How Libertyville is trying to promote itself as a dining destination

Drivers heading north on I-94 soon can expect to see a backlit ad on the south face of the Lake Forest oasis touting Libertyville as a dining destination.

Village officials on Tuesday approved spending $23,074 to sublease space for a sign on the oasis's exterior to catch the attention of northbound drivers approaching Exit 16 - Route 176 to Libertyville.

"It's a significant investment on our part," Heather Rowe, the village's economic development coordinator, said of the new program.

Messages also would be displayed on a kiosk inside the oasis, according to the agreement.

Early versions suggest a fork as a tagline or image, but the message has to "snappy and compelling" to capture the attention of potential consumers driving by at 70 mph, according to Libertyville-based Bee-line Communications Inc., which is working with the village on the concept.

The village board previously allocated $30,000 in the 2018-19 budget ending May 1 to be used for a coordinated promotional campaign highlighting the many unique dining options in town. The money comes from the village's hotel/motel fund.

After evaluating options, the advisory economic development commission determined one big expenditure marketing Libertyville as a dining destination would provide the best bang for the buck.

"They wanted to stay in the forefront as far as the customers' eyes," Rowe said. "It's important to remain present in people's minds."

Libertyville will pay SFI Chicago Tollway LLC $18,054 to sublease the space and $5,020 to Travels Marketing, which holds oasis advertising rights, to produce and post the sign.

The signage would be on display from April 1 to June 30 and Sept. 3 to Dec. 2. Libertyville would have the option of using the same image for the entire time or replacing it in September.

Rowe said the village is working with Bee-line to refine the images and messaging. The ad needs to be approved by the tollway before it can be displayed, she added.

Eighty-six restaurants operate in Libertyville, with several concentrated downtown, which has become a dining hub. The program is intended to support restaurants and boost revenues collected through the village's dining and hotel/motel taxes.

The remaining marketing funds in the budget could be used for design work and costs related to other aspects of the campaign, such as website improvements, dining guide redesign or printing, Rowe said. Unused funds will go back into the hotel/motel fund, she added.