Advertising on Billboards In Detroit, MI
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About Detroit Detroit is best known for two things—being both the birthplace of Motown and the Motor City. Since the turn of the last century, Detroit has been steeped in industrialism, so it only seemed natural when the three major American auto dealers (Ford, Chrysler and General Motors) established headquarters here. Motown, of course, came from the hybrid of motor town, and Detroit became synonymous with artists like the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and more. More recently, Detroit has funneled renewed energy into attracting businesses and cleaning up urban decay.
That makes it a city on the rise and a great place for billboard advertising. If you’re thinking of buying out-of-home media in the Detroit area, use our primer to find the best locations and pricing for your advertising campaign.
Detroit is best known for two things—being both the birthplace of Motown and the Motor City. Since the turn of the last century, Detroit has been steeped in industrialism, so it only seemed natural when the three major American auto dealers (Ford, Chrysler and General Motors) established headquarters here. Motown, of course, came from the hybrid of motor town, and Detroit became synonymous with artists like the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and more. More recently, Detroit has funneled renewed energy into attracting businesses and cleaning up urban decay.
That makes it a city on the rise and a great place for billboard advertising. If you’re thinking of buying out-of-home media in the Detroit area, use our primer to find the best locations and pricing for your advertising campaign.
Data for Billboard Advertisers in Detroit The largest city in Michigan, Detroit has a population of 632,464. The population has been on a steady decline for 75 years, though the city has long disputed the Census Bureau’s counts, arguing the drop has not been as sharp. The majority of residents are Black. More than 80% of Detroit residents have a high school diploma, but its share of college graduates is below most major cities at 16.2%. Median household income is less than half the national average of $71,000.
Detroit has 150 billboards, about 50% more than you’ll find in Michigan neighbors Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek combined. It’s the most for any MI city but fewer than other big Midwest cities like Chicago (500) or even Columbus, Ohio (120).
Here’s a complete demographic rundown on the Detroit DMA.
The largest city in Michigan, Detroit has a population of 632,464. The population has been on a steady decline for 75 years, though the city has long disputed the Census Bureau’s counts, arguing the drop has not been as sharp. The majority of residents are Black. More than 80% of Detroit residents have a high school diploma, but its share of college graduates is below most major cities at 16.2%. Median household income is less than half the national average of $71,000.
Detroit has 150 billboards, about 50% more than you’ll find in Michigan neighbors Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek combined. It’s the most for any MI city but fewer than other big Midwest cities like Chicago (500) or even Columbus, Ohio (120).
Here’s a complete demographic rundown on the Detroit DMA.
Detroit, MIPopulation: 632,464
47%
53%
Veterans
23,823Foreign-born residents:
5.7%Persons per household:
2.53Percent who speak a non-English language at home:
10.8%High school graduates
82.6%Hold at least a bachelor’s degree:
16.2%Median household income:
$34,762Billboards:
100Detroit has a range of billboard advertisements available. Bulletins
The most common type of billboard is the bulletin. It’s the standard you see on highways advertising the fast food restaurant at the next exit, and it’s the bread and butter of most suburban areas. They dot the highways going into Detroit, and they usually have reasonable prices.
Dimensions: Bulletins measure 48 feet wide x 14 feet tall.
Posters
Posters are about half as wide as bulletins. They take up less space, so you find them in more urban areas with limited space, like in downtown areas. Posters cost less than bulletins because of their size, but they’re still quite popular with advertisers.
Dimensions + The majority of posters measure 24 feet, 6 inches wide x 12 feet, 3 inches tall.
Digital Billboards
Digital is more limited in Detroit than in some other urban areas, but it is available. Digital billboards have LEDs and can swap out creative with the touch of a button, making it easy to place timely ads on the boards.
Dimensions + Digital bulletins measure 48 feet wide x 14 feet tall.
Wallscapes
A wallscape is the largest form of Detroit billboard advertisement (or billboard in any city, really). It can span the height and/or width of a building, providing a huge area for creative and leading to higher recall rates of the eye-catching ad, drawing maximum attention. There’s no standard size since it depends on the size of the building.
Mobile Billboard Advertising
Mobile billboards are billboards towed around the city by trucks. They offer a unique opportunity to put ads in places that don’t usually have billboards. You can reach morning or evening commuters when the mobile billboard gets stuck in a traffic jam and achieve frequency goals by sending the truck out over multiple days, generating high monthly impressions.
Dimensions + The size depends on the size of the truck bed where the mobile billboard sits.
Bulletins
The most common type of billboard is the bulletin. It’s the standard you see on highways advertising the fast food restaurant at the next exit, and it’s the bread and butter of most suburban areas. They dot the highways going into Detroit, and they usually have reasonable prices.
Bulletins measure 48 feet wide x 14 feet tall.
