The Takeaway
YESCO Outdoor Media partnered with Blip to open a self-serve marketplace on its digital inventory. In year one, revenue rose 11% without added expenses. Year two, the first full year with an established Blip marketplace, added another 16% straight to the bottom line. Blip brought 1,047 new advertisers to YESCO and helped the operator eliminate remnant inventory entirely.
Why YESCO Turned to Blip
YESCO Outdoor Media, one of the largest independent operators in the US, wanted to add digital demand to its inventory without adding cost. Traditional buyers filled the premium slots, but remnant time still sat unsold, and the sales cycle for new smaller advertisers was expensive relative to the deal size.
A self-serve OOH billboard marketplace changed the math. Blip lets small advertisers buy directly, on demand, at prices the auction model sets in real time. That opened YESCO’s OOH billboards to buyers the direct-sales team would never have reached, and it did so without adding headcount.
How YESCO Built the Marketplace
The partnership put YESCO’s digital OOH billboards inside Blip’s self-serve platform and gave small advertisers a way to book directly.
- Inventory made available: YESCO’s digital OOH boards were added to Blip’s marketplace so any advertiser could buy directly.
- Pricing model: Pay-per-play auction pricing. Rates float with demand, so remnant time now clears at market price.
- Sales support: The Blip team handled small-advertiser support so YESCO’s direct-sales team could stay focused on the larger accounts.
- Reporting: YESCO could see marketplace performance alongside its direct-sales pipeline.
The Model
The partnership pattern is one YESCO’s president describes as a source of “found money.” For other sign operators considering a similar setup, Blip for sign operators walks through how the model works from inventory intake through reporting.
What the Partnership Delivered
After year one, YESCO president Pat O’Donnell reported that Blip had “fundamentally changed the economics of digital for YESCO,” adding 11% to revenue without additional expenses. Year two, the first full year with an established Blip marketplace, added another 16% straight to the bottom line.
Blip brought 1,047 new advertisers to YESCO across that period. Digital occupancy grew, and remnant time on YESCO’s inventory was eliminated entirely. For a large operator managing extensive digital OOH billboard inventory, this is what a well-run marketplace partnership is supposed to unlock. YESCO’s direct-sales team keeps the premium accounts. The marketplace picks up everyone else and turns their spend into ongoing revenue.
If you’re looking for a vendor to work with to help you grow your revenue, Blip is absolutely the best thing going out there right now. It has been a great source of found money for YESCO Outdoor Media.
Patrick O’Donnell, President of YESCO Outdoor Media
Why This Partnership Worked
- Demand for remnant time: Auction pricing cleared inventory that traditional direct sales left unfilled.
- New buyer segment: 1,047 small advertisers came in through the marketplace, buyers YESCO’s direct team could not have reached economically.
- Complementary to direct sales: The premium accounts stayed with the YESCO team. The marketplace picked up everyone else.
- Repeatable year on year: Year one added 11% to revenue. Year two, with a mature marketplace, added another 16%.
What Sign Operators Can Take From This Partnership
Independent sign operators can use this template:
- Open your digital inventory to a marketplace: A self-serve OOH billboard marketplace clears remnant time without extra headcount.
- Keep direct sales focused on premium accounts: The marketplace picks up smaller advertisers your team cannot economically pursue.
- Watch year-two growth as the baseline: Year one adds; year two, with a mature marketplace, adds more.
- Use auction pricing on remnant time: Rates that float with demand clear inventory better than fixed remnant rates ever will.
Open a Marketplace Like YESCO
Add your digital inventory to Blip’s self-serve marketplace, keep direct sales on the premium accounts, and watch what year two does for revenue.
Frequently Asked Questions About YESCO Outdoor Media’s Billboard Campaign
What revenue lift did YESCO see?
11% in year one and another 16% in year two, both straight to the bottom line without added expenses.
How many new advertisers came through the marketplace?
1,047 new advertisers across the reporting window.
What happened to remnant inventory?
It was eliminated. Auction pricing cleared time that direct sales previously could not fill.
Does the marketplace compete with a direct-sales team?
No. YESCO’s team keeps the premium accounts. The marketplace picks up the smaller advertisers a direct team cannot economically pursue.
How can other sign operators join Blip?
The Blip for sign operators page walks through the partnership model, including inventory intake, pricing, and reporting.