OCEAN CITY – A free advertising trial will move forward for Sunfest weekend as resort officials work with the town’s contractor to promote Ocean City’s new digital tram displays.
Last month, members of the Ocean City Transportation Committee agreed to work with Gateway Outdoor Advertising to roll out a trial campaign for existing bus and tram advertisers interested in placing ads on the new digital tram displays. In an update Tuesday, Transit Manager Rob Shearman said the promotion would take effect during Sunfest weekend.
“The committee tasked us with having Gateway approach current bus and tram ad customers as far as their willingness to participate in a pilot program for digital ads on the trams during Sunfest,” he explained. “I’m pleased to report six of our current bus and tram advertisers have taken us up on that offer.”
Last fall, the Town of Ocean City hired Gateway to replace Vector Media as its new advertising contractor. The company has been tasked with overseeing advertising on the town’s bus and tram fleets, as well as digital advertising that will be placed on the back of the Boardwalk trams.
Last month, however, Shearman said technical issues had prevented the transportation department from fully deploying the digital displays. To that end, committee members agreed to create a promotional that would not only allow officials to troubleshoot ongoing technical problems but incentivize companies to purchase digital ad space next season.
“You’re not going to make any money off of this in the next few days. That’s something we have to accept,” Mayor Rick Meehan said at the time. “But just offer it as a free add-on to those who already have contracts so people can start seeing ads on there and maybe get an idea of what they look like in order to encourage not only those companies but other companies to advertise next year.”
Shearman told committee members Tuesday that four companies have finalized their ads for the digital tram signs, while two more work working to submit their designs.
Meehan said the goal was to promote the advertising opportunity ahead of next summer.
“It’s a visual,” he said. “It shows what it’s there for. Hopefully that will entice other advertisers to do this.”
Meehan added that the new video boards have been added along the Boardwalk, and that advertisements were being sold by the town’s tourism department. He questioned if there was an opportunity to offer advertising packages.
“Have you had any discussion with them that if somebody’s buying one, they might want to buy the other?” he asked.
Shearman said Gateway had reached out to the town’s tourism department.
“We did put Gateway in touch with the tourism department in order to put deals like that together,” he replied. “I’m not sure where that conversation went, but I know Gateway had that conversation with Tom Perlozzo and staff.”
