Porlier Outdoor Goes Digital in St. Louis - Competes with TV, Radio, and Print

Ever since Porlier Outdoor Advertising Co’s digital billboards, manufactured by Watchfire Digital Outdoor, went live, the company has stuck to a very specific sales strategy that differs from how they sell their vinyl billboards. “We see digital billboards as a direct replacement for television, radio and print advertisements,” said the company’s president, Brent Porlier. “With digital billboards, our customers can quickly and easily change their message, the boards are attention-grabbing, and unlike other media, the audience can’t change the channel or turn the page.”

Not coincidentally, Porlier’s strategy has successfully expanded its customer (and revenue) base to include businesses that look for cost-effective and impactful ways to highlight their latest deals or incentives, such as pizza shops, car washes, car dealerships, colleges and credit unions.

But the good impressions didn’t end with the new revenue stream. While these are Porlier Outdoor’s first digital billboards, the company has 440 vinyl billboard faces from St. Louis to Kansas City. With such extensive experience in the outdoor industry and a passion for loyalty and long-term partnerships, Porlier wanted to see Watchfire’s manufacturing process first-hand and meet the employees before deciding on a digital billboard manufacturer. So he set up back-to-back visits to Watchfire’s manufacturing facility and one of its competitors’.

“After visiting both manufacturing plants, it was clear to all of us that Watchfire was head and shoulders above its competition in every way,” said Porlier. “The company is passionate about the manufacturing process…from the quality of the materials, and the superior craftsmanship to the simple aesthetics of the boards. The way they keep moisture out of the boards is second to none.”

Porlier was equally impressed with the overall attitude of the people working at Watchfire. “Everyone seemed to enjoy their work and take a lot of pride in what they do,” he said. “That’s the kind of company I like to partner with.”  

Located in the western suburbs of St. Louis, Porlier installed the two the 19mm 14’x48’ billboards digital billboards in heavily traveled, highly visible locations in St. Charles County, a bedroom community of St. Louis.  The first is at the junction of I-70 and Highway 94, which is seen by approximately 120,000 cars per day.  The other billboard, seen by about 55,000 cars per day, is located along Highway 370, just west of Highway 94.

Watchfire Digital Outdoor produces the industry’s only 19mm pixel pitch billboard-which packs 768 LEDs into every square foot-and is capable of producing 281 trillion colors, the most in the industry. It is the only manufacturer that fully encapsulates the LED module in a thick bed of silicone gel, which enables the LED boards to operate in extreme weather conditions: more than 180 days completely submerged in water, 60 days in a salt-spray chamber, and temperatures ranging from -40° F to 120° F. In areas where heat and humidity are both high, the silicone gel encapsulation protects the boards from humidity and moisture, greatly improving projected reliability. All Watchfire boards feature unique extruded aluminum cabinetry that complies with 2006 IBC codes and a streamlined electronics design that improves operation and simplifies maintenance. Watchfire’s warranty, lead-times, customer support and no-fee software are considered to be the best in the industry.