How to speak to a billboard advertiser
Probably the most effective thing you can do to fight billboard advertising is to simply ask a billboard advertiser to stop.
If you decide to contact a billboard advertiser, here are some tips:
1. Be polite. When you contact the advertiser, keep in mind that you are contacting a person with feelings. There is no need to be rude or angry. You are simply asking them to stop advertising on billboards.
2. Don't get into an argument. There is nothing to argue about. They have a right to advertise on billboards and you have a right to object. An argument won't change their mind and it won't change yours.
3. Be nice and have fun. If you enjoy the process, you will be more effective simply because you will do it more often.
4. Try to contact the decision makers, but don't be deterred if you can't. Chances are there isn't just one person who decides to place billboard ads, and it may be difficult to reach those people who do. Even if you can only reach an assistant or a receptionist, that's OK. Let them know, and they will pass on the message.
5. Feel free to mention "Billboard Advertisers are Idiots" and feel free to apologize if they are offended. You don't have to defend this site and its tactics. We would love to remove them from the site if they promise to stop advertising on billboards.
6. Share your experience in comments. When you contact a billboard advertiser, tell us about it in comments on this site. Tell us who you contacted, including name, title and contact info. This will help others who follow in your footsteps.
7. Contact billboard advertisers, not billboard companies. Billboard companies, obviously, have a strong business interest in billboard advertising. You will get nowhere with them. The billboard advertisers, on the other hand, have a large variety of advertising choices and they don't have to advertise on billboards. They are much more sensitive to the concerns of the people they are trying to reach. The billboard companies are solely interested in the advertiser's dollars. They don't care what you think.
8. Did I mention "be nice and have fun"? It's worth repeating.
I hate billboards, and I also think they are a dangerous distraction in urban areas. My Mom lives in Houston where there are this huge superhighways filled with ugly billboards and I really do believe they contribute to accidents.
Posted by:Melissa | July 30, 2007 at 06:10 PM
Jim, maybe you can forward info on this site to CM Weiss's office, tell him that you've formed a group to support his opposition to billboard blight, and their arrogance; and would welcome the sort of central database he had requested C A Delgadillo to negotiate, but Delgadillo did the opposite -- gave the billboard companies a bizarre agreement to protect their secrecy regarding placement and contact info.
And of course, CC/lobby Delgadillo: he may have been bought off, but not the people he is supposed to be serving, and we are watching him.
Posted by:linda | August 01, 2007 at 02:06 AM
Jim, maybe you can forward info on this site to CM Weiss's office, tell him that you've formed a group to support his opposition to billboard blight, and their arrogance; and would welcome the sort of central database he had requested C A Delgadillo to negotiate, but Delgadillo did the opposite -- gave the billboard companies a bizarre agreement to protect their secrecy regarding placement and contact info.
And of course, CC/lobby Delgadillo: he may have been bought off, but not the people he is supposed to be serving, and we are watching him.
Posted by:linda | August 01, 2007 at 02:06 AM
Jim, maybe you can forward info on this site to CM Weiss's office, tell him that you've formed a group to support his opposition to billboard blight, and their arrogance; and would welcome the sort of central database he had requested C A Delgadillo to negotiate, but Delgadillo did the opposite -- gave the billboard companies a bizarre agreement to protect their secrecy regarding placement and contact info.
And of course, CC/lobby Delgadillo: he may have been bought off, but not the people he is supposed to be serving, and we are watching him.
Posted by:linda | August 01, 2007 at 02:06 AM
Canada is not an idiot. But Canadians ... well that is another story.
Posted by:greg m. ingerson | September 07, 2007 at 08:46 PM