Company: Roland Digital Media
Markets: Tennessee
Headquarters: 2300 W. Jackson St, Cookeville, TN 38501
Phone: 931-528-8100
Roland Digital Media operates a a plant of over 450 billboard faces including 36 digital billboards in Middle Tennessee. In addition the company has a brand consulting and website design business (you can tell because the company’s website is well-organized, simple to navigate and easy on the eyes). Roland Digital Media is an operator associate in the IBOUSA. Dave Roland is the company’s founder. Roland Media uses a bright red logo and Roland is fond of saying “a sign without red is dead”.
Dave, what’s new in the past year?
2022? We’re still growing…We had our best year yet…Approximately 20% over last year. All in small markets of Tennessee…”The FreeState.” Here’s a screenshot of a recent campaign in Cookeville, our home town.
How did you get into the out of home business?
After failing in my first job out of college as an engineer, I asked God for something creative and that I could make a living at. Not long after that, a lady asked me to make a sign for her. We installed our first sandblasted wood sign on January 1, 1984. I did not even know what sign paint was. In October of that year, we went full time in the commercial and electric sign business. At that time, I had never even been in a sign shop, but desire, enthusiasm and long hours will make up for a lot of mistakes. We saved our money, lived on a shoestring, and put $80,000 in the bank. In April 1987, we constructed 3 double-faced, monopole boards. In October of that same year, we borrowed our first $100,000 the day after the stock market fell 500 points. We, like others thought the world was ending, however 30 months later, we paid it off.
Who’s digital signs do you use and what have you learned?
We did about three years research before deciding to go with Watchfire in 2009. Reliability, minimum downtime, technical help, overnight shipping on parts and ease of use are the most important factors as most of our business model is based on digital. We have 35 digitals and counting, all from Watchfire. Up front cost is least important… A less expensive display is useless if you can’t keep it running.
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