Right Angle Media, part of the Indian Laqshya Group, unveiled what they call “the world’s first ever public AC bus shelters”. The project was inaugurated by the Public Transport Agency of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai.
The AC bus shelters are shaped like crescents and each shelter can accommodate up to 14 people. They are equipped with advertising and information spaces, snack and soft drink vending machines, ATMs, and an integrated set of public services and facilities such as recycling garbage containers. The temperature inside the bus shelter will be maintained at 22-23 degrees Celsius; outside temperatures in Dubai reach 50-55 degrees Celsius. The shelter will provide the locals cool respite against the sweltering heat of the Gulf summers.
Raman Multani, CEO, Right Angle Media, says that when they set up their headquarters in Dubai, they did not want to be just a billboard company, so they studied the market. “We found that though Dubai had a public transport system, it was inadequate because there were only 200 bus shelters as compared to the more than 300 scheduled bus stops. That plus the intense heat during the summer months gave us the radical idea of installing AC bus shelters throughout the city. We then got to designing the shelters and made a concept pitch to the government. After a due diligence tender process, Right Angle was awarded the DBOT project in January 2006.”
A total of 1,000 shelters will be installed in the current phase and they will cover most parts of the city.
Discussing the advertising opportunities on the bus shelters, Multani says, “Advertising on bus shelters is globally well known, but what is special about advertising on these AC bus shelters are their distinctive locations, the facades’ background lighting and their prominent crescent design, which makes them striking ad spots that capture the attention of both bus commuters and passers by.”
Each bus shelter is sold as a location. Each location comprises the top panel of the actual bus shelter (1.2 metres x 6m) and a double sided free standing unit that has two faces (1.2m x 1.8m each). Currently, the bus shelters carry displays from a shoe brand, a mutual fund (UTI), a bank, a mall and some airline brands.
Would something like this work in India? Multani feels that while India can certainly do with AC bus shelters, the challenges India offers are also unique. Availability of electricity and safety against vandalism and misuse are issues that will need to be addressed.
Soumitra Bhattacharyya, CEO, Laqshya Group, says, “We at Laqshya strongly believe that it is only when the interests of the government and the public merge that actual value can be created. If Indian cities are to take on any of the world cities, then it is time that companies like ours take it upon ourselves to do more such PPP (public-private partnership) projects.”
Recently, Laqshya won the rights to construct and maintain 25 modern public toilets in Indore in return for revenues through the advertising space around the toilets. It is also constructing pedestrian over-bridges with escalators in the city of Indore.
Comparing Dubai’s OOH scenario to India’s, Multani says that OOH is still in its early stage of development in Dubai. “Dubai certainly has much better quality of structures and the locations are approved by the local authority in a much more planned manner. The scope of growth in Dubai is very high as compared to India.”
“However, the research and methodology used in selling OOH is very poor and very little. The media owners are totally dependent on agencies for business. The agencies plan campaigns based on relationships. Well-researched outdoor with professional analysis of efficacy will grow the market,” he says.