September 23, 2004

 MIDDLETOWN CVB TAKES TO THE HIGHWAYS WITH MOVING BILLBOARD

By October 1, a “moving billboard” will be on the nation’s highways representing the community of Middletown, Ohio. The advertisement filling the sides and back of a semi-trailer will advertise Middletown at Ohio’s Exit 32 on Interstate 75 and will include huge photographs of local events, the www.visitMiddletown.org  web address and 513-422-3030 phone number.

Jim Foister and his son Tim Foister, owners of  J.T. Express on Cincinnati-Dayton Road in Middletown, have agreed to lend one of their 53 foot long trailers for the project to promote the community.  They have agreed to carry the message of Middletown across the country’s highways on their trucking assignments.

The giant graphics, designed by Middletown graphic designer Sam Ashworth, are prepared by JMR Graphics of Central Islip, New York, who are sending in their specialist to apply the covering to the trailer on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 28 and 29.  The City of Middletown has loaned the use of the city bus garage for the application process which must be carried out under cover.

The Middletown Convention and Visitors Bureau is using the moving billboard as a way to reach the millions of motorists on the nation’s highways, not just those who might be passing a stationary billboard on the highway. Because the CVB naturally has limited resources, the approximately $7,000 cost of the truck billboard which is expected to last 5-7 years compares very favorably with the estimated $25,000 rental of a highway billboard for a single year.  

The Middletown CVB has chosen to use the growing fleet graphic industry often used to sell the products carried by the trucks on the highways in the expectation that it will generate interest and awareness of the prime location of the Exit 32 hotels and restaurants as well as the activities in Middletown, Ohio.