IBO, and General Manger Chris Cowlbeck, were approached with a significant potential revenue opportunity that required a quick turnaround using the IBO Speedway. After a successful launch, Insider caught up with Chris to discuss the details from a crazy week.
We understand that IBO just ran a new campaign that was available through the IBO Speedway. Can you tell us about the campaign?
The anonymous client paid to run a series of billboards articulating contested images. IBO does not know the intent of the effort except the client fully intends to encourage the viewer to engage the content on their own personal level to decide what the images mean to them.
How many companies opted in and about how many faces will be involved with this first image?
We had about 20 companies in 13 states opt in for this new client. The potential displays are around 90.
Does the company behind this plan on running additional images?
The client has not expressed any future plans. IBO Speedway has the sense that this exercise was a test to prove in real time our owners could post, amend original posts and adapt guaranteed placement ads about topical issues using our digital platforms.
If an operator has structures included in the IBO Speedway, are they automatically included?
Those operators on the IBO Speedway are easily identified and they were asked to opt into participation. Those not participating are welcome to join at anytime as long as the effort continues. We understand the client had not been proven, but they paid up front, which to many of us is a solid sign of commitment.
I understand the initial campaign was run on digital boards, what if the operator only has static faces?
Static is the next opportunity toward branding extensions of topical issues this client expects to display. Interestingly, the day’s fluidity created other conversations about our real-time, programmatic capabilities, and that of our mobile ad serving ability to geo-target locations. Let’s say….one stop shop is ringing true with them and the IBO Speedway.
Who is the group that is running the campaign? Is this the same group that ran the image that Tedder Outdoor carried?
The client is anonymous. The client is not the same individual that compensated Tedder. Our client does have a friendship with Tedder’s client. Our client has extended knowledge of the executions of Tedder’s client and has used this wisdom as a foundation toward his own Series of Billboards.
If an independent operator is interested in this campaign, who do they contact?
IBOUSA is the start. If they are associates already and part of the IBO Speedway, they know it, but other associates simply need to reach out to Becky Smith, Daron Henry, or myself….. becky@IBOUSA.org, daron@IBOUSA.org, or chris@IBOUSA.org. Operators that are not associates yet can still participate, just contact one of us above.
How is the campaign going now that it launched this past Tuesday?
It’s been an incredible journey since just last Friday. We had initial vetting of each other, discussions on strategy and our capability. I sensed they were already sold on OOH. So I expected that the campaign would be a test of our abilities, which are easy to talk about. Proof is in the puddin’ so they say. Then Thursday morning happened. Kabul bombing. OMG. It’s like Ted Koppel of the 80’s again. We went through hoops which not only proved to me the client’s intentions, but also their ability to react and decide precisely. I worked hand in hand with the attorney with the client in tow, and asked them to send me their assessment of the day’s events which I provided unedited for review. In essence, the campaign we launched Tuesday needed to drop initially anything that referenced the Taliban imagery. So we dropped them and the operators compiled within 30-45 minutes of the email request. We just ran the High Gas Prices for about 30 minutes while decisions were made on how to replace the ads dropped. Within the next hour, the creative for at least 10 different sizes of faces was created, distributed and in many cases rolling within a 60 minute window. All said, we made two design changes and accommodated the fluid needs of the events of the day within about 4 hours. Needless to say, I think we have proven our ability to perform. Kudos to all those who made that happen and is a testament to the OOH industry.
To view the unedited comments from the attorney/client, read the PDF…. L. S. Inc. Series of Billboards – Speed to Market
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