The Takeaway
Picklr uses a franchise-wide out-of-home playbook to raise awareness and drive grand-opening attendance across new indoor pickleball markets. The chain has sold over 400 locations with 23 open and 50-plus more planned. Each rollout combines brand-awareness ads before opening with grand-opening ads at launch. One club sold 572 founding memberships and 36 additional memberships before the doors ever opened.
Why Picklr Turned to Billboard Advertising
Picklr is a premium indoor pickleball club franchise. Each new rollout generates up to 1,000 leads, but only 20 to 40 percent of those leads convert into founding members before opening. The team needed a way to build urgency and trust with the remaining prospects and to drive grand-opening attendance once doors opened.
Digital ads reach interested prospects but do not create the physical signal that a club is coming to town. A local board next to the future location gives the brand credibility and gives the community a reason to talk. Blip’s flexibility, geographic targeting, and creative control fit the timing requirements of grand openings.
How Picklr Built Its Billboard Campaign
The team uses a two-phase playbook for every new market and has now added the approach to the franchise’s official marketing playbook.
- Boards selected: Geographically targeted placements near each new location, so drivers see the ad on their normal routes.
- Two-phase campaigns: Brand-awareness ads position Picklr as a premium indoor pickleball club. Grand-opening ads at launch create urgency and drive attendance.
- Creative control: Creative swaps mid-flight based on each market’s response.
- Franchise integration: Picklr’s Franchise Disclosure Document allocates about a third of the franchisee’s marketing budget to out-of-home.
The Creative
The design pattern is two-phase and consistent across markets. Brand awareness comes first; grand-opening urgency comes second. For franchise teams building their own, Blip’s franchise marketing guide explains the planning pattern, and the billboard design guidelines cover driver-readable creative.
What The Picklr’s Campaign Delivered
Grand-opening attendance has been strong across new markets, with high foot traffic driven by the boards’ visibility. Brand awareness in new areas has risen quickly, and local conversations often reference the highway ads. Some locations sell a significant portion of their memberships before opening. One club sold 572 founding memberships and 36 additional memberships, nearly half of its capacity, before doors opened.
That kind of outcome scales because the playbook is repeatable. Picklr has extended the approach into the Franchise Disclosure Document, so every new franchisee inherits the same playbook when they sign on. It is the difference between a one-off marketing win and an operating standard.
Why This Approach Worked
- Two-phase creative: Brand awareness before opening plus urgency at launch matches how prospects actually decide.
- Geographic targeting: Boards near the future location caught the drivers most likely to become members.
- Franchise-wide standard: Adding an OOH allocation to the FDD makes every new location start with the same playbook.
- Real conversions: One location sold 572 founding memberships before the doors opened, evidence the plan works past the awareness stage.
What Franchise Owners Can Take From This Campaign
Franchise concepts opening new locations can use this playbook:
- Run two phases per market: An out-of-home plan works best when awareness runs first and grand-opening urgency runs at launch.
- Reach the exact area: Place boards near the future location, not the highest-traffic road in the region.
- Build the plan into the franchise agreement: Adding an OOH allocation to the FDD gives every franchisee the same starting point.
- Swap creative mid-flight: Digital boards let you adjust the message as membership numbers come in.
Run a Franchise Billboard Playbook Like Picklr
Set up brand-awareness ads before opening, grand-opening urgency at launch, and geographic targeting close to each new location.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Picklr’s Billboard Campaign
How many locations does Picklr have?
Picklr has sold over 400 franchise locations. As of the case study, 23 were open with 50 to 60 more planned.
What kind of results has the franchise seen?
Strong grand-opening attendance, rising brand awareness in new markets, and pre-opening membership sales. One location sold 572 founding memberships and 36 additional memberships before doors opened.
How is the campaign structured?
In two phases per market. Brand-awareness ads run before opening; grand-opening ads run at launch.
Is a franchise billboard part of Picklr’s franchise agreement?
Yes. The FDD allocates roughly a third of a franchisee’s marketing budget to out-of-home, so every new location starts with the same playbook.
Do I need to hire an agency to run this kind of campaign?
No. Picklr and its franchisees manage the campaigns directly through Blip, adjusting creative and placements as the market responds.