Vroom To It: Advantages of Transit Advertising

Hi Weekly Report readers! Communication Specialist Kennedy Heidel here, filling in for Dave Saunders. Between boats, planes, trains, and automobiles, Dave has had a very big travel week and asked me to write this week’s Weekly Report.
Just like my boss, it seems like we’re always in motion. Whether we’re commuting to work, catching a bus or a train in the big city, or simply finding our way to a new place.
Although Americans have been commuting less over the past two years, the average amount of time people spent commuting in 2019 was a record high of almost 28 minutes. As they say, time is money. For advertisers, this is a unique opportunity to reach people in motion.
Transit advertising is a popular type of out-of-home (OOH) or outdoor billboard advertising that is found on the outside (or inside) of public vehicles like buses, trains, subways, airports, cabs, and also in the transit terminals/stations. Today, you can even be served transit ads on your navigation app (think Waze for example.)
At Madison+Main, we’ve created and placed various forms of transit advertising for clients who wanted to get their product or service in front of commuters and travelers. Based on your marketing plan goals, transit advertising might be a beneficial tactic for the following reasons:
Long-Time Exposure
That’s one of the biggest advantages of a transit ad. An average ride on public transport lasts for 30 minutes where passengers have nothing else to do and nowhere to go. It’s a captive audience.
Frequency
Our daily routines are just that — routine. Commuters are likely to be exposed to ads along their route 10 times each week, to and from work. Folks who ride buses, subways, and or commute to work, are likely exposed to the ads repeatedly. The locations of station and shelter signs also afford a high frequency of exposure.
Geographic Targeting
For local advertisers, in particular, transit advertising provides an opportunity to reach a very select segment of the population, in and around a local market. A purchase of a location in a certain neighborhood will lead to exposure to people of specific ethnic backgrounds, demographic characteristics, and so on. For example, if the majority of your customers are in the West End of Richmond, you probably only need to consider a billboard placement on I-64, the major artery that connects Richmond to that demographic.
Cost-Effective
Transit advertising tends to be one of the less expensive forms of media in terms of both absolute and relative costs. An ad on the side of a bus can be purchased for a very reasonable CPM (cost per thousand).
On the go pretty often? Go on then — call us to help with your transit marketing efforts — 877-623-6246.
MONDAY:
PRESIDENT’S DAY
On Monday, the team celebrated President’s Day by appreciating our very own President and COO, Molly Whitfield. Molly has been with our company for nearly 16 years and truly is a Fearless Leader. Thank you, Molly, for your dedication to the team. Right after Dave, you’ll go down as the best president in M+M history (BTW, he paid me an extra $50 to write the first part of that sentence.)

TUESDAY:
SAYING “I DO” AT GOVERNOR’S LAND
On Tuesday, the team presented EPIC Pharmacies with our Discovery Report, a.k.a. all our research and findings for their upcoming marketing efforts. The presentation went extremely well and we’re very excited to get started on some digital marketing and awareness advertising. Great job, team!

This week, the team worked on some big news for our Williamsburg client The Governor’s Land at Two Rivers! They were named a Top Wedding Venue in Williamsburg by WeddingRule.com! The member-owned club has been busy with rescheduled pandemic weddings and is clearly making a name for itself. Know someone getting married soon? Or want to drop a hint to my boyfriend? Wink wink: I know a place.

WEDNESDAY:
QUESTION WEDNESDAY
This Question Wednesday, the team tackled the topic “Which brands do you interact with on social media the most?” The team mostly stuck to Instagram to speak about brands that they liked, shared, or interacted with most. Moral of the story? Every brand mentioned put thought and time behind its social strategies.
THURSDAY:
ANDREW SIMPSON’S BIG DAY
On Thursday, the team celebrated the second anniversary of our Account Executive Andrew Simpson — no relation to O.J. Simpson (who Dave met last week in Fort Lauderdale #TrueStory). Andrew has built a reputation as a quiet, but savvy account executive. We call him the Client Whisperer. Co-workers appreciate his sly jokes and reactions to Dave’s Dad jokes on Zoom calls. Thanks for all your hard work, Andrew! Glad you’ve been here the entire pandemic.

Also on Thursday, Account Coordinator Bailey Broughton, Jr. PR Specialist Ava Adenauer, Dave, and I headed down to Lynchburg for the Texas Inn’s Great Bowls of Fire Challenge! The team had a blast watching six brave participants attempt to wolf down 72 ounces of Texas Inn’s world-famous chili. Even the rain couldn’t keep the media away. Got an event coming up? Our PR team can help!

FRIDAY:
“IF NOT ME, WHO? IF NOT NOW, WHEN?”
The team spent Friday celebrating the birth of…me. Dave’s birthday present to me? More work apparently. #ThanksBoss I was very excited this morning when the team sang happy birthday to me on Zoom, which sounded like five airport gate agents announcing an immediate departure from the D gates at Dulles International Airport. I plan on celebrating by leaving early today as soon as this doggone Weekly Report is finished. No celebration of me would be complete without a photo. Unfortunately, I made a deal with Dave that if I wrote the Weekly Report, he got to pick the photo.

A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE EVENTS
Line Dancing at The Perk
Chesterfield, VA
Come on out and learn some ballroom and country line dances done to a fun mix of music. Great exercise too! All levels welcome – from beginner to experienced.
The Art of Housing: A Benefit for Housing Families First at VMFA
Richmond, VA
April 28, 6-9 p.m.
Housing Families First’s seventh annual signature event will highlight talented local artists at the most artistic venue in town- Richmond’s VMFA. Join them for delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks in a fun and dressy-casual atmosphere. Come ready for a fantastic silent auction that will benefit their programs for families facing homelessness!
“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.“ — Gustave Flaubert