Calling All Marketing Experts!

[legal girl]

I have been approached by the local council to ask if my company would like to advertise on a roundabout in the area. As far as I see, I don't think this will necessarily gain us any new business, but I guess it may be useful in getting our brand recognised locally. Does anyone have any experience of this type of advert or have any opinion as to whether it is worthwhile Any comments or guidance on this subject gratefully received.

[black_cat51]

Does your name say what you do?

[scooping]

Entirely depends on how much it's going to cost...marginal benefit and all that

[scooping]

How many other signs on the roundabout?
What size are the signs?
Ask others who may have advertised there or on roundabouts elsewhere? Did they perceive any benefit?

[jno]

no experience, but I would have thought an ad on a roundabout would be less effective than on an ordinary road, because drivers are concentrating in driving in a circle and watching out for other traffic rather more than usual. But you may find they offer lower rates to take account of this.

[DTCwordfan]

Are you a consumer business or service - or industrial - your avatar suggests legal service?

I would argue very little direct business as tangible results; however, as you say it may be useful in brand build?

The question is how much - and how else could you spend the money - web site development, local newspaper, magazines, cinema for example. Do you need to get any message across straight away as such panels can only take a minimal amount, people being past the board quickly, so information must be very simple to allow for a cursory glance to take it in.

[mccfluff]

i called a local aircon company for a quote after seeing their ad on a roundabout. (i was waiting in a q of traffic). They didn't get the job, but i wouldn't of called them to quote if i hadn't seen the ad

you need to know where the roundabout is and the traffic patterns around it. the one i saw is into a very busy retail park and there is often queuing traffic

[EcclesCake]

Many of the roundabouts near me have advertising on them.

Because they are static ads I just don't see them any longer, they have merged with the landscape, unlike the bus shelters which change frequently and I do notice.

The only roundabout advert I can recall is for a funeral director, no idea of the name of the the company but it is on a roundabout adjacent to the crematorium......

[Zeuhl]

The key piece of information is how much do they want for the sponsorship.

How many incremental sales would you need to gain to pay for it?

Does that seem likely based on your insight into your target audience?

[legal girl]

Thanks everyone - for the useful suggestions of what we need to consider.

[scooping]

Please let us know how you proceed...

[Baldric]

From a Driver's viewpoint, there is advertising on the nearest roundabout to home, probably half a mile away, have lived here 15 months +, couldn't tell you who is advertising or what, as I'm always watching the traffic!

[DTCwordfan]

Is that on a Dead End, eccles?

[EcclesCake]

Very droll DTC!

It has always struck me as a marketing dead end as, like I said, I and I suspect many locals just don't see these ads any longer. The newbies who will have a heightened sense of awareness will not be in the market for the service either as it is a done deal by the time they're heading to the crem.

[legal girl]

Thanks everyone for your comments; having found out the price: £6k per annum; we decided that we wouldn't do it - there are other cheaper ways of marketing which we think will benefit us more.