On Interstate 15 outside Pocatello, Idaho is a billboard with a very simple message. Here it is, in its entirety:

“buyhashbrowns.com”.

I couldn’t wait to get to a wi-fi hot spot — I absolutely had to call my wife in Portland right that second so I could find out what it was about. Turns out the web address is owned by the Nonpareil Potato Company. And yes, they sell hash browns.

This billboard does a number of things really, really well:

1. It tells people exactly what to do — there is absolutely no question that they want folks to buy hash browns.

2. It tells them exactly how to do it — customers can order their hash browns right from the web site.

3. It recognizes the limitations of the billboard form: at 75 miles an hour, they’ve got about three seconds to tell their story, so they don’t try to list any features or benefits. All that stuff can be done on the site.

4. The URL is really memorable, with the call to action built in.

5. They over-deliver on their promise. Not only can you buy hash browns on the site — there’s also a potato size chart, some recipies, and a place for customers to submit their own recipies.

All in all, an excellent job grabbing attention, inspiring curiosity, interacting with customers, and selling. And they start the whole thing with a single word on a billboard.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Click this link to subscribe to Portland’s Finest Advertising Blog.

Request your free copy of my white paper, The Seven Deadly Advertising Mistakes and How to Fix Them here.

Got a question? Call me at 503-323-6553.