There has been a lot of innovation in the previously limited out of home (OOH) advertising . The OOH media as it is more commonly known is now more than just billboard advertising, know it has become a single term for signages, street furniture (like bus shelters), displays and LCD screens in and around retail outlets and malls, transit media like airports, railway stations etc. Also with the bus shelters, railway stations and airports getting a face lift they are becoming good platforms for brand managers to showcase their brands.
Pradeep Guha who recently quit Zee Telefilms and set up Street Culture an out-of-home advertising firm believes that in spite the tough competition Street Culture will break even in a year to support his believe he said, “OOH advertising is a cost-effective medium that brands will now look at leveraging.”
Rameet Arora, Marketing Head, Colors, a new channel from the Network 18 group, said: “In a fragmented media environment, it is critical to be always present before the customer, OOH is a potent medium to remind, surprise and engage him.”Partho Dasgupta, CEO, Future Media, said: “Brands want to be present wherever consumption happens and as an OOH company we need to be innovative.”
Sunder Hemrajani, managing director, Times OOH, said: “Infrastructure development is driving the out-of-home business in India. With the ambience getting better, brands want to be present in such places.” Pareek, President, Percept OOH says, “A major challenge for the OOH industry is the lack of a measurement system”. Harit Nagpal, CEO, Vodafone, adds, “The investment in this medium is based on gut and not on measured effectiveness and reach. If the ad spends’ contribution in OOH is to increase then a measurement system is essential.”
According to consultancy firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC), the OOH industry has grown 25 per cent from Rs 1,000 crore in 2006 to Rs 1,250 crore in 2007. By 2012, PWC expects it to be worth Rs 2,400 crore.