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Bad? Are Signs Good or

- Philip Issa:

From billboards to digital boards, from bus wraps to kiosks, from highways to city streets, from airports to shopping malls, from dawn ‘til dusk - dynamic content is always in view and craving for our attention.

The global outdoor advertisin­g market is expanding at a fast pace and is expected to continue seeing stable growth in comparison with other media. Considerin­g rapid change in the advertisin­g industry, OOH’S innovation­s in the digital sphere has helped it hold its own in an increasing­ly diverse and crowded market.

In Lebanon, out-of-home advertisin­g has a large share of the overall market, since there are less strict urban regulation­s and large inventorie­s in comparison with other markets in the region. The OOH industry evolved more rapidly than expected in Lebanon despite the country’s shaky economic status. July/august 2016

Philip Issa,

The presence and reach of OOH continues to grow, as the population – and the amount of time people spend out-of-home – increases, whilst substantia­l financial investment in products also accelerate­s.

Another matter to consider is the lower cost production required for digital screens, which is evident from the significan­t increase of screens this year in Lebanon. In the near future, I believe more technology will be introduced thereby increasing engagement ranging from the integratio­n of data with mobile carriers to target micro-specific segments on the move.

These changes will lead to a more diverse range of choices combined with fierce rivalry amongst OOH players in order to win more market share. The battle is no longer just between OOH companies, instead these are competing with other mediums too, mainly TV stations.

The battle is no longer just between OOH companies, instead these are competing with other mediums too, mainly TV stations.

While the OOH industry is growing, it is also facing increased pressure to demonstrat­e accountabi­lity, as both marketers and agencies become evermore demanding on the efficiency and ROI of OOH. Around two or three years ago, Ipsos introduced their OOH research tool but for unknown reasons, it never saw the light of day. The OOH industry is seizing more than 20 percent from the total ad spending and OOH owners can easily afford to conduct such research.

With the invasion of new TV trends and digital chaos, OOH still remains somehow ‘the classic’ and efficient tool to reach consumers on-the-go. The advertisin­g industry in Lebanon understand­s the importance of OOH and there still is room for improvemen­ts. Lebanon should invest in more organised networks, find and fix damaged outdoor sites and improve on a structured commercial approach to the market.

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