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Rolling ads: Cool and clever or highway clutter?
Two of Murden’s advertising trucks.
People either thinks it’s a cool and clever way for a business to get the word out, or they believe it is so ugly it should be banned from our roads.
Steve Murden owns HI Impact Marketing, which operates three of the trucks. They feature rolling panels with rotating ads on three sides of the truck’s “cargo” area or are designed with a diorama-like depth that resembles old-style storefront display windows.
Murden’s “billboard trucks,” as he calls, them are proving popular with advertisers, hence his expansion from one to three vehicles in his first year of operation.
On the other side of the coin are town officials, many of whom seem to find the rolling billboards unsightly and in violation of town sign ordinances.
Murden reports Kill Devil Hills sent him some initial letters but has been “quiet” of late.
Nags Head not only sent letters to the entrepreneur, but at a recent Board of Commissioners meeting, Town Attorney John Leidy said the town was ready to assess fines. Notice of Violations had been sent to HI Impact.
Commissioner Doug Remaley was the lone voice at that meeting in favor of Murden, expressing the thought that chasing the business with letters and fines was a waste of resources.
This truck is designed to look like a storefront.
Murden is a decorated veteran of the Persian Gulf War. His wife is a pastry chef.
He tried other jobs after the crash and even worked at odd jobs to make ends meet, cleaning fences, windows, whatever he needed to do to collect a paycheck.
Murden has retained the services of two attorneys and he plans to make an appearance at the Sept. 13 Nags Head Board of Adjustments meeting.
He cites what has become known in the advertising business as the David vs. Goliath case of Bonita Media Enterprise vs. Collier County (Florida).
In that case, Bonita operated a truck exactly like Murden’s in the Naples area. The town cited the company with numerous violation notices and Bonita filed suit in state and federal courts.
The county cited the moving and rotating panels as a distraction, but a federal court issued an injunction against the county, citing free speech and burdensome regulation over a public roadway as outside the Constitution. In essence, the town’s sign ordinance could not apply to a mobile billboard operating on a public roadway.
According to a Sept. 9, 2008 report on the NaplesNews.com website, the Collier County commissioners voted to drop the suit and pay Bonita $225,000 in damages.
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Native son says:
We have banner airplanes at all times during the day,and they are noisy also.Why pick on this guy whom like the rest of us working citizens is trying to provide a service while making a living.
Phil from Nags Head says:
I don’t wish any ill-will on the guy, but we have enough signs, advertisements etc. We also have enough traffic and distractions on the roads, no need to add to it. I’ve seen people as they’re driving looking at these trucks instead of paying attention to what they’re doing.
ekim says:
The problem is NH cant figure out how to tax him!
DoubleT says:
UGH. For cripes sake, isn’t there enough advertising pollution already? If the courts can’t stop it then boycott the advertisers. Remove the $ and the trucks will follow.
Robyn says:
I don’t find the trucks any more unsightly than any other truck with signage. However, in driving along the bypass which is already dangerous, these trucks surely cause drivers to pay less attention to the road and traffic.
Frank Moore says:
If Murden is forced to cease won’t ALL vehicles with ads on them be in violation of something(free speech)be forced to cover, or remove, their messages,also ? Just a thought !
Glenn Rainey says:
These vehicles are no more “unsightly” than any other delivery vehicle that travels the road. It seems that anymore, the majority of commercial vehicles seem mostly covered with company or product logos, phone numbers, etc. These trucks just get noticed a little more because of their size and shape. Certainly they are licensed and insured to operate on the public roads and pay fuel taxes like everyone else. So I guess I’m on the Cool and Clever side.
airheadmom says:
If this is an issue then shouldn’t there be restrictions on the planes flying as well? I mean they go over roads that people are driving on and are low enough to be a distraction. And, I am pretty sure that the roads that he is traveling on are public, therefore if he has paid his taxes, he did help build them and should be allowed to use them. It is no different then ‘wrapped’ cars and trucks, or a taxi for that matter. They have signs on their vehicles that light up so do pizza delivery folks. Really…isn’t there other pressing matters that could be focused on???
roanokeislander says:
no different than the banner planes.
obxdad says:
I agree, no different than banner planes. Having lived through the construction crash, I say more power to him. I don’t like the trucks, but it’s better than a billboard, and there’s no logical reason to prevent him.
