Gary Greene Realtors (l-r, top to bottom): Kendra Lee, Carol Marple, Marleah Rodriquez, Stephen Hayman, Lisa Dempsey and Teri Vaughn.
By Natalie Terchek
Advertisements for Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene have been seen in magazines, newspapers and on television. But now, they can also be seen on the side of 12 public school buses that will travel the highways and neighborhoods of two northeast Houston school districts.
Lisa Dempsey, office manager for the Lake Houston office of Gary Greene, said the advertising dollars will help increase school budgets that have been drastically cut by the state.
“We are supporting our local school district through advertising on their school busses,” she said.
Gary Greene’s Mobile Billboards
Eleven of the buses will be traveling throughout the Humble Independent school district, and one is through the New Caney ISD. Six Gary Greene agents will be sponsoring their own ads on the buses: Jennifer Hunter, Marleah Rodriquez, Kendra Lee, Stephen Hayman, Teri Vaughn and Carol Maple. The other six buses will be promoting Gary Greene in general.
Kelley Mattlage, district spokeswoman for New Caney, said the advertising revenues help pay for employee-appreciation intitiatives.
“Employee morale is so important in any business,” she said. “We thank Gary Greene and all of our advertisers for helping make a difference. Each advertisement Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene buys helps to provide New Caney ISD financial resources above what the district receives from the state.”
How Mobile Advertising Works
Steep Creek Media, the Houston-based company that specializes in mobile media, connects school districts with advertisers. Owner and founder, Cynthia Calvert, started this business to offer a new way to generate revenues for Texas public education. Districts ultimately decide which advertisements they will accept, and Steep Creek takes care of the rest.
This form of advertising is not always available. In fact, Texas is one of nine states that allow advertising on school buses. And Dempsey says mobile advertising is becoming very in-demand in Houston, making it more difficult to find an “open bus” to place an advertisement.
Dempsey explains that helping schools is important to maintain real estate values. “People want to purchase homes in the best school districts,” she said. “If we can help our local schools, we are building a stronger community and helping to increase home values.”