Company: Gateway Outdoor Displays
Markets: Florida
Address: Tallahassee, Florida
Email: tpafford@gatewayoutdoordisplays.com & nharrington@gatewayoutdoordisplays.com
Phone: 850.294.4001
Gateway Outdoor Displays operates an out of home plant with 4 digital faces and 1 static face in Florida. Billboard Insider talked with the company’s owners Terry Pafford and Nicholas Harrington.
How did each of you get into the out of home business.
We both began our OOH careers in separate plants with Lamar in the 90’s – Terry in Operations and Nicholas in Real Estate / Leasing. It was a tremendous learning opportunity. Since leaving the green machine, we both have successfully developed and operated billboard inventories in multiple markets. We came back together in 2019 to form Gateway Outdoor Displays. Our first 2 signs were built in late 2020 and we added a 3rd at the end of 2021.
You’ve got an interesting vertical sign.
It is located in a high traffic commercial area with low average vehicle speed. We wanted to do something unique and impactful at this particular site that would stand out. Also, there were site limitations. The result is that demand has been incredible since our vertical sign went “live” in December 2021. It is low to the ground, highly visible, and traffic slows and stops leading to the sign. It sounds like we are bragging on our own kid – but this sign really is arguably the best digital billboard in the market. Lesson: Do not be afraid to carefully consider trying something different. A calculated risk may be what you need to increase demand for your brand and a distinct competitive advantage – it was for us.
Whose digital billboards do you use and what have you learned?
We know and trust the Formetco brand, products, and team. We are using all 16mm FTX screens and are thankful we chose the higher resolution displays. It differentiates our signs from many of the digitals in the market; they are vivid, less pixelated, and simply look better to the eye. The F360 software is intuitive and simple to learn, and the support at Formetco is fantastic. The screens have been ultra-reliable, and we have not experienced any real issues to-date.
What are some of your priorities for the next year?
Dave, we are focused on continuing to build strong relationships with our property owners and advertising partners. Some of our priorities for the coming year include community stewardship, incrementally expanding our footprint, and creating a stronger social media & online presence. Our mission is to be the digital billboard company of choice in the markets we serve. The overarching priority we carry 24/7 is to put people and relationships first. With that in mind, everything else falls into place.
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