Posters
Posters are about half as wide as bulletins. They take up less space, so you find them in more urban areas with limited space, like in downtown areas. Posters cost less than bulletins because of their size, but they’re still quite popular with advertisers.
The majority of posters measure 24 feet, 6 inches wide x 12 feet, 3 inches tall.
Digital Billboards
Digital is more limited in Detroit than in some other urban areas, but it is available. Digital billboards have LEDs and can swap out creative with the touch of a button, making it easy to place timely ads on the boards.
Digital bulletins measure 48 feet wide x 14 feet tall.
Wallscapes
A wallscape is the largest form of Detroit billboard advertisement (or billboard in any city, really). It can span the height and/or width of a building, providing a huge area for creative and leading to higher recall rates of the eye-catching ad, drawing maximum attention. There’s no standard size since it depends on the size of the building.
Mobile Billboard Advertising
Mobile billboards are billboards towed around the city by trucks. They offer a unique opportunity to put ads in places that don’t usually have billboards. You can reach morning or evening commuters when the mobile billboard gets stuck in a traffic jam and achieve frequency goals by sending the truck out over multiple days, generating high monthly impressions.
The size depends on the size of the truck bed where the mobile billboard sits.
Best Places in Detroit to Advertise on a Billboard Based on our experience, here are some of the best places to find wallscapes and bulletin, poster and digital billboard inventory in Detroit.
University District:
Advertisers love reaching college students, which prompted University of Detroit Mercy and Wayne State University to team up for outdoor advertisements. The valuable inventory draws industries such as fashion, mobile and more.
I-75:
Running north-south through the city, I-75 brings in many visitors from Ohio and beyond, with boards massing south and north of the city. Top categories for advertisers include automotive, of course, as well as entertainment and sports.
Campus Martius Park:
The downtown gathering spot, recognized as one of the top public outdoor areas in the country, sits close to high-impact wallscapes and boards that sell for a premium. The most in-demand categories include automotive, music and other entertainment and family-focused industries.
Sporting venues:
Detroit loves its sports teams, including MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL teams. Billboards promote the squads throughout Detroit, and signage goes for a premium near Little Ceasars Arena (which replaced Joe Louis Arena), the Detroit Lions’ Ford Field and Comerica Park, where the Detroit Tigers play. Top categories range from sports to automotive to music.
Based on our experience, here are some of the best places to find wallscapes and bulletin, poster and digital billboard inventory in Detroit.
University District:
Advertisers love reaching college students, which prompted University of Detroit Mercy and Wayne State University to team up for outdoor advertisements. The valuable inventory draws industries such as fashion, mobile and more.
I-75:
Running north-south through the city, I-75 brings in many visitors from Ohio and beyond, with boards massing south and north of the city. Top categories for advertisers include automotive, of course, as well as entertainment and sports.
Campus Martius Park:
The downtown gathering spot, recognized as one of the top public outdoor areas in the country, sits close to high-impact wallscapes and boards that sell for a premium. The most in-demand categories include automotive, music and other entertainment and family-focused industries.
Sporting venues:
Detroit loves its sports teams, including MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL teams. Billboards promote the squads throughout Detroit, and signage goes for a premium near Little Ceasars Arena (which replaced Joe Louis Arena), the Detroit Lions’ Ford Field and Comerica Park, where the Detroit Tigers play. Top categories range from sports to automotive to music.
Cost of a Billboard in Detroit The average cost of Detroit billboards reflects a lower CPM (cost per reaching 1,000 people) than outdoor advertising in other big cities. The most cost-efficient buy is a poster, and digital boards are more expensive.
All prices are for four-week periods in the market according to our latest averages.
The Cheapest Billboards in Detroit
Posters: $2,000
The Most Expensive Billboards in Detroit
Digital bulletins: $9,000 to $10,000
Bulletins: $5,000 to $7,000
The average cost of Detroit billboards reflects a lower CPM (cost per reaching 1,000 people) than outdoor advertising in other big cities. The most cost-efficient buy is a poster, and digital boards are more expensive.
All prices are for four-week periods in the market according to our latest averages.
The Cheapest Billboards in Detroit
Posters: $2,000
The Most Expensive Billboards in Detroit
Digital bulletins: $9,000 to $10,000
Bulletins: $5,000 to $7,000
Detroit Creative Examples 
Thinking About Advertising in Detroit? Out of home advertising is a fantastic and creative way to get your message in front of big crowds. You can find the right location and best price for your ad when you use DASH TWO to make the buy. Contact us today to book your OOH ads in Detroit.
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Out of home advertising is a fantastic and creative way to get your message in front of big crowds. You can find the right location and best price for your ad when you use DASH TWO to make the buy. Contact us today to book your OOH ads in Detroit.