Media rate is the number everyone negotiates. Production is the number that surprises people. Every static out-of-home placement involves a physical object that has to be printed to spec, delivered on time, and installed by an approved crew during a window the property allows.
Understanding these costs upfront prevents budget overruns and, more importantly, prevents the scheduling mistakes that shorten a flight before it starts.
What you are paying for
Production covers materials, printing, finishing, and shipping. Installation covers the labor and equipment to hang, wrap, or mount the piece, plus removal at the end of the flight. In malls this work usually happens overnight, after the center closes, which carries a labor premium.
Substrate choice matters more than most advertisers expect. Fire-rated materials are mandatory in enclosed centers, escalator wraps need specific adhesives, and floor graphics require a slip-resistant laminate rated for foot traffic.
Typical one-time line items
A clean production estimate itemizes each of the following so you can see what is driving the total.
- Printing on the specified fire-rated or traffic-rated substrate
- Finishing such as grommets, hems, framing, or laminate
- Freight to the property and receiving coordination
- Overnight installation labor with a certified crew
- Removal and disposal at the end of the flight
Why deadlines protect your money
Every property has a materials deadline, usually a week or more before the flight begins. Miss it and you either lose days off the front of a flight you already paid for, or you pay rush charges to compress the print and ship cycle.
The practical answer is to lock creative early. Build your artwork against the spec sheet before the contract is signed, not after, and have a proof approved by the property when their guidelines require it.
How to avoid paying twice
Design once at the highest resolution and largest dimension you will need, then scale down for smaller formats. Keep logos and type in vector form. Avoid dated language like a specific year or a limited-time offer if you plan to run the same piece across multiple flights.
For multi-center campaigns, standardize sizes wherever the properties allow. A single reprintable design across nine centers costs far less than nine bespoke pieces.
The digital exception
Digital placements skip nearly all of this. You supply a file that meets the network spec and it goes live. When production budgets are tight or the message is likely to change, digital inventory removes an entire cost category and the schedule risk that comes with it.
Questions for your vendor
Ask who owns the artwork files, whether removal is included, what the materials deadline is, what happens if a piece is damaged mid-flight, and whether reprints during a multi-flight run are discounted. Getting these in writing prevents nearly every production dispute we see.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is production charged per flight or once?
Once per printed piece. If the same artwork runs across consecutive flights, you generally do not reprint.
Who installs the media?
Properties require approved, insured installers. This is not work you can hand to a general contractor or handle in-house.
What file format should creative be supplied in?
Follow the property spec sheet exactly. Press-ready vector artwork with correct bleed avoids nearly all rejections.
Can I reuse a banner in another mall?
Sometimes, if the dimensions and hardware match. Ask before assuming, because hanging systems vary between centers.
MallAds.com is a division of Sullivan Media, Inc. We have spent more than 20 years placing brands inside America's shopping centers and along the roads that lead to them, with access to advertising in over 1,700 malls plus billboard placements nationwide. Tell us your market, audience, and budget and we will build the plan around them.