The Takeaway
Terra Cooper, a marketing professional in Utah, used Blip’s then-available Instant Artwork tool to design three ads carrying the message “Black Lives Matter.” She started with local boards, posted a photo of one to Facebook, and asked for donations so she could run more. The post spread, and at the time of writing she had 72 boards running in almost every state.
Why Terra Turned to Billboard Advertising
After George Floyd’s death, Terra wanted to voice her support for the Black community. She wanted something that could not be ignored, something people would see whether or not they had chosen to look.
Terra is a marketing professional, so she knew the options. A social post reaches the people who already follow you. A billboard reaches everyone who drives past it. For a message meant for a whole community, that difference mattered.
She spoke with the chair of the local Black Lives Matter chapter in Utah, who is a friend, and took her input on the wording. Then she worked out how to advertise on a billboard without an agency, a contract, or a long lead time.
How Terra Built the Campaign
- Artwork: Three separate designs made with Blip’s Instant Artwork tool, which was available at the time and automatically sized a design for different board formats.
- Message: Three words. “Black Lives Matter.”
- Starting point: The boards across Utah, where Terra lives and where she wanted the message to land first.
- Funding: Terra posted her billboard to Facebook and asked for donations so she could run more. The post spread widely.
- Scale: At the time of writing, 72 boards were running in almost every state in the country.
Terra is a graphic designer. Left to herself she would have built the artwork from scratch and then resized it for dozens of board formats, which is the part that usually stops people. The Instant Artwork tool available at the time did that work in a few clicks, and the three ads took her less than a minute to make. For most people the artwork, not the buying, is the part of how to advertise on a billboard that stalls.
The Creative
Three words, high contrast, nothing else on the board.
Most billboard advertising ideas fail because they try to say two things at once. This one could not be misread at any speed from any distance. Other nonprofit billboard examples tend to share that restraint. If you want to understand what makes artwork readable on a board, the billboard design guidelines are a good starting point.
What the Black Lives Matter Billboard Campaign Delivered
The clearest number is 72. At the time of writing, Terra had 72 digital billboards carrying the message in almost every state across the country, all funded by donations that came in after she posted her billboard to Facebook.
The campaign started as three ads designed in under a minute. It reached a national footprint because other people paid to extend it, which is an unusual way for nonprofit billboards to grow and a useful one to understand.
Terra also described one response she did not expect. A woman drove her family 45 minutes to park and watch the board play. Friends asked how to run their own boards, and Terra pointed them to the Instant Artwork page that was available during the campaign.
That’s all I wanted. A simple message to make our Black community feel loved here in Utah. And it took less than a minute to design three ads on the Artwork Generator. It was awesome!
Terra Cooper
Why This Billboard Campaign Worked
- Three words: There was nothing to interpret. The board said one thing and said it completely.
- Design was not the obstacle: The Instant Artwork tool available during the campaign removed the resizing work that normally stands between an idea and a live board.
- It started local: Terra put the message where she lived first. The national footprint came afterwards, from people who saw it.
- The board became the shareable object: The billboard she posted to Facebook is what traveled. The physical board gave the post something to be about.
- Others could fund it: Because there were no contracts or minimums, donations of any size could be turned into more boards.
What Nonprofit and Advocacy Organizations Can Take From This Campaign
- Say one thing: The strongest billboard advertising ideas for advocacy are short enough to read without slowing down.
- Photograph your board: Supporters share the picture. A live board gives your social channels something concrete to point at.
- Let supporters extend the reach: Nonprofit billboards can grow market by market as donations come in, rather than needing the full budget up front. Blip’s page on billboards for nonprofits explains how that works, and supporters who want to rent a billboard for a day in their own town can fund exactly that.
- Start where you are: Build the campaign in your own community first, then expand to the markets that respond.
Put Your Message on a Board Like Terra Did
Design your artwork, choose the boards in the communities you want to reach, and set a budget you are comfortable with. Submit your campaign for review and start displaying after approval.
Frequently Asked Questions About Black Lives Matter’s Billboard Campaign
How many billboards did the Black Lives Matter campaign use?
At the time of writing, 72 digital billboards were running in almost every state. The campaign began with boards in Utah and grew as donations came in.
How was the artwork created?
Terra used Blip’s then-available Instant Artwork tool to make three separate designs. It took her less than a minute, and the tool sized the artwork for the different board formats automatically. That tool is no longer offered.
How was the campaign funded?
Terra posted her billboard to Facebook and asked for donations so she could run more. The post spread widely and paid for the boards that followed.
Can a nonprofit run billboards without a big budget?
Yes. There are no contracts and no minimums, so nonprofit billboards can start in one market and grow as funding arrives. Choose a budget that fits the organization, then give the campaign enough time and frequency for people to see it more than once.
How to advertise on a billboard without an agency
Choose your boards, upload artwork sized to the board specifications, set your budget, and send the ad for review. Terra used Blip’s Instant Artwork tool, which was available at the time of her campaign, to make the designs. Today, advertisers should prepare and upload their own billboard-ready artwork using the current billboard design guidelines.
Can you rent a billboard for a day?
You can rent a billboard for a day on Blip, and people do it for one-off moments. It is worth being honest about what a single day achieves though. Boards build recognition through repeat exposure, so a day gets your message seen while weeks of consistent visibility are what make people remember it.
What should an advocacy billboard say?
As little as possible. Good billboard advertising ideas for advocacy usually come down to one line that a driver can read in a couple of seconds and repeat afterwards.
Where should a nonprofit place its boards?
Start in the community you are speaking to. Terra began in Utah and expanded only after the message resonated. Local recognition is what billboards build best.
How much does it cost to rent a billboard for a day?
With Blip you pay per play rather than per day, so the cost of a day depends on how many plays you buy and on the boards you choose. That is what let Terra turn donations of different sizes into more boards.