Chapel Hill Transit buses sported a new batch of Wells Fargo advertisements this week — the first of many to come, officials said.
The San Francisco-based bank was the first business to take advantage of the town’s new advertising opportunity.
Once the advertising program takes full effect, it is expected to earn about $450,000 in profit for the town, said Chapel Hill Transit Director Steve Spade.
The Chapel Hill Town Council in June passed an exterior transit advertising program as a way to raise revenue and prevent tax increases.
Residents have noticed the advertisements for Wells Fargo, which completed its conversion of Wachovia branches in North Carolina at the beginning of October.
“I thought the ads were pretty interesting, because I hadn’t really realized that Wachovia was now Wells Fargo,” said sophomore Jessica Fillhaber.
The company purchased 12 signs to be displayed on the side or rear of the bus as well as two full-bus vinyl wraps, which cover the bus in red and gold.
Each of the full wraps costs $1,500 per month, and each of the smaller signs costs up to $220 per month depending on the size and contract, according to the town’s website.
Full wraps have a minimum contract of one year.
“The contract with Wells Fargo is a good opportunity to do something before we really get the program rolling to see if there is any interest,” Spade said.
