Wheels: Roadside attractions market to motorists

Marketing goods and services to motorists has been around as long as the car itself. Novelties like billboards — and I’m talking about the creative ones, not the boring ones that just show a photo and text — that feature three-dimensional graphics and clever expressions. Giant representations of symbols of a geographic area are well represented, as well as compelling architecture to amuse and intrigue the passing driver and, in days past, the restless station wagon passengers searching for a distraction from the monotonous miles.

Few have driven the I-95 corridor who haven’t seen “Pedro’s South of the Border” billboards displaying kitschy expressions or a huge cactus. As many discovered the advertising was more entertaining than the attraction itself.