MarTech Podcast ™ // Marketing + Technology = Business Growth Episode: The Art & Science Behind Billboards
Host: Benjamin Shapiro
Guest: Scott Harkey, Founder and CEO of the Harkey Group
Release Date: May 19, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of the MarTech Podcast, host Benjamin Shapiro engages in a compelling discussion with Scott Harkey, the Founder and CEO of the Harkey Group—a full-service integrated marketing agency specializing in various industries, including hospitality, digital creative, and video production. They delve into the intricate dynamics of billboard advertising, exploring both its artistic and scientific facets.

Guest Background

[01:15] Benjamin Shapiro:
"Scott is the founder of the Harkey Group, which is a full service integrated marketing agency with consumer centric, performance focused and creatively inspired teams across multiple industries and verticals like Monogram, which focuses on the hospitality industry, or Nomadic for digital creative and of course Matter Films, their video production firm."

Scott shares his extensive experience in the billboard industry, highlighting his early days managing Molina Outdoor and learning the ropes from industry pioneers like Artie Moreno of Out Front. Over 16 years, Scott has built, bought, and managed numerous billboard assets, giving him a comprehensive understanding from both the media buying and ownership perspectives.

Trend or Trash: Resurgence of Billboards

[05:07] Scott Harkey:
"Out of home advertising is experiencing a resurgence because of new technology. It's absolutely a trend."

Scott attributes the resurgence of out-of-home (OOH) advertising to advancements in digital technology. He explains how digital billboards are now integrated into Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) like The Trade Desk and Google, allowing for programmatic buying similar to digital advertising. This integration enables more targeted, data-rich, and scalable billboard campaigns, albeit often at a higher cost compared to traditional methods.

[06:34] Scott Harkey:
"CPMs on a lot of these programmatic networks are double or triple what you could buy direct. So you are buying it at a premium, but it is faster and you can be a little more targeted in terms of demographics."

While digital billboards offer enhanced targeting and ease of purchase, they come at a higher cost. Scott emphasizes that purchasing directly from billboard companies can offer more cost-effective CPMs, making a strategic choice between direct and programmatic buying essential based on campaign goals and budget.

Talk Nerdy to Me: Measuring Billboard Effectiveness

[08:12] Benjamin Shapiro:
"How do you figure out if it's working? If the people driving by your billboards are actually influenced by the content, if they're actually converting what the analytics look like?"

Scott acknowledges the inherent challenges in measuring the effectiveness of OOH advertising. He explains that while OOH is one of the least measurable media tactics, certain strategies can provide insights into its impact.

[08:51] Scott Harkey:
"Branding helps. The average American consumer is seeing at least 5,000 messages a day... What billboards do, what other signage does for you as a brand is it keeps that brand out there over and over and over again."

Scott highlights the role of billboards in repetitive brand exposure, which is crucial in a consumer's highly saturated environment. He discusses his approach using integrated analytics systems with companies like Alight Analytics to measure sales lift when campaigns include billboards versus when they don't.

[12:23] Scott Harkey:
"I use a company called Geopath which gives me very detailed analysis on eyeballs basically per day and per week. They take into consideration how big the sign is, where it's at... so I use it more impression based and I understand the demographics and area that assign where it's located."

While cell phone data offers another layer of measurement, Scott prefers impression-based metrics provided by specialized analytics firms. He focuses on factors like sign size, location demographics, and traffic patterns to gauge a billboard's reach and effectiveness.

Secret Sauce: Creative Strategies for Effective Billboards

[14:36] Benjamin Shapiro:
"What are the ingredients that you're including to make an effective billboard? Talk to me a little bit about the creative portion of this."

Scott shares his guiding principles for creating impactful billboards:

1. Simplicity:
   [14:51] Scott Harkey:
   "My rule of thumb is seven to eight, meaning you get seven to eight things maximum on a billboard. And the less things, the more effective."

   Less clutter ensures higher readability and effectiveness.

2. Uniqueness and Innovation:
   [17:04] Scott Harkey:
   "I look for ways to do things on the billboard that other people aren't. I love what I call extensions... something really unique in the out of home space."

   Incorporating unique elements or interactive components can significantly enhance a billboard's impact.

3. Consistency:
   [16:16] Scott Harkey:
   "You want it consistent around market. You don't want 20 different creatives. You want maybe three different that are all within the same family of brands."

   Consistent branding across different billboards reinforces brand recognition.

4. Bold Visuals and Contrast:
   [16:16] Scott Harkey:
   "Something that has bold colors and contrast, black and yellow, black and white... A strong contrast of colors when you look at fonts and logos."

   High contrast and bold colors ensure visibility from a distance.

5. Contextual Relevance:
   [21:10] Benjamin Shapiro:
   "Billboards... it's in context of the real world. It's not on a screen."

   Understanding the billboard's environment and tailoring the message accordingly is crucial.

Scott emphasizes the importance of designing billboards with the real-world context in mind, advising designers to physically print and review their designs to ensure readability and impact from a distance.

Conclusion

The discussion wraps up with a mutual appreciation for the strategic role of billboards in integrated marketing campaigns. Scott underscores that while billboards may not drive direct sales, their value as a brand multiplier and legitimacy enhancer is undeniable. The episode concludes with Benjamin highlighting the unique challenges and benefits of OOH advertising, reinforcing the importance of creative and strategic thinking in leveraging billboards for business growth.

Notable Quotes:

• Scott Harkey [05:07]: "Out of home advertising is experiencing a resurgence because of new technology."
• Scott Harkey [06:34]: "You are buying it at a premium, but it is faster and you can be a little more targeted in terms of demographics."
• Scott Harkey [08:51]: "What billboards do... it keeps that brand out there over and over and over again."
• Scott Harkey [14:51]: "The less things, the more effective."
• Scott Harkey [17:04]: "I look for ways to do things on the billboard that other people aren't."

Connect with Scott Harkey:

• LinkedIn: Scott Harkey
• Instagram: @ScottHarkey
• Website: theharkeygroup.com

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened. For a deeper dive, consider tuning into the full episode.