Bus Advertisement ImprovementTHE CITY OF Dubuque
~T T~ ~ All-AmericaCitY
~J
1
IV~asterpiece on tl~te Mississippi .~ ~ ~~
2007
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Bus Advertisement Improvement
DATE: December 1, 2009
Transit Manager Jon Rodocker recommends City Council approval to pursue bus wrap
advertisements on KeyLine buses. Bus wraps offer increased revenue because they
can utilize the full body of the vehicle or sections (sides, front, rear). Several local
businesses have already shown interest in the bus wraps. The advertisement revenues
for Keyline have averaged $1,000 per month over the last three to four years. Offering
advertisement through vinyl wraps could increase revenue by 300% to 500%
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Jon Rodocker, Transit Manager
THE CITY OF ~ /( ~ /~ /~ ~ T T T ~ /(
Masterpiece on tale Mississippi ~ ~ 1-1 1 V ~ V 1 V 1
November 30, 2009
To: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
David Heiar, Economic Development Director
From: Jon Rodocker, Transit Manager
Subject: Bus Advertisement Improvement
Introduction
The purpose of this memo is to discuss advancement in advertisement on the Keyline buses to
generate increased revenue. The Transit Trustee Board has approved a recommendation to
the City Council to pursue bus wrap advertisements.
Discussion
For years Keyline has offered advertisement on the fixed route buses. The advertisements,
corrugated plastic signs, are designed to fit into a predesigned frame on the sides and rear of
the bus. In conversations with Houck advertising, the advertisement company Keyline has used
for many years, this style of advertisement has been recommended because it is easy to
change out the signs when the advertisers change. While this design has served Keyline in the
past, it has also limited the revenue for Keyline.
Bus wraps (vinyl covering) offer increased revenue because they can utilize the full body of the
vehicle or sections (sides, front, rear). A vinyl wrap maximizes the potential exposure of an
advertisement like never before. A company would submit their advertisement for approval to
Keyline, pay to have the wrap designed and installed (advertiser also pays for removal). The
wraps last as long as 3-5 years with most contracts averaging 1-2 years minimal. Initial design,
setup, installation and future removal will cost a company approximately $8,000. Several local
businesses have already shown interest in the bus wraps. The Mystique Casino, the Diamond
Jo Casino and the Julien Hotel use vinyl bus wraps. The RTA (regional Transit Authority 8) has
one mini-bus with a partial and several with vinyl advertisement displays.
In conjunction with LSC's recommending the rebranding of the Keyline image, offering the ability
to wrap an entire bus will supply a new image without cost to the City of Dubuque. The
advertisement revenues for Keyline have averaged $1000 per month over the last 3-4 years.
Offering advertisement through vinyl wraps could increase revenue by 300% - 500%.
Recommendation
I recommend the City Council approve the recommendation of the Transit Board and authorize
staff to immediately move forward with the improvement of advertising on the Keyline buses
through vinyl wraps.
(See attached examples)
Bus Wrap Advertisement
Examples
~~
'Y - 4
_1- .- .- _~ _ __ .r~ + _
_ - _ µr
_ _ ,.t
-- - ~ _
I
J.
+'S "~ilGol i' .u.~....
Bus 'el~i~cl~e '''raps - A~d~+~r~ising.