Outdoor Advertising Alert

To: AAF Advertising FederationsFrom: Clark Rector, Jr., Senior Vice President – Government AffairsRobert Kohlmeyer, Coordinator – Government Affairs

Re: Outdoor Advertising

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is currently assessing the billboard control program. Comments from the public will be received until Monday, August 21.

Time is short. Please encourage members of your advertising federation to write the FHWA as soon as possible to explain the importance of outdoor advertising. This is a valuable opportunity not only to show support for our friends in the outdoor industry, but demonstrate another benefit of their membership in your ad fed and the AAF.

The letters do not have to be lengthy. Specific topics that you may want to address are listed below. As a reminder, included below are some of the benefits of outdoor advertising.

Comments can be submitted by mail, fax or electronically. All comments must include the following docket number: FHWA-2006-25031.

US Mail:
U.S. DOT
Dockets Management Facility
Room PL-407
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20590

Fax: (202) 493-2251
Electronically: http://dms.dot.gov

Try to collect copies of the letters sent to the FHWA. Please send copies to us here at the AAF, and make sure your local outdoor members receive copies as well. Do not hesitate to contact us at (800) 999-2231 if you have any questions or comments. Thank you for your assistance with this important matter.

Topics you may want to address are:
How important is outdoor advertising as a medium for commercial and non-commercial speech? How important are billboards to the local economy and to small businesses? Explain that regulatory flexibility is a "win-win" for the public and for advertisers to embrace new technologies, to relocate and to adjust heights of billboards, and to repair billboards damaged by disasters. Describe the benefits of new technology for communities, law enforcement, and advertisers. Why relocation of billboards makes sense for taxpayers, road builders, government, and sign owners.

Some benefits of outdoor advertising include:
Small and local businesses rely on outdoor advertising to reach consumers. - Nationwide, 70% of billboard revenue comes from small, local businesses. Billboards are often the most affordable media option.

Outdoor advertising helps create jobs and economic activity in communities.
Billboards are important to the travel and tourism industry. - 90% of travelers rely on billboards to locate gas, food, lodging and tourist attractions.
- Approximately one out of every five dollars spent by advertisers on billboards is for travel and tourism.

Not only does the business community benefit from outdoor advertising, but so to do community service organizations. Outdoor advertisers donate millions of dollars worth of space to public service advertising.