2007 was the year that Watchfire Signs made its foray into digital billboards, and a good deal has changed in the outdoor display industry during the past 10 years. Today 46 states have passed laws permitting LED billboards, compared to approximately 33 in 2007. As of July 1, 2016, the OAAA reports that there are approximately 6,700 digital faces installed in the U.S., and there are now over 1,000 localities allowing digital billboards.
Sixty-five years ago on December 24th, a new sign was installed in Spokane, Washington. While its size alone was significant, this sign was also the first one to have a single light bank that displayed time and temperature. We look back on our own “Twas the Night Before Christmas” story.
The 2017 Watchfire LED Sign Awards are open to any Watchfire dealer partner. Watchfire will be looking for creative ways that sign dealers and their customers are utilizing the digital component of their on premise signs in 2016.
Ten years ago today, Watchfire launched our digital billboard division. In that time, the technology has helped push out-of-home advertising to even greater prominence as an important, interactive medium competing and winning against other forms of electronic media. Advertisers who might have been skeptical at first, now understand the dynamic capabilities of this still escalating advertising tool.
Owners of Watchfire digital billboards can download a free widget that allows marketers to integrate real-time presidential election results on their billboards.