Company: Interstate Outdoor and Interstate Transit Media
Markets: Philadelphia and surrounding Suburbs, New Jersey with an emphasis on Mercer, Camden and Atlantic Counties — Trenton, Atlantic City, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington DC
Headquarters: 905 North Kings Highway, Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08034
Phone: 856-667-6620
Interstate Outdoor operates over 1,100 outdoor advertising locations nationwide. The firm has bulletins, posters, vertaculars, bus shelters, spectaculars and wallscapes. Interstate transit has traditional bus inventory and Double Deckers. Interstate was started in 1984 to focus on the New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia markets. In 2000 the company acquired the New Jersey outdoor plant of R.C. Maxwell. In 2007 the company entered the Chicago and Indiana markets. Interstate and JCDecaux have a joint venture which will operate 60 digital signs along freeway locations in Chicago (43 are currently built). It is the first ground up city digital network ever built. Drew Katz is the company’s CEO. He has a law degree from Stanford, has been with Interstate for 17 years and serves on the OAAA board. Insider talked with Katz this week.
Drew, has a law degree been helpful in the outdoor business?
It has. I review and negotiate leases and contracts almost daily and the study of law is about problem solving. Our industry is full of challenges and being a lawyer has been extremely beneficial to our growth.
What are some trends you are seeing in your markets?
Everyone is focused on generating more digital revenue and growing the overall spend in out-of-home.
Whose digital signs do you use and what have you learned?
We have and will continue to work with a variety of vendors which depends on quality, customer service and price. In our project in Chicago, Watchfire was the best fit for us and they have been a terrific partner.
Tell us a little about the Interstate-JCDecaux-City of Chicago venture. Seems to be a win-win-win. The city receives extra income to fund operating services and Interstate and JCDecaux have created a profitable business.
It was a project that Interstate and Foster Interstate became a finalist on and we brought in JCDecaux as our joint venture partner. Interstate JCDecaux has been a great partnership as JCDecaux and its team are extremely talented and we married our strengths and the fact that we were a finalist with their strengths. It became a win for the City because it allows the City of Chicago to communicate to the motoring public on a constant basis, take over the signage in emergencies and generate significant revenue for much needed programs. It is a win win win.
How will Interstate be different in five years time?
I believe our footprint will only grow in time and our incredible team will take on more and more opportunities as they come to fruition. But we shall see….
