The Takeaway
Burrell Travel used a travel billboard to reach vacation planners for luxury cruises and adventure trips. When COVID-19 changed demand, Ricky Burrell reviewed his impressions and paused the flight the same day from his Blip dashboard. No renegotiation. No contract to unwind. The plan is to relaunch the same way when travel picks up again.
Why Burrell Travel Turned to Billboard Advertising
Burrell Travel helps people plan vacations, from luxury cruises to adventurous getaways. In 2020, the travel industry was hit hard by COVID-19. Some estimates put the sector’s revenue loss at $910 billion, and 82% of Americans reported adjusting their travel plans.
Ricky Burrell had chosen digital out-of-home to help build recognition around his agency. When the calls dropped, he needed a way to react quickly. Traditional contracts do not bend that way. The whole point of buying through Blip was that the owner could adjust the campaign the same day the market changed.
How Burrell Travel Built Its Billboard Campaign
Ricky ran his flight through Blip’s self-serve dashboard, which meant he could pause, edit, or restart it himself.
- Boards selected: Digital placements sized to a small independent agency’s budget rather than a national buy.
- Creative approach: Simple brand and offer copy for Burrell Travel, kept readable at driving speed.
- Ongoing management: Ricky reviewed his impressions inside Blip’s dashboard and used the pause control when demand fell.
- Budget approach: Pay-per-play with no contract and no monthly minimum, so pausing did not require a call or a fee.
The Creative
The creative kept the brand and the offer readable at a glance. For other small operators planning similar work, Blip’s billboard design guidelines cover the basics of designing for speed.
What Burrell Travel’s Billboard Campaign Delivered
The flight produced steady impressions until the market changed. When calls dropped, Ricky did not need to argue his way out of a contract or wait for a rep to call him back. He paused the campaign from his own account the same day.
That is what buying through Blip is designed to allow. The delivery numbers on the board are not the whole story. The story is that an independent operator kept control of his marketing during a difficult season. When it is time to restart, the process will be the same set of steps, from the same dashboard, with the same lack of ceremony.
Suspending my campaign was really easy; it only took one second, and I loved it. Blip is great in helping me respond to COVID-19. When things settle down with the coronavirus, I hope to get a couple more billboards up. You guys are terrific.
Ricky Burrell, Owner of Burrell Travel
Why This Campaign Worked
- Owner-controlled dashboard: Ricky paused the flight himself, without a call or a fee.
- No contract to unwind: The buy was pay-per-play, so pausing did not trigger a renegotiation.
- Steady delivery until it wasn’t needed: Impressions were stable while demand held. The pause was a response to the market, not the board.
- Easy restart: Relaunching the flight uses the same dashboard and the same steps.
What Travel and Tourism Owners Can Take From This Campaign
Independent travel operators can use these ideas on their own terms:
- Buy without a contract: A travel billboard bought on a pay-per-play basis can pause the day the market moves.
- Watch impressions, not just calls: Delivery data helps you decide whether to keep spending, adjust, or pause the flight.
- Plan the restart in advance: The same self-serve controls that let you pause also let you scale back up when demand returns.
- Keep the creative simple: One brand, one offer, readable at a glance. Save the itinerary detail for the website.
Run a Campaign Like Burrell Travel’s
Advertise on your own terms. Pause, restart, or adjust from your own account. No contracts. No minimums.
Frequently Asked Questions About Burrell Travel’s Billboard Campaign
How did Burrell Travel manage its campaign during COVID-19?
Owner Ricky Burrell paused the flight from his Blip dashboard the same day. There was no phone call and no negotiation.
Do I need a contract to run a travel billboard with Blip?
No. There are no contracts and no minimums. You pick the boards, the schedule, and the spend, and can pause or adjust from your account.
Can I restart a paused Blip campaign?
Yes. Relaunching uses the same dashboard and the same steps as launching in the first place.
Is a tourism billboard a good fit for a small agency?
It can help a small agency stay visible in the towns and cities where its customers live and travel. A well-placed tourism billboard also builds recognition through repeated exposure rather than a single hit.
How is impression data reported inside Blip?
Impression estimates are shown in the dashboard while the flight is live, so owners can review delivery day by day.