Company: Mixed Media Billboard Advertising

Markets: Illinois, Iowa and Detroit

Headquarters: Mixed Media Group, Inc.  1152 Liberty Avenue, Cary, IL  60013.

Phone: 847-462-8423

Mixed Media operates bulletins, 2 digital billboards and numerous “adlites” (6 by 12 billboards) in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.  The company’s signs are concentrated in McHenry County.  The company also operates signs in Detroit, Eastern Iowa/Quad Cities and Iowa City.  Denny Orsinger is the company’s owner.

Denny, how did you enter the outdoor business?

Employed in 1974 by 3M National Advertising. Since 1980 built 3 plants in several states. Sold 2. Have developed locations for Clear Channel and consult to a research company for the outdoor industry.

Tell us about the company’s plant.

McHenry County Illinois is the most populated county in the U.S. without a freeway or interstate and yet part of Chicagoland. It’s one of the 6 major counties in Chicago’s SMSA. We have back lighted rotary spectacular’s we call AdLites, 2 digital 11×22 displays and several static bulletins in the county. We have key 14×48 bulletins in Eastern Iowa including Quad Cities, I-80 and Iowa City area along with 2 AdLites in Iowa City . We currently have 1 freeway location in Detroit metro and possess a permit to convert to a 14×48 digital display.  We’d consider a joint venture or outright sale since this is the only location Mixed Media owns in Detroit.

You’ve got quite a few ad-lites (6′ by 12′ billboards). How is running an ad-lite plant different from running bulletin plant?

We sell as a rotary operation and have certain areas where other billboards types were not allowed due to zoning regulations. We can offer complete coverage of the county at the lowest CPM. Our units are illuminated 24/7. Our resolution is much higher than normal bulletins.

Who’s digital signs do you use and what have you learned?
We use Watchfire and work closely with their software people to maximize client’s needs. Doing our own lobbying on governmental issues have closed the communication gap between planning/zoning and the outdoor industry. Being extremely pro-active is important.

What’s your biggest business challenge?

Educating clients how to use outdoor effectively. Most prospects have a “sign” mentality and we need to get them to understand advertising and how it fits into the marketing sphere for their products or services.

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