Watchfire Digital Outdoor [1], Danville, Illinois, claims to be the industry’s first digital billboard manufacturer to surpass 100 ‘different’ customers with the installation of nine digital billboards in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for GR Outdoor [2].
[3]Randy Disselkoen, GR Outdoor president
“We are happy to welcome GR Outdoor as our 100th digital billboard customer,” says Darrin Friskney, director, Watchfire Digital Outdoor. “We think more billboard operators have selected Watchfire than any other manufacturer because we build the best looking, most durable board available anywhere in the world.”
Randy Disselkoen, GR Outdoor president, received a plaque commemorating Watchfire’s 100th digital billboard customer.
GR Outdoor currently has 16 of 20 digital billboards located in the Grand Rapids market. Disselkoen installed his first digital billboards a year ago, and turned to Watchfire for his second investment because of the qualities of its boards.
[5]“I give Watchfire an A+; they have been terrific to deal with,” says Disselkoen. “They busted their tail on delivery and ensured installation went off without a hitch. Advertisers love the billboards because they have better resolution and a sharper image.”
The GR Outdoor boards are networked to provide advertisers with coverage over the entire Grand Rapids metropolitan area, with a population of approximately 778,000. Advertisers include car dealerships, restaurants, equipment dealers, hair salons, a sporting goods store and furniture store. A local radio station uses RSS feeds to display updates on music and news.
Disselkoen said the boards already are one-third leased and he expects full capacity shortly. The boards are especially popular with advertisers because GR Outdoor offers free, unlimited ad changes, and delivers those changes within a day and often within hours. This allows advertisers to promote weekend sales, highlight different products and promote time-sensitive specials.