By Ken Klein, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, OAAA

If you like irony, check out the most recent Form 13F filing at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The State of Alaska’s Department of Revenue continued to hold a $2 million+ stake in Lamar Advertising Company.

Said another way, a State with no billboards invested in a company with more than 325,000 out of home displays across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Ironies Abound from No-Billboard States

In 2005, Alaska launched an $180,000 campaign featuring a vanity license plate in its official gold and blue colors that said: “B4UDIE.”

Web traffic spiked from 1,000 hits a day to 1,000 hits an hour. Worldwide buzz included a mention in Jay Leno’s monolog on “The Tonight Show” and a New York Times feature.

Other States with no billboards also use OOH displays to attract visitors

Seat Belts in Vermont

Federal grants help States boost seat belt usage. When Washington gave Vermont $24,000 in 2005, the state bought billboards in bordering states to remind motorists to buckle up in Vermont.

As this year ended, the federal highway safety agency said seat belt usage in the United States has reached its highest level.

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