‘Kill the NRA’. That was the message earlier this week on one of Outfront Media’s billboards on Interstate 65, in Louisville, Kentucky. Tough sledding for Outfront, as they are paying for the message in terms of immediate removal costs and poor publicity, rather than receiving revenue. Outfront was the unfortunate victim of graffiti or as their spokesperson was quoted, vandalism. The vandal’s signature tag was ‘Resist 45’. They are a group opposed to President Donald Trump.
According to local media, this is not the first time the anti-Trump revolutionary group, has commandeered Louisville area billboards, this is only the latest sign take over, targeting the National Rifle Association.
The “Resist 45” group has been spray painting billboards along Indiana and Kentucky’s stretches of I-65 since the election of President Donald Trump. ’45’ has tagged “Hunger Games” advertiser which displayed Louisville-native Jennifer Lawrence’s revolutionary character and defaced others billboards totaling at least seven, including the latest, “Kill The NRA” . Watch⇒Local TV Station WDRB news video.
As the vandals continue to pop up along the Interstates and primary roads in the area, one has to ask; How can it be stopped? Everyone in the OOH business knows, if a graffiti artists wants it bad enough, they will find a way to get to the sign face. OOH Today has witnessed deterrents soundly defeated such as, barbed and razor wire strategically attached, removal of ladders, remote cameras, 10 foot fencing enclosing the structure, with and without guard dogs, locks, and greased poles(wanted to see if you are still reading).
OOH Today on the Graffiti or Vandalism.
As an OOH owner ourselves, we make efforts to not be an easy target. As mentioned above, if they want it bad enough, they will get to the board face. We suggest to ‘resist’ vandals’ intrusions, start with not providing a blank canvas or ‘blank board’. The practice of turning the vinyl over to the black or white side, only encourages those to view as an opportunity. We recognize illicit painting will happen, with or without a ‘blank’ face. We shared photo examples below of vandalized faces with advertising.
Obviously, no one at Outfront Media aided in the harm of their own billboard. It’s not a wish of any OOH company their billboards be selected for defacing. What we are saying is, stop making it easy for vandals /graffiti artists by leaving blank faces on the street. To what end is it good business practice to ‘go blank’?
Stop installing blank boards for the following reasons:
1. Bad press it creates-the graffiti hurts you by virtue of ownership and in OOH.
2. Your additional cost of a trip to the unit to remove or to initially turn over to a blank side in the first place.
3. The poor image it leaves in the community-anti billboard people love blank faces.
Stop the practice, the best reason of all
4. To help your sales team sell more! -see the link and explanation below for more about that.
We wrote in great detail last year in a November post, explaining why ‘Blank faces’ should be a concern for the OOH Industry. Read that post⇒ Open Billboard Faces = Poor Management We stand by that message.
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