Channels Scream aloud from Billboards

Have you realised that while you are driving along Marine Drive, Peddar Road, Bandra flyover or any of the Express highways and you just cannot miss the TV channels hoardings among others screaming loud at you about their new shows, upcoming shows and the likes. There is absolutely no escaping from this as it follows you everywhere you go. That’s precisely the impact that outdoor advertising has.
Of the media companies, TV channels seem to be ruling the roost in grabbing most of the strategic outdoor properties. The biggest players are ofcourse the usual suspects Star, Zee, Sony and Sahara and the news channels.
Hoardings of Zee’s new season of Sa Re Gama Pa Challenge which has just launched are screaming aloud on the streets of Mumbai. Then it’s Sony’s Indian Idol. For most TV channels the new season is beginning with new serials and most of the hoardings announce the arrivals of these serials such as
According to industry sources it is believed that more than 50 per cent of Sony's spends in launching properties is dedicated to out of home. Then there are the ongoing hoardings on the regular big-ticket shows for most channels.
In addition to these big players, other contenders who use outdoors include Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, MTV, ESPN Sports, National Geography, Tata Sky's DTH, Dish TV, News Papers, Radio channels. But, most of them use outdoors generally during a launch of a big show or a supplement. However, 30-40 per cent of spends of big players go to the permanent sites on an annualised basis. Thanks to all of them, this traditional outdoor advertising space is growing.
“The outdoor industry is estimated to be Rs 1200 crore and is growing at 20 per cent year-on-year. TV channels spends would be 7-8 per cent of the total industry spends. On an annual basis television channels approximate spend would be Rs. 75 - 90 crore between Star, Sony, ZEE and Sahara,” says Nabendu Bhattacharyya, Country Head-Landscapes & Signscapes, Ogilvy Activation. Also according to industry players close to 30 per cent of these TV channels spends are dedicated to the festive rush spanning September – December.
Hoardings, or billboards, outdistance all other advertising tools in terms of sheer visibility. “TV channels also consistently use Outdoor as it not only acts as a reminder medium but it also gets people to sample a new shows,” explains Sanjay Shah, CEO, Star Sight.
Adds Bhattacharyya: “Today media is getting fragmented with so many channels. With the change of lifestyles in Metros & especially in Mumbai consumers spends on an average 9 hours out of home and therefore the need of OOH medium. This medium offers customised visibility options right from one city to multiple city, even area specific campaign can be executed. Outdoor also offers value for money campaigns right from 7 days campaign to 30 days campaigns depending on the brand needs.”
Hoarding and billboards generate quick awareness as it is larger than life ad multiple messages can be used spread across the city to target specific consumers namely working men /women can be targeted through arterial road billboard /shelters while housewives can be targeted in a residential locations shelters or in super markets/malls and multiplexes.
According to an industry player, “The outdoor medium lends itself for lot of creativity and innovation. Apart from this it is also a very flexible medium and changes can be made fast. This medium is also largely used by media companies to promote themselves to their own fraternity.”
Agreeing on this aspect is a channel official who says, “We use outdoor to reach of the people in our own fraternity apart from our target audience our viewers.”
For most TV channels and media companies, outdoor acts like final aspect of their overall media plan. As is understood from sources at SET India, Outdoor is an important medium for the channel especially in bigger markets like Mumbai. This medium tends to offer them awareness and topicality.
Going beyond billboards and bus shelters out of home as a category is fast expanding into areas like retail and entertainment. With emerging technology like LED screens, interactive facia at malls, backlit air blimps and large building wraps, the medium is only like to grow in the future.
“The future is bright” opines Shah optimistically. He says that the trend is becoming more organised and further with foreign OOH companies like Viacom, Clear Channel and Decaux eyeing this market, the industry is only in for more exciting competition.