Allotments -- The number of panels included in a Poster showing. The Poster medium consists of un-illuminated Posters or a combination of both and is offered for sale in packages by the plant operator. The number of panels in a GRP/ Showing is referred to as the market allotment, which will vary from market to market.

Amortization -- An accounting term used to describe the process of depreciating an asset over an arbitrary period of time. Amortization is often misapplied to billboards describing a government attempt to confiscate property without payment of just compensation. Also a term used in contracting for Bulletins wherein elements such as added embellishments are amortized over the period of the contract.

Angled -- Advertising structures are built for maximum visibility to vehicles approaching the structure. They are classified as angled when one end is set back more than 6' from the other end of the structure as measured along the line of travel.

Animation -- Involves special treatment such as moving components, flashing lights, etc. This tool is used to gain added attention and awareness. Animation is more commonly used on rotary, permanent or spectacular type Bulletins (laws permitting).

Annual Average Daily Traffic (Annual ADT) -- Measurement represents the total number of vehicles passing a given location, based upon 24-hour counts taken over an entire year. Mechanical counts are adjusted to an estimate of annual average daily traffic figure, taking into account seasonal variance, weekly changes and other variables.

Approach -- The distance measured along the line of travel from the point where the advertising structure first becomes visible to the point where copy is no longer readable (having passed out of sight).

Apron - Metal Skirting around base of billboard which contains billboard owner information. (addition)

Availability or Avails -- Avails in Out-of-Home media are the same as other media. It is the space available for sale at a given time.

Back lighted Units (Backlit) -- Advertising structures which house illumination in a box to throw light through translucent advertising printed on plastic or heavy duty paper for higher visibility, especially at night.

Billboard -- Common term for Poster Panels and Bulletins

Bleed Poster -- The use of printing a border the same color as the Poster background to carry the design all the way to the molding.

Blocked Panel -- An advertising structure whose view has been obstructed on a more or less permanent basis.

Boards -- Common term for Posters and Bulletins.

Booked -- Acceptance of a contract for advertising space by the plant operator.

Bulletins -- A large, permanent or rotary advertising structure. Sometimes called a painted bulletin, copy may be painted directly on the surface, posted using printed paper or may be printed (either fully or partially) on a flexible vinyl covering which is then attached to the structure.

Catwalk/Platform -- portion of structure used for installation purposes.

Circulation -- Traffic volume in a market, used for determining the advertising value of the board.

Coat Out -- The process of covering a painted advertising message (Bulletins) with white or gray paint before new copy is painted.

Computerized Electronics -- Currently, several advertisers are utilizing computerized LED displays on Out-of-Home advertising structures; enables a computer operator to change the advertising message electronically on a continual basis.

Computer Printing/ Painting -- Method of applying design to flexible vinyl via computer technology; insures faithful reproduction of full or partial size, full color advertisements with quality assurance from copy to copy; reusable and resistant to fading, cracking and weather.

Conforming Sign -- A sign or a billboard legally erected in accordance with federal, state and local permit requirements and laws.

Cooperative Account (Co-Op) -- Method of sharing costs of advertising offered by a manufacturer to distributors, dealers, or retailers. This is common to all media types.

Copy -- The advertising message (words and illustrations).

Copy Area -- The area that the copy (including words and illustrations) occupies on the board.

Cost Per Thousand - CPM -- The cost of reaching one thousand potential viewers of an Out-of-Home panel. The formula for calculation: the monthly cost divided by the circulation in thousands.

Coverage -- Coverage may refer to a) the market or b) that percentage of a market population that has potential exposure (reasonable opportunity to see the advertising), or "reach," of the panels purchased.

Cross-Reader -- An advertising display which is visible across traffic lanes on the opposite side of the roadway.

Cut-Outs; Extensions; Embellishments -- Add-ons to the structure (usually Bulletins) that extend beyond the standard structure area to command greater attention to the message. This can include letters, packages, 3-D elements, fiber optics, etc.

Daily Effective Circulation (DEC) -- Average number of persons potentially exposed to an advertising display for either 12 hours (un-illuminated - 6:00 am to 6:00 pm) or 18 hours (illuminated - 6:00 am to 12:00 midnight) or 24 hours (illuminated 24x7).

Day-Glo -- A trade name for certain inks or lacquers that become fluorescent when activated by ultraviolet rays of sunlight or special illumination.

Demographic Profiles -- Audience breakdowns based on various characteristics such as age, sex, income, education, etc.

Department of Transportation (DOT) -- Official agency of the federal or state government which regulates and studies traffic flow, and issues statistics on same. DOT studies are the basis of most DECs audited by the TAB (Traffic Audit Bureau).

Embellishments -- See Cut Outs.

Exposure -- Represents the reasonable opportunity for advertising to be seen and read; common to all media.

Extensions -- The area of design made as a cut-out that extends beyond the basic rectangular space of an advertising structure.

Face -- The surface of an Out-of-Home structure on which the advertising message is displayed. One billboard structure may have more than one face.

Facing (Direction) -- Specifies the direction the panel may be seen to the traffic flow; e.g., a south facing panel can be seen only by north-bound traffic and vice versa.

Fiber Optic Display -- An innovative use of electronic light transmitting fibers to create changeable copy displays.

Flexible Face -- Single-sheet vinyl used in computer painting and mounted on the face of outdoor structures.

Footings -- Metal base securing the sign structure underground.

Frequency -- The average number of times an individual has the opportunity to see an advertising message during a defined period of time. Frequency (and reach) in Out-of-Home media is normally measured over a 30-day period.

