The advertisement billboard has dotted highways across our country for years. Ever since I can remember there have been huge billboards advertising food or cigarettes and some even entertained me so much as to have moving parts and flashing lights. We even see USB LED message boards that warn us of traffic changes or tell us the temperature. Yet when we take a closer look, is it true that these giant attention-grabbing signs are just as detrimental as they are beneficial? How great is the negative impact of these roadway distractions in comparison to their overall contribution to society? That is what I have set out to learn. Here we are going to go over the pros and cons behind advertisements billboards and other USB LED message boards.

When contemplating the cons of advertisement billboards, the first and most obvious detriment is that they are a huge potential distraction to drivers on the road. It is the habit of every driver to take a look at the different billboards as they drive by. Billboards are specifically made to grab the attention of viewers and inspire them to crave whatever is advertised. Not only are these billboards already created with the intention of grabbing people’s attention, but they are also spread out all along highways and roads all across the country. The amount of advertisement billboards that dot highways are in the millions. Every minute driver’s are looking up and reading the different advertisements. Cartoons and some television shows have used the billboard industry in comedy sketches where characters are driving and see comedic advertisements in a repetitive manner. The most classic one is where a character has to go to the bathroom and sees advertisement billboards for things like toilets, sprinklers, or waterfalls. Although comedic there’s another message being displayed. Not only are billboards a distraction, but some companies use advertisement billboards for controversial subjects such as tobacco. During the 1960’s through 80’s tobacco companies actually had a lot of legal issues concerning their use of billboards. Other controversial subjects advertised on billboards are things such as alcohol use, abortion, and sexually explicit material. These are subjects that we not only do not want our children seeing, but also some people take offense to this as well.

The benefits however do outweigh the cons. Billboards have been used to display public messages as well. Driving down the road people can see advertisement billboards creating awareness for subjects such as harmful tobacco effects, drunk driving, and also local laws. USB LED message boards have been used to warn drivers to slow down or make them aware of certain construction going on in the roads. USB LED message boards have been very helpful for not just construction workers, but all businesses trying to grab attention. Restaurants most commonly use USB LED message boards. Advertisement billboards and usb led message boards have also been used to direct people to hard to find areas, rest stops, and exit signs. Billboards are also used by schools, churches, and small businesses. Anybody can reap the benefits of using a billboard or led display and at a very low cost. During times of war, billboards helped with not just the mobilization of products and people, but they also helped to deliver important public messages as well as promote morale and influence over the American people. That is not including the monetary benefits that everyone has been impacted by because of the use of billboards.