Talk About Free Long-Distance
This morning I caught a very interesting segment on Bay News 9. The segment highlighted a new advertising medium that is making some noise in Clearwater. I suppose it is a form of outdoor advertising. And yes, it seems to be billboard-esc. Yet, this form of outdoor billboard is much different than your traditional, roadside board that you purchase through Clearchannel outdoor. This billboard has a sweeter ‘ring’ to it.
Located at the Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Club in Clearwater is a billboard that is part of an outdoor phone booth. However, this is no ordinary phone booth. This booth allows users to make long distance calls nationwide - and to over 30 countries - for free. It costs the user nothing, and it also cost the host (in this case Rodriguez’s golf club) nothing. All the user has to do is make the call in front of the paid advertisement.
I believe this concept is very interesting. Since each call has a limited time, costs won’t be too outrageous. Also, if placed in the right places, these phone booths could create a lot of buzz and draw lots of attention - which eventually ups ad pricing. For example, placing these booths in airports would be a great idea. Travelers make long distance calls more than most individuals - making this placement a no-brainer. The booths would be particularly popular amongst international travelers. When you first arrive in a new country, there is nothing better than a free phone call home. When placed in high traffic locations (such as airports) it opens the door to more advertisers. Local restaurants and shops would fit in great as potential advertisers at these booths.
I believe these booths would also fair well on college campuses. Campuses house thousands of exchange students every year who are always looking for ways to communicate with their families back home. These boards would also get plenty of exposure on campuses, especially at some of the nation’s larger institutions. I know I personally would visit these booths regularly, just to catch up with friends of mine who reside overseas. In fact, I would even be inclined to fill out a survey while on the phone since the call is completely free.
Either I am hung up on this news segment that I watched this morning, or there really is some potential with this new medium. I believe the units need to be strategically placed - meaning no more golf courses - in order to be effective while producing a good return on investment. I believe we will begin to see much more of these “simple-service” ads if this campaign proves successful. I look forward to running into one of these booths in the future, not only to give my Swedish friend Daniel a call, but to also observe this medium’s growth.
