if they are thinking this ""wow, another ten hours of driving, I need one of those." while looking at a billboard for a hangover recovery shot - i dont think they are going to make it regardless to their destination. 
billboards and SM are two completely different forms of advertisement and serve very different audiences. more importantly - the billboards generate brand awareness probably moreso than direct sales at this point. the signs WILL catch people's attention and some will be compelled to look into it further. on the way back from a trip down south earlier this month - we saw billboards ever 20 miles or so for a restaurant several hours away. it made an impression. it was called "South of the Border." we didnt eat there but it definitely caught our attention due to the numerous billboards and nature of the billboards. while i do not like to "give into marketing" in such a fashion, i am curious to see if the restaurant lives up to its hype. obviously the billboards are working due to the number of them and monthly cost to service.
for a mature brand, billboards generally face a law of diminishing returns unless it is an industry where it is more commoditized/lower loyalty and consumers flip regularly. take as an example cell phone industry vs. Coke. if you always drink Coke - you probably would not be compelled to "try" Pepsi based on a billboard. if you are sick and tired of being treated like a number and dealing with the condescending cell phone reps at Verizon - you may be enticed to see if Spring/ATT/etc really DOES offer a better user experience if driving by and there is a splashy billboard that seems like it is talking directly to you.
so - both have their uses and speak to different audiences at different times. for an emerging brand, getting the bright colors with the distinctive logo and the drunk joe smiling down on you as you drive by - i think it can dramatically drive brand awareness. one suggestion for the billboards, add twitter/instagram/other social media handles on the billboard as well as the website as many consumers can find it faster/quicker via one of these apps then punching in a long webaddress
billboards and SM are two completely different forms of advertisement and serve very different audiences. more importantly - the billboards generate brand awareness probably moreso than direct sales at this point. the signs WILL catch people's attention and some will be compelled to look into it further. on the way back from a trip down south earlier this month - we saw billboards ever 20 miles or so for a restaurant several hours away. it made an impression. it was called "South of the Border." we didnt eat there but it definitely caught our attention due to the numerous billboards and nature of the billboards. while i do not like to "give into marketing" in such a fashion, i am curious to see if the restaurant lives up to its hype. obviously the billboards are working due to the number of them and monthly cost to service.
for a mature brand, billboards generally face a law of diminishing returns unless it is an industry where it is more commoditized/lower loyalty and consumers flip regularly. take as an example cell phone industry vs. Coke. if you always drink Coke - you probably would not be compelled to "try" Pepsi based on a billboard. if you are sick and tired of being treated like a number and dealing with the condescending cell phone reps at Verizon - you may be enticed to see if Spring/ATT/etc really DOES offer a better user experience if driving by and there is a splashy billboard that seems like it is talking directly to you.
so - both have their uses and speak to different audiences at different times. for an emerging brand, getting the bright colors with the distinctive logo and the drunk joe smiling down on you as you drive by - i think it can dramatically drive brand awareness. one suggestion for the billboards, add twitter/instagram/other social media handles on the billboard as well as the website as many consumers can find it faster/quicker via one of these apps then punching in a long webaddress
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