KDH Rezident Evil says:
The mobile billboards are kind of cool. I don’t know how effective they are…I’d say they might get more “looks” if they were parked somewhere near a busy intersection with a traffic light where drivers are stuck for awhile. Maybe at the foot of the Wright Memorial bridge in the summer?
local says:
I believe it is a tax issue-
They don’t have a problem with the planes, any company vehicle, or even the persoanl cars that people now have advertising on them like the monte carlo that has starbucks on it.
I’d rather see this truck then some “pimped out” personal vehicles.
Nags Head has nothing better to do- then to put out local businesses and advertisers. Shame on them! I guess they want all the chains.
Bubba says:
Let’s see .. .
Sysco, Jeanettes, Sears, KMart, Wal Mart, McDonalds, Loads of small business vehicles wrapped and plastered with vinyl letters, Kitty Hawk Kite vehicles, Town of Nags Head seal on town vehicles. The list could go on and on. If you ban one, if you fine one, then you must ban and fine all.
I see all of them but don’t get distracted. I get more distracted by the planes. I really get distracted by the cool military planes and choppers we see overhead.
It’s a shame that local citizens who find themselves creating a new business because of a terrible economy and thinking outside of the box end up being hassled by town boards. Of course it’s our fault because we put these people in office.
Town boards who want to control every little thing need have serious power issues. Doug Remaley seems to be the wise one every time nit picky stupid stuff like this comes up. The OBX has been changing for 30 years or more. You can’t stop it but you can go with the change and still enjoy life in a great community.
Ray P says:
Just make him buy a business license for each town that he operates and let him do his thing.
obx loco says:
Look at city beverage. They have been operating on the outer banks for 20+ years. They receive compensation from anheiser Busch for pulling a 108′ billboard advertisement on their trucks. Or better yet. That 30′ billboard truck with the Mc. Donalds ad on it that has been running thru all the town’s and parking for 7 years now. The town should be asshamed for discriminatory practices. I think billboard guy has a rock solid civil right lawsuit brewing. .Lmbo
Sandra Clark says:
Have any of you OBXers seen the Romney/Ryan display that Steve has done? It looks great! God Bless you Steve and Good Luck!! Freedom, Protect it or Lose It!!
sand monkey says:
I guess all the town’s are in deep doo doo. Police, fire, Ems and public works all have signs on their vehicles. Kill devil hills has the only standing billboard on the beach, its over 150′ tall and has a Hugh sign that says “Kill Devil Hills on it. The water tower at food lion shopping center. By definition that is a billboard. I applaud you guy. In less than (1) season you have drawn this kind of attention. Your ads work! And you didn’t generate 60 million pounds of garbage like all the other forms of advertising we have. You go ad truck. Worst case. They shut you down, then you can vote for Obama and get a ton of benefits sitting on your a….. at home. I’m just sayin win win either way .
KDH Cit says:
If he should have to purchase a business license for every town he operates in then so should EVERY other vehicle that advertises anything in any town.
I really believe there are more important things to worry about.
teedoff says:
Damn just ban everything. You people disgust me
Jeff says:
We Nags Head taxpayers can’t afford another costly lawsuit. Leave it alone!
fedup says:
Did I read the article right? This guy was an unemployed decorated war veteran. Someone who has put his life on the line while we were probably enjoying the surf and sand. Puts all he has out there to take care of his family, and gets punished by a town who picks and chooses who can run a business and who can’t. I hate to say it ,Good ol boy club runs deep in these parts. I hope he never backs down. Just in case know one has every told him, thanks for your service to our country. My prayers are with you and your family.
Butch says:
The trucks are very tasteful !!
if we band this kind of vehicle from out roads…
maybe we should band people that don’t wash there cars and if they need painting——lock them up and through away the key!!!!
lunchbox says:
just another backwards ass attempt to micro manage and control everything. if it wasn’t this then it would be something else to finger. Who really cares, not the majority that’s for sure. The people who like or are not effected never say anything. I bet that this close minded minority would also prefer that everything here be as it was in 1960 before the world came here. well the fact is the world is here and you can not stop it. the world will be coming here more and more, and occupancy tax and more help support bringing the world here so change with the changes or be left behind and be miserable
jackie harris says:
How does NH have the power to regulate what travels on State Highways??? I believe that somewhere in this the Federal Interstate Commerce Law is going to be called into question???, Did the board consult with there union (ie Local Govt offices in Raleigh?? ) I think the Town Atty. may have given some bad advice on this one or the Board did not heed his advice. There is no law saying you have to have a lic. to operate on a State Road thru any jurisdiction!. YET???
