Difference between revisions of "Advertising"

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[[Category:Finance and revenue]]
 
[[Category:Finance and revenue]]
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[[Image:Busad.jpg|right|thumb|500px|Many transit agencies use advertising on vehicles as an additional source of revenue. Source: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LACMTA_Metro_Local_Neoplan_AN440A_6572.jpg George Lumbreras]]]
 
==Introduction==
 
==Introduction==
Advertising on transit vehicles and facilities can produce new or increased local revenues from non-standard sources.  Many agencies are re-evaluating advertising as a potential revenue source to fill funding gaps. Advertising on transit facilities and vehicles creates nearly $1 billion per year in sales, with roughly half of this amount going to transit agencies.  However, in 2007 only 0.3% of U.S. advertising dollars went to transit <ref name="one33">[http://www.tcrponline.org/bin/publications.pl?mode=abstract&cat_id=23&pub_id=1500 TCRP Report 133: Practical Measures to Increase Transit Advertising Revenues. 2009.]</ref>. Transit agencies and operators seeking increased revenues from advertising can usually find ways to do so, as a survey adverting planners accustomed to working with traditional channels identified a range of options to improve transit advertising<ref name="one33"></ref>.
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Many transit agencies use advertising on or it vehicles and facilities as a way to generate additional revenue. While this is typically a very small source of funding, there is potential for agencies to increase ad revenue as advertisers move away from traditional venues like television and print media. Transit advertising is nearly a $1 billion industry<ref name="one33">[http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_133.pdf TCRP Report 133: Practical Measures to Increase Transit Advertising Revenues. 2009.]</ref>. With improved practices, agencies are often capable of increasing their ad revenues.
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===Benefits of Advertising===
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There are plenty of reasons for transit agencies to offer advertising. The costs are relatively low, and agencies have access to a captive audience that advertisers value. Transit advertising is a growth industry with significant potential for increasing revenues.
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===Challenges to Advertising===
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On the other hand, transit advertising faces a variety of challenges. Transit has not typically been viewed as a good medium for advertising because of negative social connotations with transit and the lack of good audience engagement metrics. In addition, advertising creates significant legal hurdles for agencies. As public organizations, courts often hold transit agencies to fairly strict free speech standards. This means that agencies can be unable to refuse ads that they find to be offensive. While properly structured ad policies can give agencies more leeway in rejecting certain content, free speech requirements must be kept in mind when addressing advertising<ref>[http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_lrd_33.pdf McDaniel, J.B. (2010). "TCRP Legal Research Digest 33: Developing and Implementing a Transit Advertising Policy". Transit Cooperative Research Program.]</ref>.
  
 
==Key Considerations==
 
==Key Considerations==
[[File:LA-Metro-bus-ad.JPG|right|thumb|350px|Advertising on a Los Angeles Metro bus]]
 
 
===Need to Restructure===
 
===Need to Restructure===
While there are a number of measures an advertising sales department can implement on their own, TCRP report #133<ref name="one33"></ref> makes several suggestions that require buy-in or actions from upper management, including restructuring the entire department or contracting out the function.
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While there are a number of measures an advertising sales department can implement on their own, TCRP Report 133 makes several suggestions that require buy-in or actions from upper management, including restructuring the entire department or contracting out the function.<ref name="one33" />
  
 
===Advertising Policy===
 
===Advertising Policy===
Government-run transit agencies must consider how the first amendment affects their ability to approve or deny advertisements based on content alone.  Generally, transit agencies will need well-defined  standards and a system in pace to determine compliance with those standards.  Have your inside or outside council review this [http://www.tcrponline.org/bin/publications.pl?mode=abstract&cat_id=23&pub_id=1532 2010 TCRP Legal Research Digest] on developing and implementing a transit advertising policy.
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Government-run transit agencies must consider how the first amendment affects their ability to approve or deny advertisements based on content alone.  Generally, transit agencies will need well-defined  standards and a system in place to determine compliance with those standards.  Have your inside or outside council review this [http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_lrd_33.pdf TCRP Legal Research Digest 33] on developing and implementing a transit advertising policy.
  
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==Operating a Transit Advertising Sales Program==
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With few exceptions, transit operators that offer out-of-home advertising opportunities generally bid out their programs using a competitive process. Companies handling advertising sales on a contract basis include CBS Outdoor, Titan Advertising, Lamar Advertising, and Clear Channel.
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
 
  
 
==Additional Reading==
 
==Additional Reading==
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[http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_133.pdf Alpers, J. (2009). "TCRP Report 133: Practical Measures to Increase Transit Advertising Revenues." Transit Cooperative Research Program.]
  
