Casey Binkley founded Movia in 2017 with the intention of realizing the potential for truck-side advertising real estate. Today, Movia is the only mobile billboard/truck wrap supplier that incorporates GPS tracking and Impression Analytics into its offering – capturing where the trucks are at any given moment, who is seeing them, and how many impressions the ad is gathering. These abilities mean that Movia is much more than a company that puts ads on trucks. They offer a unique and exciting meeting of analog and digital platforms to help brands to make the most of their out-of-home (OOH) campaigns.
We spoke with Casey and he shared some of his insights on the industry, the impact of the pandemic on business, and where he sees Movia driving to in the near future.
In your opinion, what have been the major factors as a result of the pandemic that affected the OOH industry?
COVID has been a transformational period for so many industries, and without question, OOH media is no exception. Since March 2020, companies around the world have responded to the pandemic with across-the-board work from home for those jobs that permit. These measures resulted in plummeting outdoor foot traffic numbers as high as 84% in high-density areas, making for fewer impressions on OOH ads.
This all to say, however, the slow-down we witnessed in our industry provided a very unique opportunity that, in many ways, strengthened truck-side advertising as we know it. One of the first things to be affected by the lockdowns was outdoor traffic. Work-from-home and stay-at-home orders made it such that commuter numbers reached an all-time low, amounting to about half the foot traffic contrasting to pre-pandemic. This translated into an emphasis being placed on above-ground OOH– like truck-side ads, over below-ground OOH– like subways or indoor ad placements in Cinemas and shopping centers.
With respect to truck side advertising and customer’s evolving preferences as a result of COVID-19, what are the advantages you see with utilizing this particular OOH medium?
While the industry took a significant hit in 2020, the latest data is projecting some major growth opportunities for the OOH medium as a result of customer’s evolving preferences. Looking at 2021’s numbers thus far, OOH revenue has recovered by 20% comparatively speaking to last year’s numbers and is expected to trend upwards in the coming years.
This boils down to one very important factor; by and large, advertisers have only been able to reach their audience through their phones for the past year and a half, which has oversaturated online advertising. Increasingly, more studies are showing that people are less motivated by online ads over the course of the pandemic.
This translates into something very important for the OOH industry- as people begin to return to work and normal life– they’re more motivated than ever to look up from their phone screens and take in their surroundings. Truck side advertising can cut through the noise of online advertising in a way no other medium can today. All the more reason to jump at the chance to get your foot in the door sooner as opposed to later!
How does truck side advertising give brands a particularly strong voice in comparison to other forms of OOH?
Working directly with truck side campaigns, I’ve witnessed the many advantages of this medium play out for our clients first-hand. One of the most prominent features truck-side advertising offers is the ability to follow your customer at eye level, increasing the chances that the message is received. In fact, 97% of people exposed to a truck or mobile ad can recall it later. Not to mention, fleet wraps (AKA truck side ads) have some of the lowest CPM (cost per thousand impressions) out of all other traditional media options, making it an incredibly effective and affordable option for most businesses. What really sets Movia apart is the use of GPS tracking devices that can catch WiFi signals for those who have come across your ad. At Movia, we are highly specialized in this technology and have succeeded in creating a slew of campaigns that we’ve helped form the best marketing plan. Together we’ve helped target our clients identified demographics through assigning our trucks to certain locations and tracking the results of the campaigns afterwards. On top of that, we’re using retargeting methods to reach those who have already come into contact with our ad on their mobile devices through social media and other apps.
As you have witnessed, what brands/companies/industries could benefit from truck-side media right now, during this transitional period into a post-COVID world?
By nature, truck side ads are built to get your ad right in front of your audience in a large format, impactful way. Used to capture local and national customers alike, this form of advertising really lends itself to any industry. As I see it, however, industries that could greatly benefit from OOH advertising during this transitional period into a post-COVID world are particularly those that have suffered through the pandemic.
Truck-side adverts deliver industry-leading CPM rates at some of the lowest costs. So for companies that don’t have deep advertising pockets (i.e. industries looking to bounce back after the pandemic), truck-side billboards are an incredibly attractive option. With fleet wraps, you’re also able to reach an expansive audience. Because your audience can’t download ad-blockers on their walk to the grocery store, you’re able to reach demographics digital advertisers simply cannot. Other unique features truck-side ads offers are driving engagement at record rates through omnichannel campaigns, the ability to create and facilitate high-impact designs, and being able to target specific segments based on your business’s needs. All of these factors operating in unison provide some of the most cost-effective, high-impact advertising for your business. So, whether you’re business is a local one looking to bounce back after the effects of COVID, or perhaps you’re business is operating across a larger geographic, truck-side OOH can offer tangible and invaluable features other forms of advertising can’t.
What are your three best tips for engaging customers with truck advertisements?
Firstly, choosing the right audience for your product is very important. Marketing becomes much easier and more effective if you know to whom you’re marketing. The first step is to develop a customer profile and then dig deeper by considering attributes like age, gender, income, and location.
Second, make your advertising as simple as possible, while still being effective. You may lose out on your message if you inject it with too many points of interest. Colours and words can certainly stand out in your ad, but let it be simple and direct so that people remember it immediately. This will also keep your costs down, which is an added benefit!
The third tip involves social media. Social media is a marketer’s best friend. Creating profiles on social platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook where you can build trust with your clients. Engaging with customers through social media also is accomplished by sharing pictures and updates of marketing campaigns. You should also make your ads so powerful and innovative that people will be compelled to upload a picture of the product without linking to Facebook or Twitter. As a result, we can generate more buzz and encourage more engagement.
How important do you believe social media has become for marketing OOH?
Social media is like a rocket. Almost a decade and a half has passed since social media first became popular. I think the most effective way for brands to reach large audiences is through an omnichannel campaign via social media content and OOH advertising. It’s also the most effective way to create an interactive marketing environment by being able to reach your audience through each step in your customer’s journey. Additionally, it offers brands a great opportunity to communicate directly with their consumers. People flock to the digital world when they see something that leaves a lasting impression– like a bold, eye-catching billboard.
