Blog
Real. Seen. Human.
A creed. A challenge. A way of showing up in a world that's forgotten what's real."The truth is rarely loud - but it's impossible to ignore when it moves." (AIM Aphorism)
Did You Know: Reno & Sparks Edition
Did you know that the average person in Reno spends over 6 hours a day behind screens - but less than 7 seconds noticing a billboard while driving under the iconic Reno Arch? Mobile LED vehicles are remembered 15x more than static billboards because motion commands attention and presence builds trust. AIM was built to restore trust in advertising - to remind people that behind every business is a story worth seeing.Read More
What Are You AIMing For?
Turning Local Events Into Legacy Moments
You ever pull into your driveway late at night, windows down, and hear something-a distant cheer, a faint song, laughter echoing across lawns?You turn your head, catch a glimpse of lanterns glowing in a park, kids chasing shadows, folks gathering under strings of lights... and you feel it: a pulse in the city. Every fall, Reno and Sparks hum like this. The air turns crisp, school bleachers creak back into life, trunk‑or‑treats pop up, pumpkins dot front porches, and somewhere an LED truck rolls through a parking lot.
But here's the thing: most of that energy dissolves by Monday morning. The hay bales get stored, the banners are folded, and the memory drifts.
That's what pushed us at AIM / Ads In Motion to ask:
"What are you AIMing for?"
Read More
🧠 What’s Better Than Clicks? Eyeballs. Why Real-World Impressions Still Matter
“Clicks are cheap — but eyeballs are priceless.”In an age of endless scrolling, algorithms, and ad fatigue… real-world impressions are your secret weapon.
Because people may forget a pop-up ad — but they’ll never forget a truck they saw twice this week.
Read More
Why Guerrilla Campaigns Matter in 2025
Most local businesses think "go viral" means algorithm hacks, paying influencers, or spending heavily on ads. But what if I told you there's a raw, underexploited route:clever, zero-budget guerrilla campaigns that trigger word-of-mouth, local media, and social virality - without paying Facebook a dime.
In Reno and Sparks, where every contractor is chasing the same ad eyeballs, guerrilla tactics deliver contrast. They break through the noise. They lean on surprise, creativity, scarcity, and social proof.
Read More
The 7-Second Rule:
How to Capture Attention in a City Full of Distractions By Ads In Motion | Eli Santos Restoring trust in advertising through real, human visibility.
INTRO: YOU ONLY HAVE 7 SECONDS
You have seven seconds to make them stop scrolling, stop walking, stop looking away.Seven seconds to make them feel something.
In a city like Reno/Sparks, where life hums with neon casinos, food festivals, and the endless rush of Highway 395 - attention is the new currency. And most businesses? They're bankrupt in it.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
Read More
Why Guerrilla Advertising Beats Google Ads in Reno (And Always Will)
Let's be honest-marketing feels broken.
Every week, another Reno business owner tells me the same thing:"We spent thousands on Google ads, but barely got a call."
It's not that your product's bad. It's not that people don't want your service.
It's that the digital noise has gotten deafening.
Everyone's running the same ads...
using the same templates...
targeting the same audiences.
Read More
The Power of Emotional Messaging in Outdoor Advertising
How Reno/Sparks Businesses Win Hearts (Not Just Eyes)
In the heart of Reno and Sparks, where grit meets growth and small businesses carry the heartbeat of the community, advertising is no longer just about visibility - it's about connection. At Ads In Motion, we believe emotion is the most powerful form of visibility there is.Reno Doesn't Need More Ads - It Needs More Meaning
Drive through Reno or Sparks and you'll see it - endless billboards with smiling stock photos and generic slogans. They blend together, forgotten before the next stoplight. The truth is, people aren't ignoring ads because they hate marketing - they're ignoring them because they don't feel anything.Read More
Faith & Grit: The Spark Behind Ads In Motion
The garage was silent except for the hum of circuits. Orange sparks jumped from a metal frame as Phillip wiped sweat from his brow. Six years earlier, God had told him to build something that didn't exist - a moving light, a new way to connect people to the businesses that serve them.Everyone said it couldn't be done. Yet here he was, night after night, welding faith into metal.
When Eli stepped into the story in 2024 - tired, searching for purpose, ready for a dream bigger than himself - he saw in Phillip's unfinished vision a reflection of his own.
Read More
How a Local Reno Business Added $50K in Sales With a Mobile Billboard Campaign - And The Painful Truth Behind It
The Story That Changed Everything
Most case studies start with numbers. Ours starts with pain.Because behind every business breakthrough is a human story - of doubt, of betrayal, of invisible nights wondering if it's even worth it.
Our client felt invisible in the marketplace. They had ads running, referrals trickling in, but growth had flatlined. They confessed over coffee: "We feel like no one even notices us anymore."
Read More
People Don't Trust Ads Anymore - Here's How You Earn That Back in Reno & Sparks
The Trust Crisis: Why Ads Don't Work Like They Used To
People don't trust ads anymore. Surveys show ~70% of people say they don't trust digital ads.I know that feeling - because I've lived it. For years, I partnered with someone who promised the world but delivered the bare minimum. He spent my money recklessly, slowed down projects, and left me holding the bag. Clients questioned not just him - but me. They didn't believe in what I was trying to build.
And in my desperate push to prove myself, I overworked. Sixteen-hour days, six or seven days a week. Chasing clients. Pouring every ounce of myself into businesses that drained me financially and spiritually.
That grind cost me almost everything. My marriage. My health. My spiritual grounding. And it nearly cost me my son, Knox.
Read More
How Small & Medium Reno Businesses Can Outshine the Big Guys With Guerrilla Advertising
David vs. Goliath
Let's face it-big corporations dominate the online game.They outspend you on Google.
They crush you on Facebook.
They hire influencers to flood feeds.
But here's the twist: in Reno, you actually have the advantage.
Why? Because small and medium businesses can outshine the giants without outspending them.
Read More
Why Mobile LED Advertising Is a Game Changer for Local Businesses
Standing Out in a Crowded Market
Let's face it-traditional advertising is everywhere. Billboards, flyers, online ads... most get ignored or forgotten. For local businesses in Reno, Sparks, and soon Las Vegas, getting noticed is tougher than ever. That's where mobile LED advertising steps in and changes the game.What Is Mobile LED Advertising?
Mobile LED advertising uses vehicles equipped with bright, high-resolution LED screens to display ads while driving through high-traffic areas. Instead of waiting for customers to notice a static sign, your message moves with the flow of the city-right where your audience lives, works, and plays.Read More
Why Your Ads Are Getting Ignored (and How to Break the Scroll Fatigue)
Do you ever feel like your ads are invisible? You're pouring money into Facebook, Instagram, or Google-but customers are just... scrolling right past you.Here's the brutal truth: 65% of digital ads are never even seen (they either never load inside the viewport or are ignored).
You don't have a lack of effort-you're fighting digital numbness.
The Problem: Scroll Fatigue & Digital Numbness
In today's digital landscape, we're all suffering from attention overload. The average person is exposed to thousands of ads each day, and most are forgotten moments later.
Feed-based ads, banners, and sponsored content all blend into the endless scroll. The brain's default filter kicks in: "seen it already, skip past."
Read More
5 Reno Marketing Strategies That Actually Work in 2025
(Hint: It's Not Another Facebook Ad)Reno Isn't Vegas
Let's get something straight-Reno plays by different rules.
We're not Las Vegas with 42 million tourists passing through every year, and we're definitely not Silicon Valley where startups casually drop $50k/month on ads just to test headlines.
Read More