Frank says:
Leave him alone. He is just trying to make a living.
I guess some of the bureaucrats would rather he be at home collecting Obama money!
chaser says:
Frank…we are coming to get your land, and everything you own my commie brother, whats yours is mine. Lets have hearings in congress to weed out the reds!
uh-oh!! says:
Just heard thru the grapevine this business owner was convicted of sign ordinance violations for running political (Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan) election ads and non political (local tax paying businesses) free speech ads on the highway in nags head. Looks like you nags head residents are gonna see a tax increase to settle that guys civil rights lawsuit. It’s gonna be a hum dinger. Omg……omg.. omg…
Frank Moore says:
For what it’s worth, Frank is not Frank Moore !!
peeka boo says:
I guess the constitution of the united states excludes nags head. Hmmmm.
nh taxpayer says:
So is nags head going to start issuing citation s to every person that has decal or magnets or business ads on their vehicles? Holy Cow that zoning dudes gonna be awful busy. Be prepared. Lmao
johnr says:
Good for Murden and Remaley—–what an idiotic issue to pursue.
tb97 says:
well NH will lose this and then add the cost along the with the beach tax. watch the tax rate go up again, I think the town should get a new law firm, check the past law suits
junkman says:
Sounds like some cop or politico just doesn’t like this guy.
Kdh resident says:
Frank?
Lori Keck says:
I agree with all of you who claim that he should just be left alone….I think it is a innovative way to advertise and get more for the buck then say 6000.00 to one of those glossy mag tourist books in the hopes you get a 1 percent return…or even 10 percent if you are lucky…
I stay distracted with the tourists and locals who don’t know how to drive …the crap out in front of wings and wherever else…the cars with the wraps, the taxis’ and more…drivers are suppose to be intelligent people who know how to drive and maintain control of the killing beast….how about taking old people off the road who shouldn’t be driving or teenagers who still drive, text and talk on cell phones that is way more important or a DUI program that works or even better ….put your efforts into Quality SAFE Crosswalks and then fine every person who does not use them,,,so they will stop getting KILLED doing stupid stuff….
Scott says:
License plates, insurance, taxes, etc. paid on these trucks. Not a word can be said about any of them. The problem is, the Town of Nags Head thinks they are a gated community who can tell anybody, and everybody what to do, and how to do it. Including outside their jurisdiction (taxi cabs, for example). Get over it, commisioners… You just haven’t figured out a way to make money off this guy, or regulate him.
wifeofveteran says:
As the wife of this business owner, I pray blessings upon the town of Nags Head. I pray that their revenues increase this year and their beaches are even more full this summer than years before. I pray that more people discover the great chicken salad at Cahoons store and that more and more people rent from Kitty Dunes realty than ever. I pray for blessings and prosperity upon all of the other board members and their families.
GIVE IT A REST says:
In the state of the job market I take my hat off to him. He has found something that no one else on the Outer Banks is doing. He is making a living at it I hope. Of course it being his 1st year he may not have cleared anything as of today!!! There are a lot of people that are not trying to better their lot! HATS OFF TO THE MOVING BILLBOARD GUY !!!!!!
Sue says:
Leave the guy alone. He is an entrepreneur trying to make an honest living. Lots of things are distracting at the beach. Drive responsibly and keep your eyes on the road. Look when you’re sure it’s safe, or don’t. Question: Do pretty girls crossing the road in bikinis get fined?
Heather says:
This is ridiculous! Between the signage and chickens and now this…the town needs something else to focus on (how about the gang activity?). I agree with “GIVE IT A REST.” Let this guy provide for his family like the rest of us who live here and own businesses are trying to do. We’re all trying to recoup storms and the like and we have this discrimination going on? Ridiculous.