiled one of the 10 most wanted on another billboard.
Vinyl sheeting is used on most billboards. Most companies in Maryland that advertise on billboards rent them. Many billboards are lit up today and some of them have continuous moving parts.
Public service messages have become big campaigns for billboards in Maryland. AIDS prevention, runaways, teenage pregnancy and drugs are just some of the public service messages that billboards convey.
Some billboards are downright entertaining. In fact, there is tremendous competition among Maryland advertising companies to create the best billboards. By bringing their client company recognition, the advertising companies often get recognized too because people want to know who came up with such and such idea. Advertisers also vie for awards each year that comprise all formats of outdoor advertising, including billboards.
Billboards have come a long way over the years. There are various forms of billboards, the most popular being the kind you see along the highway, but billboards are also painted onto buildings, especially in densely populated metropolitan areas.