College Campus LED Billboard Truck: Our FIRE Campaign at Indiana University Bloomington

In April 2024, Boost Outdoor Media ran a two-day LED billboard truck campaign around Indiana University Bloomington for FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression). The truck followed a detailed hour-by-hour route plan on the public streets around campus — East 3rd Street, the 7th and 8th Street loop, Sample Gates and Memorial Stadium on 17th Street — reaching students, faculty and visitors without ever entering university property. This is how we planned it, and how organizations can run the same kind of campaign at any college campus.

Outside IU's Memorial Stadium on 17th Street, one of the photo stops the client asked for.

The campaign at a glance

• Client: FIRE, a national nonprofit focused on free speech.
• Where: public roads around Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana.
• When: two days in April 2024.
• Hours: 11 AM–7 PM on day one; 9 AM–5 PM on day two.
• Rule #1: public roads only — no IU private property or campus roads.

The route plan, hour by hour

A campus campaign works when the route follows the student day. FIRE gave us a clear plan, and we built the driving schedule around it.

Day one, 11 AM–5 PM: the core campus loop

The truck alternated between the East 3rd Street and Atwater route and the 7th/8th Street loop — up South Indiana Avenue and back down Dunn or Grant Street. Along the way, it made frequent stops near Sample Gates, IU's best-known entrance, where students and visitors gather and take photos.

Day one, 5–7 PM: the north side and the stadium

In the evening the loop moved north: South Indiana up to 17th Street, east to North Woodlawn and back down to 7th. When foot traffic was heavy, the truck circled the blocks between 14th Street, North Fess and North Woodlawn. Near 7 PM it parked in front of Memorial Stadium on 17th Street for photos.

Day two, 9 AM–5 PM: repeat, and follow the crowd

Day two repeated the core loop with stops at Sample Gates. The client expected busier sidewalks along 7th Street near the campus entrance between 10 AM and 3 PM, so the driver focused coverage there when the crowds showed up.

Parked on a public street at the edge of campus — visible to students without entering university property.

The creative

FIRE's creative used two strong ideas, each built to read in seconds:

• "Indiana University Degree" — a receipt-style list ending with FIRE's message welcoming people to what FIRE described as "Indiana's worst place for free speech."
• "IU's Got Their Eyes On…" — a black screen covered in watching eyes, ending on "You" and, in another version, the student newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student.

The messages came from FIRE, and FIRE was responsible for their content. Our job was to put them on the right streets at the right times, and make sure they were easy to read from the sidewalk.

The "Indiana University Degree" receipt creative — a format people stop to read.

"IU's Got Their Eyes on You" on a side street near campus.

Bright enough to read on an overcast morning.

Side and rear screens near Memorial Stadium.

Why "public roads only" matters on campus

Most universities control advertising on their own property, and many campus roads are private. A mobile billboard can still reach students legally by staying on city streets around campus — and that's usually where the busiest foot traffic is anyway: main entrances, crosswalks, and the streets between dorms, classes and downtown.

That's why every campus campaign we run starts with a map of which roads are public and which belong to the school. Drivers get a clear route, and the client gets coverage without problems.

College campus LED truck campaigns in any state

The Bloomington playbook works at any college or university. Boost Outdoor Media coordinates LED billboard trucks in markets across the United States, for:

• Advocacy and nonprofit campaigns aimed at students and faculty.
• Student recruitment and job fairs.
• Brand launches and sampling for a student audience.
• Move-in week, graduation and game days, when campus towns are at their busiest.

How to plan a campus campaign

1. Pick the times students are out: class changes, lunch, and evenings near dorms and stadiums.
2. Name the landmarks: gates, quads, stadiums, student unions — then find the nearest public street.
3. Ask for photos at key stops: they're great for social media and reports.
4. Keep the message simple: one idea and your name or handle.

Every campus campaign is priced around its days, hours and route. See our mobile billboard cost guide, learn about our advocacy and issue campaigns, or request a quote.