During the 1980s recession, unemployment and mortgage rates were at a high. Billboard Boys, directed by Pat Taggart, is a documentary based on the radio contest turned international phenomenon in Allentown, PA. Three men were selected to live and outlast each other on a billboard in the hopes of winning a mobile home.
On this episode of OOH Insider, Frank Petka, Producer of Billboard Boys, shares the story of three men’s determination to earn a home by living on a billboard.
Takeaways
• The creativity of the billboard these men stayed on promoted the radio station’s switch from country to big band music. Unfortunately, the creative and target audience did not bode well.
• This story went viral before viral was a thing. It began as a regional contest and quickly gained national, and even international, traction. For four months straight the media covered this story on every major tv station, radio station, and newspaper.
• If you have “lightning in a bottle” put a cap on it. The contest gained national media attention every day. This was a huge opportunity for brands to advertise in OOH, but no one could fast enough.
• “Billboards are timeless; the ultimate medium.” ~Frank Petka
Links
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-j-petka-mba-73b756147/
• Film: https://billboardboys.com
Special thanks to OneScreen.so for making this show possible. Check out OneScreen.ai and learn How to Beat Facebook with Billboards at www.onescreen.ai (http://www.onescreen.ai/)
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