Cliché? Yes. Authentic? Also yes. There’s not too much space on a billboard, ironically. They also cost a good chunk of change to advertise on. But, depending on that good ole “S” word, *strategy,* you can cement yourself top-of-mind for people stuck in traffic, or those on long road trips alike.
One example that remains in my head rent free is the almighty Pedro, from South of the Border. If you’ve been on the rough road of I-95 in South Carolina praying for the smoother roads of North Carolina. Or, driven over the southern border of the two, you know exactly who I’m talking about. Pedro is the famed mascot of South of the Border, a carnival-esque roadside attraction that looks like it’s been abandoned for years. Yet, the billboard advertisements begin as far away as 256 miles ahead of the destination and return once you get back into South Carolina. There, they relentlessly remind you that you’re growing closer to this area that continuously grows more mysterious with each elaborate billboard you see. When you finally reach the border, you see Pedro’s sombrero standing tall above his fort as a tower overlooking the surrounding countryside. It’s only one of the main icons of I-95.
Now, I must confess, I have never stopped at Pedro’s self-celebrated fort, but his billboards hold a special place in the hearts of myself, my wife, and anyone else who has to drive the dreaded I-95 corridor.
So, yes, my billboard would be cheesy, but, it would also be authentic. Take Pedro as an example: cheesiness may be something we scoff at, but it’s also something we remember.
Stephen Ezekiel Foy 
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