My company Websticker is based in Vermont which is one of only four states in the US with a total ban on billboards. After 64 years the law is largely taken for granted… at least until Vermonters drive into a neighboring state and see what they’ve been missing. I, and most people I know, think the lack of billboards is awesome. At the same time, Vermont has a fairly high per capita rate of publicly visible custom stickers. Bumper stickers are in many ways mini billboards yet I, and most people I know, are fully supportive of promotional stickers out on the roads. So, what gives?
Besides the fact that bumper stickers can not be banned any more than tattoos or having a blue car can be banned, there are obvious reasons why we Vermonters love our bumper stickers but hate the idea of billboards cluttering up the landscape. The reasons I believe also point out the marketing advantages and power of stickers over billboards (in any state, whether they are banned or not).
At the root of it is that a billboard is interruptive advertising. Stickers on the other hand are a form of personal expression. Though both mediums may be promotional in nature, one represents freedom of expression and personal badges of culture while the other represents a large, landscape altering, paid ad. Aesthetically billboards aren’t as much of an issue in an urban environment, but in Vermont it makes a huge difference in perceptions by visitors. And, visitors are important to Vermont. We want to show off the natural beauty, not have a car ad pulling eyes and thoughts away from a foliage covered hillside.
Advertising/marketing has shifted to more permission and connection based models. Despite making “impressions” advertising that interrupts or is lost in a sea of other pitches is no longer as cost effective as the impressions delivered from a friend or an unpaid source. The power of stickers lies in the fact that when displayed they are not perceived as advertising at all. They are personal endorsements, recommendations and badges of support for a message, product or organization. While at the same time, they are mini billboards
So, go ahead and wear your opinions and preferences on your sleeve… or your car… or your water bottle. “Power To The People” is not just a slogan, but as social media proves, it could very well be where the future of marketing and advertising reside. Perhaps more states should think about cleaning up their visual environment and banning billboards. And, if you are a company that is currently using billboard advertising, you may want to consider taking that monthly budget and putting it into the hundreds of thousands of mini billboards that can be printed and distributed, and the millions of “impressions” that could be created. Yes, I’m anti-billboard and pro promotional sticker… just like I’m anti invasive “advertising” and pro relationship marketing.
Jeff Nicholson is the founder and Creative Director at 
