| 'Outdoor Advertising’ has experienced real growth in the past five year, and we believe that it is coming into its own- with advertisers recognizing the opportunities, diversity, and flexibility that the medium can offer and clients driving the industry’s growth, leading to a dedicated outdoor division by the agencies…. Santosh Padhi, talks to us on how OOH will keep the campaigns fresh and offer the advertiser greater geographic reach and brand exposure.”
Excerpts from the interview are as follows:
1. What’s the Big Idea in Outdoor Advertising?
Once there is clarity on what the advertising strategy might be the most appropriate to appeal to and persuade the consumers, it is time to put together the advertising that will do it. With the brand advertising content and not the brand ambassador, so the focus should now be to create ads that will do the trick to make a lasting impression in the ooh category.
2. Sir, do you think that ‘Content’ is more necessary than ‘Form’ when it comes to OOH?
Well, a more balanced and practical approach is to see ‘Content’ and ‘Form’ not as ‘either-or’ choice but a combination choice. The point is not what is more important, but how best to combine the two to achieve the best possible result. For my perspective, ‘Content’ is the necessary condition for the effectiveness of an ad in OOH, where as ‘Form’ is the sufficient condition.
3. Sir, why do you think that already famous brands like Coke, Pepsi, Lux etc need to advertise in the OOH in spite of them being already famous?
I would say that it has got something to do with the same old limitation of human memory again: That it works only by recall, and that stronger the linkage the easier the recall. Strong brands understand this very well and know that they need to be highly visibly, as frequently as possible, and in today’s life when one is out of home for almost 75% of the day, OOH is the best way to cater the moving audience.
4. Sir, what is more important- A ‘Creative Strategy’ or ‘Media Strategy’ when it comes to OOH Sector?
I feel that a ‘Creative Strategy’ is to come up with an advertising ‘idea’ and campaign that can inspire and motivate the consumers to identify with and own the brand. Where as the ‘Media Strategy’, is to ensure that the advertising is taken to people’s homes and lives in the most visible and effective way possible. It also needs to ensure that in doing so the advertising monies are used efficiently as possible. And in today’s OOH media across the world, especially in India, ‘Brands’ have become more conscious of the reach and effectiveness of the Outdoor media, which is why across India we are looking at a new OOH media @ every month.
5. Is the OOH industry doing enough to foster new formats and has the global consolidation of media owners helped this?
I think OOH is very well placed. However, as ever, there is a fine line to be drawn between innovative new formats and advertising becoming so prevalent that it turns consumers away. I think the bigger opportunity going forward is to break down further the “silos” of OOH and other media.
6. Sir, how does Leo Burnett, India, think about the OOH Media?
From advertising perspective, knowing the consumers well enough often requires getting under their skin to know who they are, why they re, what they are, and why they say what they want to say. More so because often- what people say is not what they mean. Which is why we here at Leoburnett, the idea is to get deeper into their psyche. The aim is to find the deeper motives (needs, wants, expectations) that drive them and their personality, and ultimately influence their brand choice for the category. So, we here at Leoburnett, make sure that any advertising campaign for any medium should bring out the functional and emotional needs that the consumer seek to get satisfied from the product category. |
