FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2010

Survey: Most Americans Believe Digital Billboards Help Drivers

Washington ­ Eighty percent of US adults believe digital billboards help alert drivers of important information and a similar percentage disagrees with efforts to ban billboards, according to a new survey from Opinion Research Corporation (ORC).

The poll, conducted in late August, confirms the acceptance of outdoor advertising in general and newer, high-tech digital billboards in particular.

“People know a good thing when they see it,” said Nancy Fletcher, president and CEO of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, which funded the study. “They understand, sometimes even better than politicians and regulators, when something is good for their communities and their businesses. Clearly, they agree digital billboards are good.”

The study also found most people (63%) rely on billboards (digital and conventional) when they are traveling to learn about local attractions, lodging options, and restaurants.

Contrary to assertions by anti-business activists, the vast majority of people disagreed with negative statements about billboards. Seventy percent of people disagreed with the statement “I hate billboards” and a whopping 76 percent of people disagreed with efforts to ban billboards. More than 80 percent of young people supported billboards.

““People appreciate and use outdoor advertising,” said Fletcher. “Those who advocate against billboards are out of step with the majority of Americans.”

The study was conducted through a third party research group, Strategy One, as part of a larger ORC survey. OAAA did not write the questions, conduct the research, or have any influence on its results. The survey had a 3.1 percent margin of error.

OAAA is the trade association for nearly 800 outdoor advertising companies which make up 90 percent of the industry’s revenue. It is dedicated to leading and uniting a responsible outdoor advertising industry that is committed to serving the needs of advertisers, consumers, and communities. Outdoor advertising companies generate $5.9 billion annually in ad revenues and donate space to charitable organizations in excess of $400 million each year.

OAAA (Outdoor Advertising Association of America)
1850 M Street, N.W., Suite 1040
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-833-5566
E-Mail: info@oaaa.org
Website URL: www,oaaa.org