Lots of buzz about last friday’s announcement that Netflix bid $300 million for Regency Outdoor. Here’s a sampling:
Billboards may seem pretty quaint in the age of social media, but Netflix has already shown it knows how to use them for maximum effect. Last year, plain white billboards featuring black text that read “Netflix Is a Joke” appeared in New York and Los Angeles. It turned out the company had purchased the ads itself to promote upcoming stand-up specials from Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld and Dave Chappelle.
It may seem ironic for new media company to be interested in an old-school advertising format, but there’s no denying that many online video companies love to incorporate billboards as part of their campaigns. One player paying particular attention to outdoor marketing is Netflix . . .
Billboards are clearly part of Netflix’s promotional arsenal, with Sunset Boulevard adorned with images touting Stranger Things and The Crown. Should the transaction be completed, HBO and Showtime would seemingly need to look for other locations to promote its shows.
Take one look at Regency Outdoor Advertising’s website; it’s more than clear that this is an old-school company. But in an age of product placement, micro-targeting, and auto-playing video ads, billboards are still an effective way to get your brand name out in front of a captive audience. Netflix loves billboards . . .
One of the key elements of a Netflix billboard is the company’s humor and creativity, including one billboard that said “Netflix is a joke,” which appeared to be a billboard from a rival but was really a promotion for the company’s recent addition of stand-up specials.
Insider’s Take: It’s a huge plus for the industry when a high-tech new media company with plenty of investment opportunities decides it wants to invest in out of home.
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