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Does anyone have experience with scrolling backlit signs?
Hi Guys,
Does anyone on the board have experience with scrolling backlit signs.
Things are still pretty conservative in my neck of the woods in relation to advertising and signs.
I wondered about buying a s/h one, finding a spot to locate it, then sell the space, plus print the backlit posters.
The ones I have been looking at, hold up to 15 posters … roughly 630 by 1200, and simply scroll through, with an adjustable delay between frames.
If I could sell 10 or a dozen spots on the unit on a monthly basis, to local business’s as well as get to create and print the necessary posters, I’m sure there would be enough interested business owners willing to give it a go … at least on an experimental level.
There are s/h units coming onto the market, because many malls are pulling them out to put in plasma displays. The beauty of plasmas is obvious, with moving, full-on advertising … and an even bigger advantage in that they can be updated over the internet, with no on-site personel needed at all.
The scrolling units originally cost around $5k but a 2 year old s/h one can be bought for less than a thousand dollars.
The only decent light boxes I’ve seen in this town are at a local shopping centre, where they have four (static ones), 1 mtr wide by 1.5 mtr high boxes.
The going rate for them, is … $95 a week + gst, with a minimum of a six month contract, and if you want an image designed and printed, there is a cost of $450. (around $200 if you supply the artwork).
The scrolling ones have been in major shopping centres in Sydney, where they charge $180 a month plus gst, plus $450 to design and print an appropriate image. As a small business owner, that sounds expensive to me! Especially when the image may be only up for 10 secs out of every 150 secs.
I’m sure, with prices at a more realistic level, and an excellent location, there should be enough takers to still make it pay well enough.
Any thoughts?
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2 Replies
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I think in the UK most of these sorts of thing are owned by Add Agency’s you may well find that the problem is not actually buying a board but finding a good spot to actually locate it where people are willing to pay for the adds. I would imagine you would have to pay some sort of rent for it as well because it is going to need a power supply to illuminate it so how much it actually costs you a month will also be a factor.
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Thanks Martin,
Yes, good point. I realise I would need to pay for rental space, but in looking around, there are quite a few shops with windows facing high traffic areas, where one of these things could be put inside.
That would prevent vandalism.
An incentive for the shop owner, would be to offer them a free spot on the board, and offer to print them for free, a new image, say, every 3 months or so. That way they get some added fresh signage, plus a few extra bucks a month for their trouble.
Plus, why should the add agencies get all the spoils when we could be doing the work. . 😀
I don’t see the organising of this as that much more difficult than what you guys do now.
Another potential location I spotted is on the main drag through town, with a complex that used to have two double phoneboxes in the front of it.
The phones have been removed and a normal alum and glass (wide) lockable door fitted. This location, which is currently wasted space, would be perfect, with absolutely no modifications. Just stitch up a deal with the owner, agree on the elec bill, fit the box, and sell the spots. Plus I could come and go at will to change the ads, not even needing to get into anyone elses shop to do it.
Even better is that (at least here) there is no need to get coucil approval, because it is regarded as inside a shop, and that has nothing to do with signage (according to council).
I had put it to them that eg when television first came out, store owners put sets inside the window to show off the sets, and wouldn’t that be regarded as a sign. The reply was “No … it has nothing to do with us … it’s inside the shop!”
I don’t know what I’m waiting for, I think I’ve convinced myself … haven’t I ? (?)
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