Address: PO Box 50372, Amarillo, TX. 79159

Email:   Randy@BurkettOutdoor.com

Phone: 806-358-9226

Burkett Outdoor Advertising is a family owned limited partnership which operates a billboard plant in Texas and New Mexico.  Randy Burkett is the company’s founder and owner.  Billboards run in the family’s blood.  Randy’s son Beau Burkett runs the Austin based company Burkett Media which we will feature soon.  Billboard Insider talked with Randy Burkett.

Tell us about your plant?

I have 150 static faces and 10 digital faces.  We have signs in Texas that stretch along I-40 between New Mexico and Oklahoma but the bulk of our plant is located in Amarillo.

What’s new at your company over the past year? 

We are upgrading a few digital signs.  We save a lot of money allowing Watchfire to come in with all new parts and installing them into the original sign frame.  Everything is new and we get a new 10 year warranty.

You’re growing?

We plan on adding another 3-4 digital faces in the next 24 months.  We fill 14 units will top out our demand in this market.  There are times we are 100% sold out.  Another company has come in here and built with Sign Credits however they aren’t having any luck at all leasing ad space.  They’ve slashed their pricing 50% and still can’t get spots sold.  Our occupancy is very high and we get our rates because we have all the relationships in town.  Not only did I grow up in Amarillo, I moved back here 40 years ago.  I know all the business owners very well and that really helps.  I’m content staying in this market and managing what I have.  I no longer have the energy or desire to work deals in larger cities.  My son Beau Burkett, who has his own company, has done an outstanding job finding premier sites Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.  He’s a phenomenal kid and very smart.  He can continue the Burkett legacy.  I’m more about grandkids these days.

Whose digital billboards do you use and what have you learned?

We are 100% Watchfire.  All 14’x48’ faces in 19mm.  We recently switched from the M-class to the C-class.  Not only do you save some money but I feel they are brighter than the M-class.  Most all digitals look good at night but the C-class really pops during the daytime hours.  We have had clients notice the difference.  The Watchfire Ignite software is really outstanding.  So easy a monkey can run it.  LOL

Tell us about the most difficult billboard you ever built.

In todays environment all locations seem difficult to build.  Finding an A location and working your way through the permitting process with both the City and State takes time.  Most cities are shut so you have to work a much different angle these days, compared to 20 years ago.  Our new locations had to be built using TXDOT Impacted Sign Credits.  Those reduce the spacing between signs.  Otherwise, it can take variances, P&Z along with City Council approval.  Landowners have become much greedier today as well.  We try to secure perpetual easements under most of our signs.

What’s your take on the automated sales platforms (adomni, blip, on-screen.ai, vistar)?  

We use Blip and Adkom.  We get some Vistar buys through Blip.  Adkom has been doing a really good job in getting us some National business on longer term contracts. It can take a while to get paid but it’s worth it.

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