Billboards still work big time in big cities. Chicago IL is a major U.S. city firmly entrenched in all things business. It’s the third largest city in the United States, centrally located in the Midwest, and has one of the busiest airports in the world. All of these factors amount to making Chicago Illinois an international hub for all sorts of industries. It’s also a city known for its influence in marketing, both domestically and around the globe. If you have your own business, the Windy City is a great place to increase your brand recognition and sales with low cost billboard advertisements.
But if you’re not really familiar with the city, how can you decide where you should focus your advertising efforts? And even if you are a local, which places will have the biggest impact on your publicity levels?
Here are 5 top locations for Chicago billboards that are guaranteed to amplify your business branding.
1. The Magnificent Mile
One of the most recognizable locations in Chicago is the Magnificent Mile. This upscale stretch of Michigan Avenue is one of the main thoroughfares of the Chicago Loop and its business district. It’s the place for high-end shopping, dining, and hoteling in the city, which also makes it incredibly well-trafficked by locals and tourists alike. Surrounded on all sides by an abundance of skyscrapers, there are plenty of ad locations to choose from. This is a place where you can really go big with your advertising and know that not only will it be seen by a lot of people, it will be seen by a lot of influential people.
2. O’Hare International Airport
Of course, anyone looking to market their business would be crazy to pass up a billboard option positioned in one of the busiest airports in the world. O’Hare International Airport, located 14 miles northwest of the city center, has the distinction of shepherding approximately 500,000 people in and out of the city every single day. If you want your business to be seen by large swaths of the population, an airport, particularly one like O’Hare, is a great place for a billboard. Airports in general also offer a wide array of styles and sizes when it comes to outdoor advertising, so even if you’d like to stay on the smaller end of the scale, there’s sure to be a space for your ad among the 20 square miles that O’Hare occupies in Chicago.
3. The I-90
However, you don’t want to focus solely on those traveling to the city on a short-term basis. Chicago also boasts a suburban population of close to 10 million. The best way to reach these suburbanites and tap into their vast market is through the I-90. Interstate 90 is a transcontinental highway that cuts right through Chicago (and much of the Midwest). It serves as the main route to O’Hare, downtown Chicago, and across the state line to Indiana. As many as 300,000 cars traverse this busy freeway on a daily basis, and a well-placed billboard here would give ample exposure to your brand. Roadside billboards have proven time and time again to be a definitive way to boost your business.
4. Wrigley Field
If viewership is what you’re after, another solid option in Chicago is a billboard at or around Wrigley Field. Not only is it a city icon, visited by huge numbers of tourists every year, but it is also a local staple as the home of the beloved Chicago Cubs. The stadium seats over 40,000 fans at a time, which is great in-person exposure, but the right billboard placement might also get you some TV coverage. Wrigley Field has embraced advertising opportunities whole-heartedly, so this is another location where you’ll find no end of options and price points. From full-size Jumbotron billboards to half-sheet bleacher ads, Chicago sports fans will welcome your business promotion. Digital signage is also more versatile and will get the attention of fans that have a lot of choices on where to look.
5. Public Transportation
Finally, why advertise in a single location when you could be spreading your message citywide using Chicago’s robust public transportation systems. Mobile advertising is a great way to get more eyes on your ads, and Chicago IL is one of the best cities for this strategy. With Chicago’s elevated train, immense fleet of buses, and plethora of taxi and ride-share companies, there are incredible advertising opportunities to be had. Billboards in and around subway or bus stops, even ads splashed across the vehicles themselves aid in promoting your business and getting your name out there to hugely diverse audiences.
Chi-Town Best Business Billboards
Located in the heart of America, Chicago is a city that appeals to vast numbers of people in the United States and around the world. It is a fantastic place for advertising any business, and you can’t go wrong with any of the billboard advertisement options listed above. All that’s left to do is to find the right fit for you and your business billboard and simply put it out there for all of Chicago Illinois to see.
