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School Bus Advertising is a form of advertising in the United States in which ad space is sold on the sides of school buses. School districts typically partner with a marketing firm to sell the space and market the program to businesses, . Depending on the size and market of each individual school district, this form of advertising can be very lucrative. Scottsdale Union School District in Arizona expected to make $900,000 dollars in three years, while a smaller school district of 4,100 students in Michigan anticipated $70,000 a year.
How School Bus Advertising Benefits Schools
A portion of profits from school bus advertisements go directly back to schools. This provides the means for individual school districts to raise extra money without raising state taxes, allowing schools to offset costs associated with school bus maintenance/operation. For example, Utah Based ad agency Yellow Bus Media (yellowbus.media) has pledged to donate more than half of all ad proceeds to schools in an effort to improve Utah's rank as 51st in school spending.
Where School Bus Advertising Is Permitted
As of 2011, the U.S. states that allow school bus advertising are: Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Tennessee, New Mexico, New Jersey and Utah. A few other states allow interior adverts on school buses.
Advertising Regulations
In most U.S. states, law prohibits advertisements for alcohol, tobacco, religious organizations, as well as political ads or anything sexually explicit in nature. Most school districts have final approval of the ads. Each state has its own regulations regarding size, location and material of the ads. Texas, for instance, allows advertisements in three areas on the bus: 30" by 90" located on the left rear quarter panel below the windows, and 18" by 108" located on either side above the windows. Tennessee allows a 16" by 60" ad on both sides of the bus below the windows.
The Future of Outdoor Advertising
Although school bus advertising is still a new industry, it is growing and is expected to become a staple for those considering out of home advertising as a growth strategy. States and individual school districts continue to consider school bus advertising and its ability to brand and fundraise at the same time.