Alpers, Jane. [http://www.tcrponline.org/bin/publications.pl?mode=abstract&cat_id=23&pub_id=1500 "TCRP Report 133: Practical Measures to Increase Transit Advertising Revenues."] 2009.
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: This report is a starting point for consultants, department heads, and agency management considering restructuring an agencies advertising sales operations in order to maximize revenue.
: This 107-page report is a great starting point for consultants, department heads, and agency management considering restructuring an agencies advertising sales operations in order to maximize revenue.
 
 
 
 
 
Transit Cooperative Research Program. [http://www.tcrponline.org/bin/publications.pl?mode=abstract&cat_id=23&pub_id=1532 "TCRP Legal Research Digest 13: Developing and Implementing a Transit Advertising Policy."] 2010.
 
: If your agency's legal council is not already familiar with laws and cases related to advertising on property owned or managed by your agency, they should review this document.
 
  
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[http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_lrd_33.pdf McDaniel, J.B. (2010). "TCRP Legal Research Digest 33: Developing and Implementing a Transit Advertising Policy". Transit Cooperative Research Program.]
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: This research digest summarizing important cases in the history of transit advertising law.
  
Transit Cooperative Research Program. [http://www.tcrponline.org/bin/publications.pl?mode=abstract&cat_id=23&pub_id=1103 "TCRP Synthesis 51: Transit Advertising Sales Agreements."] 2004.
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[http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_syn_51.pdf Schaller, B. (2004). "TCRP Synthesis 51: Transit Advertising Sales Agreements." Transit Cooperative Research Program.]
: This 110-page report contains specific guidance on how your advertising sales department can structure agreements and consider how to balance revenue generating advertisements with public service advertisements.
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: This report contains specific guidance on how an advertising sales department can structure agreements and consider how to balance revenue generating advertisements with public service advertisements.

Latest revision as of 20:59, 12 February 2017


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Many transit agencies use advertising on vehicles as an additional source of revenue. Source: George Lumbreras

Introduction

Many transit agencies use advertising on or it vehicles and facilities as a way to generate additional revenue. While this is typically a very small source of funding, there is potential for agencies to increase ad revenue as advertisers move away from traditional venues like television and print media. Transit advertising is nearly a $1 billion industry[1]. With improved practices, agencies are often capable of increasing their ad revenues.

Benefits of Advertising

There are plenty of reasons for transit agencies to offer advertising. The costs are relatively low, and agencies have access to a captive audience that advertisers value. Transit advertising is a growth industry with significant potential for increasing revenues.

Challenges to Advertising

On the other hand, transit advertising faces a variety of challenges. Transit has not typically been viewed as a good medium for advertising because of negative social connotations with transit and the lack of good audience engagement metrics. In addition, advertising creates significant legal hurdles for agencies. As public organizations, courts often hold transit agencies to fairly strict free speech standards. This means that agencies can be unable to refuse ads that they find to be offensive. While properly structured ad policies can give agencies more leeway in rejecting certain content, free speech requirements must be kept in mind when addressing advertising[2].

Key Considerations

Need to Restructure

While there are a number of measures an advertising sales department can implement on their own, TCRP Report 133 makes several suggestions that require buy-in or actions from upper management, including restructuring the entire department or contracting out the function.[1]

Advertising Policy

Government-run transit agencies must consider how the first amendment affects their ability to approve or deny advertisements based on content alone. Generally, transit agencies will need well-defined standards and a system in place to determine compliance with those standards. Have your inside or outside council review this TCRP Legal Research Digest 33 on developing and implementing a transit advertising policy.

Operating a Transit Advertising Sales Program

With few exceptions, transit operators that offer out-of-home advertising opportunities generally bid out their programs using a competitive process. Companies handling advertising sales on a contract basis include CBS Outdoor, Titan Advertising, Lamar Advertising, and Clear Channel.

References

Additional Reading

Alpers, J. (2009). "TCRP Report 133: Practical Measures to Increase Transit Advertising Revenues." Transit Cooperative Research Program.

This report is a starting point for consultants, department heads, and agency management considering restructuring an agencies advertising sales operations in order to maximize revenue.

McDaniel, J.B. (2010). "TCRP Legal Research Digest 33: Developing and Implementing a Transit Advertising Policy". Transit Cooperative Research Program.

This research digest summarizing important cases in the history of transit advertising law.

Schaller, B. (2004). "TCRP Synthesis 51: Transit Advertising Sales Agreements." Transit Cooperative Research Program.

This report contains specific guidance on how an advertising sales department can structure agreements and consider how to balance revenue generating advertisements with public service advertisements.