From Justin Powell, Huntington Billboards

Last week, we had the opportunity to pull off a last-minute political messaging campaign in Pennsylvania. The campaign needed to deploy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of billboards across the state—and they needed it done fast. With the clock ticking, we jumped into action to make it happen.

The first thing we did was reach out to Jim Sherman at Circle Graphics, who always answers his phone, even after hours and on weekends. We explained the situation: we needed 53 vinyls printed within 72 hours. Honestly, we expected this to be a tough ask, but Jim didn’t flinch. He said, “Let me talk to my team,” and soon enough, the order was in motion. Amazingly, some of the vinyls were finished ahead of schedule.

We picked up the first batch of vinyls on Tuesday and immediately started installing . By 6 PM on Wednesday, the final batch was ready. Jim and Amanda at Circle Graphics even arranged for a late-night pickup to ensure we could keep installations rolling. Thanks to their outstanding customer service, we were able to meet the client’s tight deadline.

I also want to give a huge shoutout to Becky Smith and Karla Steele at the Independent Billboard Operators (IBO). They worked tirelessly to help us place billboards across the state with independent operators, securing prime locations while making sure the money stayed with local businesses. Their dedication played a huge role in making this campaign a success.

By Thursday evening, the campaign’s message was live on 110 billboards across Pennsylvania, reaching voters across the most pivotal state before Election Day. The client was thrilled, and this project really highlighted the power of independent operators working together to capture more advertising dollars for ourselves and the industry.

Key Lessons Learned

This experience taught us several key lessons about working with political campaigns:

1. Speed is Everything: Political campaigns need their message out quickly. Speed is critical to success in this business.
2. Make it Easy for the Client: Campaign operatives are busy and short on time. Our job is to make the process smooth and hassle-free for them.
3. Visuals Matter: Great billboard designs don’t just catch attention—they’re perfect for sharing on social media, amplifying the campaign’s reach beyond the physical space.
4. Answer the Phone: If someone from Huntington or IBO calls you around election time it means we have money for you!

This campaign was a prime example of how quickly and efficiently the billboard industry can react to last-minute requests. With the right partners, processes, and a committed team, even the toughest deadlines can be met.

We want to personally thank Jim Sherman and Amanda at Circle Graphics, and Becky Smith and Karla Steele at the IBO, for their incredible work. Their dedication helped us deliver this campaign on time and with outstanding results. Over the last two years we’ve placed eight campaigns like this and each one becomes a bit easier than the last. We hope (and expect) that this is just the first trickle of a larger slice of the political advertising industry’s budget!

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