Company: Barnes Outdoor
Plant: 15 Ohio counties.
Address: PO Box 277, 1580 Fairview Road, Zanesville, Ohio, 43701.
Phone: 740-453-6386
Email: mj@barnesadv.com
This year Barnes Outdoor Advertising Corporation, the oldest and largest outdoor advertising group in Southeastern Ohio, celebrates 100 years. This 4th-generation, family-owned business operates nearly 600 traditional billboards and eight digital billboards throughout 15 counties. The company has an outstanding website (www.barnesadvertising.com) which is ranked 10th of the 241 outdoor company sites Billboard Insider reviewed. This week Insider interviewed Maryjane Shackelford and John Barnes, co-owners of Barnes Outdoor Advertising to learn more about this remarkable company.
Tell me about the company’s history?
Skilled sign artist Erwin M. Barnes stopped in Zanesville while he was migrating from New England to California in 1916. Erwin was particularly taken with the area and decided to start a new sign business in Zanesville, Ohio, where he worked until his passing.
Beryl Barnes, son of Erwin M. Barnes, took over the family business after his father’s death. In the 1960’s Beryl changed the business name to Barnes Advertising Corporation to account for the business’ expansion into other counties. Beryl operated the business until his death in 1971, when his two sons, David and Roderick Barnes, took over as co-owners.
A talented artist himself, David unfortunately passed away in July of 1981 at the age of 48, making Roderick “Rod” the sole owner of Barnes Advertising Corporation. Under Rod’s leadership and vision, Barnes Advertising Corporation grew from just a handful of counties to 12. During Rod’s time at the company he developed a software program that helped enhance business operations for the company that is still in use today. After 52 years in business, Rod retired in 2009, leaving the company to his children, Maryjane Shackelford (President) and John Barnes (Vice President).
Community Involvement is very important to both John and Maryjane. Both were past presidents of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Ohio. Maryjane is currently the Rotary Club of Zanesville Day Break President, was a past board member of the Muskingum Family YMCA, a board member of the Muskingum County Business Incubator, along with being a past Women of Achievement recipient – receiving the Mary Vasht Jones Funk Business Award in 2007. John is currently on the executive board for the Muskingum County chapter of Boy Scouts of America and was the Master of Masonic Lodge #79 F. & A.M. in 1999.
Today, Barnes Advertising Corporation is comprised of 15 employees who pride themselves on long-term relationships built with clients, some of which have worked with Barnes for nearly 50 years. The company looks forward to collectively celebrating another 100 years in the communities it serves.
How many family members are in the business and who does what?
Today, there are four family members actively involved in the business.
- Maryjane Shackelford – President
- John Barnes – Vice President
- Jeff Shackelford – Billposter
- Raven Barnes – Bill Prep
Tell us a little bit about the company’s plant.
- 577 Total billboards which includes:
- 568 Traditional 30 sheet poster faces. On 10/30/2013, all were converted to use an environmental friendly fabric called EcoFlex™.
- 7 12×25 digital faces
- 2 14×48 digital faces
- Located in 15 counties
You have some digital signs. What have you learned about digital?
The new and exciting trend is the digital billboard. Customer advertisements can be changed and updated immediately. All digital graphics are created and published in-house by our skilled graphic designers who use a software program to develop the graphics that are instantly posted to the billboard. With this type of board, there is no need for our trucks to leave the office to install a new poster, burn gas, or for our billposters to endure intensive and dangerous labor to change a poster or vinyl billboard.
With digital billboards, we are able to show multiple advertisements in one day, while also being able to sell day and evening posting spots to many of our clients. This type of board gives us the option to post advertisements on select days, as well as providing more customer exposures on a single board.
Digital billboards allow customers to cast a live stream of information from their social media accounts directly to the board. Digital billboards are also great for public service announcements that need to be immediately broadcasted. In 2007, a downtown bridge on I-35 in Minneapolis collapsed, creating a dangerous situation for drivers. Within minutes, a digital billboard in the area was able to immediately inform drivers so that they could take a different route.
What are the challenges of running a privately-held outdoor business?
- Government regulations: Over the years, there have been many government regulations put into place to help control the quantity and appearance of billboards. In 1958, congress passed the first federal legislation known as the Bonus Act. States were given bonus incentives to control signs along interstate highways, however, issues still continued. A few years later, the Highway Beautification Act was put into place in 1965. This act controlled billboards on interstates and federal-aided highways by limiting billboards to commercial and industrial areas, requiring states to set billboard requirements such as size, lighting, and spacing.
- Banning of specific products: In 1970, President Nixon signed a legislation that officially banned cigarette ads from television and radio, leaving only print and outdoor as its most popular venues. In 1998, the Master Settlement Agreement was put into place which put limitations on tobacco advertising on outdoor, billboard, and public transit advertising.
- Taxes
- Health Insurance
- Balancing quality and growth without disrupting our creative culture.
- Staying relevant with current social media and other technology trends. Digital billboards have helped us to stay relevant and enhance these advertising mediums.
