Roadside Assistance

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Robbins Bros., a chain of engagement-ring stores based in Azusa, is offering a high-traffic venue for people who want to share the love this holiday season.

People who visit the company’s Facebook page can type in a love message and post it on a 14-foot-by-48-foot digital billboard along the Riverside (91) Freeway in Corona. About 180,000 commuters pass the billboard every day.

Glenn Miller, a partner at ad agency G&M Plumbing in Redondo Beach designed the campaign. He said he wanted to tie Facebook and digital billboard technology for maximum exposure.

“That section of freeway is like a parking lot in the early morning hours,” Miller said, “so some drivers will read quite a few love messages this season.”

To participate, people submit their first name and last initial, a message up to 75 characters long and an e-mail address through Facebook. The messages are free to the writers. G&M vets the messages to weed out offensive comments or plugs for businesses.

The messages are displayed on the billboard, which features the Robbins Bros. name, for eight seconds in a repeating rotation. A camera mounted on the billboard takes a photo of each message and e-mails it to the author, who can share it with others via e-mail or Facebook and other social sites. The billboard campaign will continue through Dec. 24.

Larry Gomperts, executive vice president of marketing at Robbins Bros., said the goal of the campaign was to associate the brand with expressions of love in the consumer’s mind.

Among the messages so far was one from a person apologizing to his sweetheart: “Sorry I couldn’t afford a skywriter, but here’s this.” Another message said: “Been married over 51 years. It’s time for a new ring!”