Mobile Billboard Company, Mobile Media, Purchased, Moves to Orange County

    ORANGE, Calif.--Nov. 1, 2001--A long established "rolling billboards" company, Mobile Media of Sylmar, has been purchased and the new owner is moving the business to Orange County.
    Long time Orange County business owner and investor George Gamar purchased the fleet of billboard trucks from Williams Graphics of Sylmar. Williams has been operating Mobile Media as a subsidiary division of their outdoor sign and banner company since 1989.
    Gamar has named Peter Kirkegaard as president of the company, which has been renamed On The Go Mobile Media. Kirkegaard, of Cerritos, Calif., has been a small business owner and entrepreneur in different Orange County companies.
    Acquired are a fleet of trucks that each carry two 10-foot by 20-foot billboards or panels. The trucks will be based at 1148 North Lemon St. in Orange at Gamar's Orange County Cold Storage Inc.
    Advertising images are digitally screened in multiple colors on vinyl sheets that are attached to the mobile billboards. A full panel on a one day basis is typically $500 plus design and production costs. The same panel on a long-term contract is as low as $250.
    Advertisers who have used the "rolling billboards" include Miller Brewing, Nike, Disney, Target, K-Mart, Health Net and Universal Studios.
    Kirkegaard announced that real time location confirmation systems for the trucks are under review, including GPS (Global Positioning Satellite), Web cams and digital photos sent by wireless e-mail.
    Kirkegaard sees a broad range of businesses taking advantage of the medium. "Advertisers in sprawling Southern California are looking for media that can be both more cost effective and geographically specific," he explained.
    "A retailer wants to target specific cities or even neighborhoods that represent their specific trading area," Kirkegaard continued, "or a home builder needs to call attention to a new subdivision for a limited period of time and wants something more professional and dramatic than a person standing on a corner waving a sign with an arrow."
    "Campaigning politicians want to advertise only within their districts," On The Go Mobile Media's president continued. "Special events such as concerts or sports events can be promoted in specific cities or neighborhoods." He noted On The Go Mobile Media has the capability to produce the panels in various languages as well as English.
    "We can be in one place or area one day and be in another the next day, changing messages overnight. That is our advantage over traditional, fixed billboards," explained Kirkegaard.