Florida-based Ballyhoo Media donates over $100,000 in billboard ad grants to 9 local small businesses

Florida-centred water-based billboard advertising agency Ballyhoo Media gave the gift of visibility to nine local businesses this holiday season. As part of its Growing Together grant, Ballyhoo gave free advertising space along its North Miami/Fort Lauderdale route to support and empower small brick-and-mortar businesses. 

Winners of the grant ranged from neighborhood staples to new favorites within Broward coastal cities. This year’s winners included: Orchestrated Minds Brewery, Flamingo Flea, Temple Street Eatery, Green Goddess Holistics and Juicebar, Hurr Homes, Quvo Taco & Craft Beer,  Kelly Brother’s Irish Pub, Formula Ink Tattoo, and Flager Crossfit. Recipients of the Growing Together Small Business grant benefited from a six-week-long campaign on Ballyhoo’s digital billboard boat during its busiest season to date. Their out-of-home advertisements could be seen for miles throughout intercoastal cities like Fort Lauderdale, Bal Habour, Hallandale Beach, Sunny Isles, and Aventura by residents and tourists. They also received marketing consulting services, including ad design, vibrant photography, and cinematic drone footage of their floating advertisement to use across digital mediums and social platforms.

“As a small business ourselves, we understand that a little support can have a lasting impact,” says Adam Shapiro, President and CEO of Ballyhoo Media. “Many small businesses have never considered billboard advertising because they felt it may be intangible or beyond what their marketing budget will allow. We’re proud to offer hyper-local pricing year-round to help support our fellow local small businesses.” 

During South Florida's bustling winter season, the region draws crowds for major events like the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Art Basel, and Riptide Music Festival, along with those seeking year-round warmth. The Growing Together grant stimulates the local economy by increasing brand awareness, driving traffic to small businesses, and encouraging consumers to shop locally.

Grant recipients worked with Ballyhoo marketing consultants to craft effective dynamic outdoor advertisements tailored to their needs. Whether it was Formula Ink, a longstanding tattoo shop announcing a relocation, Hurr Homes, a women-owned contracting agency announcing job opportunities, or Orchestrated Minds Brewing inviting patrons for a refreshing beer, Ballyhoo transformed their messages into larger-than-life displays.

In addition to screen time, the small business received high-resolution video and photography of consumers engaging with their content. Many of the winners have begun posting this cinematography on their social platforms, extending the life of their billboard advertisements and broadening their reach.

The Growing Together Small Business is powered through Ballyhoo’s Coastal Coastal Community Collective (C) initiative. The C program amplifies public service messaging from municipal partners, non-profits, and local ocean conservation groups in a big way. The C program further strengthens Ballyhoo Media’s commitment to serving the community and giving back. Over the years, Ballyhoo has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of advertising space to positively impact the local economy. Its fleet of American-made digital billboard boats has empowered businesses, from Fortune 500s to local mom-and-pop storefronts, making waves with unique advertising, experiential campaigns, and activations.