Geo-Demographic Mapping -- Method of providing audience specifics as they relate to Out-of-Home locations, both geographically and demographically. Enables plant operators to specify those locations which most efficiently reach target audiences - by age, sex, income, brand preference and purchase behavior profiles.

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) / Global Information Systems (GIS) -- Highly accurate location system which precisely pinpoints structures in terms of exact latitude and longitude using hand-held instruments that communicate with orbiting satellites.

Gross Impressions -- Gross impressions refer to the total number of impression opportunities registered against the target audience by a GRP/Showing.

Gross Rating Points (GRPs) -- are the total number of impressions delivered by a media schedule expressed as a percentage of the population. GRPs for Out-of-Home generally refer to the Daily Effective Circulation generated by advertising panels divided by the market.

Head-On -- An advertising structure built so that all traffic approaches are perpendicular (head-on) to the face of the structure.

Highway Beautification -- Federal billboard legislation, sometimes called ACT (HBA) the Lady Bird Act, passed in 1965 and signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The HBA mandates state billboard controls on Interstate, Federal-Aid Primary highways and the new National Highway System.

Illegal Sign -- A sign or billboard unlawfully erected or maintained. Expeditious removal of illegal signs without compensation is supported by the OAAA and related industry trade associations.

Illuminated -- Advertising displays with electrical equipment installed for illumination of the message at night, or in early morning darkness.

Imprints -- Name of the plant operator affixed to the bottom portion of the structure.

Location Codes -- Letters used to designate the location of an advertising display on a street. Standard abbreviations used are: EB - eastbound, WB - westbound, NB - northbound, SB - southbound.

Location Map -- A map of the market with dots indicating the location of the bulletins for a specific GRP/ Showing.

Mandatory Copy -- Copy required by law to appear on the advertising of certain products, such as liquor and tobacco products.

Molding (Trim) -- The frame of metal, plastic or wood which surrounds the face of an advertising structure.

Monopole/ Unipole -- Structures fabricated on a single steel pole or column.

Net Reach -- Refers to the total number of persons within the target audience exposed to the advertising schedule, often expressed as a percentage.

Non-Conforming Sign -- A billboard which was legally erected but does not comply with subsequently enacted sign restrictions. Legal non-conforming signs require just compensation for removal under the Highway Beautification Act.

Off-Premise Sign -- A sign structure advertising an establishment, merchandise, service or entertainment located elsewhere.

On-Premise Sign -- A sign which advertises goods or services offered by business enterprises on the property.

Pantone Matching System (PMS) Color Book -- A book listing specific color numbers for use in universal matching of colors in print.

Permanent Bulletin -- A bulletin which remains on a structure or building permanently.

Permit -- A license granted by the state and/ or locality to authorize a sign structure on a site. All states have laws requiring state permits for billboards along the Interstate and Federal-Aid Primary highways. Localities may also require permits for billboards.

Poster -- A term used for advertising messages that are posted on advertising structures.

Public Service Announcement -- Copy of a civic or philanthropic nature placed in the interest of community welfare. Not counted in audited circulation.

Rate -- The quoted or printed cost of Out-of-Home advertising usually stated for GRP/ Showings on a per month basis.

Reach -- Reach is the approximate percentage of the target audience's population which will be potentially exposed to the advertising message at least once during the GRP/ Showing.

Real Estate Rep/ Lease Person -- The plant employee who negotiates with landlords to build signs on their property.

Riding the Showing/ Riding the Boards -- A physical inspection of the faces which comprise an advertising buy; either pre-buy or post-buy.

Right of Way -- Area along highway or arterial which is under control of city, county, state, etc. Billboards are located on private land adjacent to the highway right of way.

Satellite Systems -- Electronic communications method which uses satellite connections to turn on or off lighting on Out-of-Home structures from a central location; can also warn of power outages, bulb expiration, and other maintenance needs.

Setback -- The distance measured from the line of travel to the center of the advertising panel.

Showing -- The total number of panels in a buy. GRP/ Showings which relate directly to the population of the market.

Skirting -- Material mounted immediately below the face of bulletins which improves the presentation of the display.

Snipe -- Refers to a small added strip along a Poster design to announce special or revised messages.

Spectacular -- An Out-of-Home structure built to specifications of one advertiser for use over a long term. The copy is presented in a spectacular or out-sized fashion through a variety of devices: embellishments, special lighting effects, 3D features, etc.

Standardized Structures -- Outdoor advertising structures constructed in accordance with the specifications established by the OAAA.

Stock Poster -- A standard design for a specific category of business which may be purchased and used by advertisers in that category merely by adding their trade name to the stock Poster design.

Target Audience -- Profile of the most desired prospects for a product or service, listed by characteristics such as demography, lifestyle, brand or media consumption, purchase behavior, etc.

Traffic Audit Bureau (TAB)/ for Media Measurement -- The Traffic Audit Bureau is the official national authority for circulation authentication of Out-of-Home Media. It is a third-party, independent organization supported by advertisers, advertising agencies and media owners, and applies statistically-reliable counting procedures.

Traffic Count -- The average annual daily traffic (number of cars) which exists in a specific geographic location.

Un-illuminated Panel -- An advertising panel not equipped with illumination.

Un-zoned Commercial and Industrial Area -- Used by local jurisdictions where there is no comprehensive zoning in place or where a locality cannot zone. Billboards are allowed in un-zoned commercial and industrial areas, where other legitimate business activity takes place.

Wave Posting -- Concentration of Poster showings in a succession of areas within the market. Usually coincides with special promotions in the designated areas.

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