On The Move
The future of ad space isn't in square footage—it's in mileage.
For consumers who need a little stimulation on the long commute
home, VehicleAd.com has
something for them to feast their weary eyes on: moving billboards.
Founded in August 2000, the Vancouver-based start-up matches
private vehicle owners with advertising companies. Chosen vehicles
are wrapped in vinyl corporate advertisements, and drivers are
compensated for carrying the ads on their cars.
For Henry Tenby, 36, president of VehicleAd, it's all about
the quality of the impression. "You can turn a vehicle into
something that's absolutely wild by putting full photographs
and images onto the side of a car," he says.
Interested drivers complete a 10-minute demographic and
lifestyle characteristics survey at VehicleAd's Web site.
Advertisers then scroll through the database to determine who meets
their demographic criteria and target market. Drivers can earn $250
per month for a fully wrapped car or $175 for a partially wrapped
car. Contract terms typically run for a one-year period, and
there's a 1,500-mile-a-month driving requirement. (If
participants drive less than that, payments are reduced
proportionally.)
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Tenby says his database of drivers has grown to 100 already. And
while Canadian advertisers are slow to show their support-and there
are no sales to speak of at present-Tenby is confident the
opportunity will present itself. "Targeting the vehicles is
one of the selling features," he says. "Anything is
possible."