The Takeaway
Leslie Lightcraft Co. put itself on a Times Square lighting billboard through Blip. The single-board flight delivered 198 blips and 51,562 estimated impressions. Chris Leslie, the founder, credits the placement for a front-cover catalog appearance on an internationally known publication and a noticeable lift in social followers and site traffic.
Why Leslie Lightcraft Co. Turned to Billboard Advertising
Leslie Lightcraft Co. is a lighting and home-goods brand that primarily markets through trade shows, events, and paid social. Founder Chris Leslie had assumed billboards were out of reach financially, comparing the cost to a Super Bowl ad.
A friend told him about Blip. When he saw the pricing, he decided to test a Times Square placement to see what the exposure would do for a small home-goods brand. The bet was small in absolute dollars and unusually high in visibility.
How Leslie Lightcraft Co. Built the Campaign
The whole plan was one board and one market. Chris used Blip’s self-serve platform to buy the placement directly.
- Board selected: One Times Square placement, chosen for maximum industry visibility rather than local reach.
- Creative approach: The brand and product front and center, sized to a large-format screen.
- Set-up: Bought directly through the Blip marketplace without an agency.
- Budget approach: Pay-per-play at $1.00 per blip on the Times Square inventory. Spend followed delivery on a short flight.
The Creative
The board carried the brand and the product. For teams considering their own Times Square run, Blip’s Times Square inventory shows the available placements and formats.
What Leslie Lightcraft Co.’s Campaign Delivered
The flight delivered 198 blips and 51,562 estimated impressions on the Times Square placement. The bigger outcome was earned. Chris credits the campaign with a front-cover placement on an internationally known catalog and a lift in social followers and site traffic shortly after the flight went live.
That is what a well-placed board in a signal market can produce for a small home-goods brand. The number of eyeballs on the screen is only part of it. The number of publishers, buyers, and press contacts who see the placement and treat the brand differently is where the return actually lives.
I thought Blip would be outrageously expensive, like prohibitively. I had visions in my head that it would cost as much as a Super Bowl ad. When a friend told me about Blip, I looked at it and said, “Are you sure? Is this right?” And it turns out it is, and it was just so completely effective.
Chris Leslie, Founder of Leslie Lightcraft Co.
Why This Campaign Worked
- Signal market: Times Square earns industry attention that other markets do not.
- Small, focused budget: One board on a short flight kept risk contained while the placement did its work.
- Earned follow-up: Catalog editors and press pay attention to Times Square placements. The board triggered a cover story.
- Complementary channels ready: Trade shows and social gave the brand a place for new attention to land.
What Home-Goods and Retail Owners Can Take From This Campaign
Small retail and home-goods brands can use this pattern:
- Buy one signal market: A lighting billboard on a Times Square screen can do more for a small brand than a broad regional buy.
- Keep the flight short: You do not need weeks of exposure to trigger press pickup.
- Have somewhere for the attention to land: Make sure your site and socials are ready before you go live.
- Share the placement: A photo of your product on the screen is content in itself.
Run a Times Square Campaign Like Leslie Lightcraft
Buy the Times Square placement, keep the flight short, and prepare your site and socials for the attention that follows.
Frequently Asked Questions About Leslie Lightcraft Co.’s Billboard Campaign
Where did Leslie Lightcraft Co. run its board?
One Times Square placement through the Blip marketplace.
What did the campaign cost per play?
The average cost per blip was $1.00. Times Square inventory prices higher than regional boards.
Did the campaign lift sales directly?
The measurable outcomes were a front-cover catalog placement on an internationally known publication and a lift in social followers and site traffic shortly after the flight went live.
Can any small brand run a lighting billboard on Times Square?
Yes. Blip’s Times Square inventory is available through the self-serve marketplace without an agency or a long contract.
How quickly can a Times Square campaign go live?
Once the creative is reviewed and approved, the campaign follows the start date and schedule you selected.