In addition to running Oklahoma based LOOK Billboards Chris Cowlbeck is General Manager of the Independent Billboard Operators Operators USA. Insider caught up with Cowlback earlier this week.
How has Covid impacted Look Billboards.
It’s been more of a mind game dealing with the way the media and politics has changed the mindset of so many people. Being from a rural community trade center, we barely were impacted, our revenues are up and the folks are back about their business. We’ve added online ad sales from the IBOUSA platform and finding some nice traction with advertisers as we groom and weave the sales strategy together with our normal pitches.
Any changes to your billboard plant since we talked last in December 2018.
Our area became extremely overbuilt over the last decade with the Native American casinos driving a lot of action. We’ve let a handful of non producers go, but now upgrading our 11 year old digital plant. As GM for the IBOUSA, my goal is to have different manufacturers to best learn their support strengths and how easily they can be combined into the Demand Side Platforms. We actually had our first Vistar campaign come through and we expect the programmatic world to grow over time. Static guaranteed placements are still the bread and butter, but now we are augmenting our digital rotary network packages to include some bonus plans to absorb vacancy along with the online program already mentioned.
You’re general manager of the IBOUSA. Any words for independent operators?
Keep your Sunny Side showing. Focus on positive and on what you can control. Go visit your customers, they may be having tough times so help them where you can. We just helped a local ministry by replacing pro bono their aged copy – win win and they’ll spread the word. Also take time while you have it to strengthen your back office, the data, processing and go get some new pictures and drone or video footage of your best locations. The IBO team is ramping up their tools and technology while we can and happy to assist any operator out there.
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