With a shifting technological landscape that has relegated television to background noise, advertisers are re-evaluating their needs and looking for new ways to bring their message to the public. Rather than creating entirely new ad campaigns, it's becoming increasingly important to make the method as memorable as the message. Wheels America Advertising (WAA) uses mobile billboards to catch the eye of drivers and passersby alike. Vinyl 8-by-14-foot billboards are mounted on specially designed vehicles and backlit for maximum visual impact. Outdoor advertising, such as a billboard, is effective because it's hard to ignore. According to a national survey, it's also memorable. Capitol Communications Group found that 81.7 percent of those polled recalled images they saw on a moving multi-image sign. This is compared to a 19 percent retention rate for static signs. By virtue of its mobility, this billboard style, already popular in parts of Europe, can be used effectively by businesses in America's car-dominated society. Unlike a typical billboard, WAA vehicles with their patented backlit images are able to go directly to their target audience. They can be placed wherever there is heavy foot traffic due to an event - including convention centers, train stations, airports and sports arenas. They can repeat routes, ensuring that an advertiser's message is not only noticed, but that information is retained through repetition. WAA was established in 1995 in Pennsylvania by Henryk Strzeletz, who, confident of his product's marketability, contacted major advertising agencies from his home in Dallas, Pa., to drum up business. Since then, WAA has grown to include clients from Fortune 500 companies like McDonald's, CBS, Toyota and Ikea.
