For out of home,
it's all about integration
More and more, there are cross-media opportunities
By Diego Vasquez
Jan 14, 2011
Out-of-home media advertising rebounded during 2010 along with many other media, with spending through third quarter up 7.3 percent, according to Kantar Media. With the recovery now well underway, other issues will become more important during 2011, most notably digital media and how to effectively incorporate it into outdoor media plans. Digital media is forecast to grow faster than any other sector of out of home over the next few years as advertisers become more comfortable with it and measurement techniques grow more sophisticated. Alternative media spending will also see a boost this year. Many advertisers cut back on nontraditional media during downturns, and so it was for alternative media. Expect more of those campaigns to include social media aspects as well. Daniel Wilkins, chief executive officer and partner at Wilkins Media, talks to Media Life about the defining story of 2010, why digital will be so big next year, and the best alternative media stunts he saw last year.
What was the defining story in out-of-home during 2010?
Our rebound and growth relative to other media during these difficult times.
What will be the three things to keep an eye on in out-of-home in 2011?
First and foremost, the continued growth of digitization in the place-based and out-of-home media sectors.
To take that even a bit further, I think you will see more out-of-home campaigns that incorporate the use of mobile and/or social media.
The out-of-home buyers would be smart to become experts in these other areas in order to at least be able to speak to the digital groups about how the media opportunities fit together for a more encompassing and engaging experience for the consumer.
What do media buyers and planners need to know about out-of-home in 2011?
The most innovative and effective campaigns will be more comprehensive than just simply placing a standard billboard or transit advertisement. In order to succeed, they will need to be familiar with interactive technologies, digital place-based media and how social media can enhance what would otherwise have been a stale out-of-home campaign.
Above that, they will need to have an understanding of when and for whom those elements are appropriate. Just adding an interactive or digital element for the sake of doing so will not cut it.
What developments will you personally be most interested to see with regard to out-of-home this year?
Based on my answers for the previous questions, I think it is clear that I believe technology is going to continue to play a significant role in moving the needle for out-of-home.
I am looking for that really compelling outdoor program that integrates traditional outdoor, interactivity, social media and digital place-based all in one program for a totally immersive experience spanning from the online world into the physical world and back again.
I am also interested in seeing if Eyes On can take hold and be as successful as the industry supporters hopes it will be.
Do you think digital billboards are still a hot-button issue, or are people/legislators starting to accept them?
I think it depends on where they are trying to put one up. If it is in a highly residential area you may find more backlash then in commercial area, highway or interstate.
Looking at the big picture, I think legislators are acquiescing and compromises are being made on both sides in order continue the growth of the digital billboard footprint.
What have been the most important things you've learned from Eyes On? How has this impacted the planning/buying process?
It’s hard to pull out any specific examples because relatively few of our client partners are asking for them and not all vendors are using them. Additionally, the lack of options for processing reach and frequency has likely slowed the adoption of Eyes On in a significant fashion.
Are companies more open to alternative media ideas now than they were two or three years ago?
Absolutely. Two to three years ago we were looking at a pullback from alternative media due to the issues with the economy.
As things appear to be moving in the right direction, clients are showing renewed interest in alternative media.
How aggressive should an alternative media campaign be to draw attention but not alienate consumers?
This depends on the client and their objectives. You can be extremely aggressive if the audience is right and the message is delivered properly.
The most difficult part is walking that line. One mistake and the entire promotion can not only fail but end up setting the client back in the consumer’s opinion.
In this age of social media, it doesn’t take long for an embarrassing moment for a client to go viral, negatively influencing potential customers who would have never seen the promotion to begin with.
Do you think alternative media budgets will grow this year? Why or why not?
I think they have been overall and will continue to do so.
Most of the programs we plan for our clients have some form of alternative media included. Those elements don’t always make it to the final plan, but they are considerations with most projects. That is a vast improvement over the past seven to 10 years ago), when we had to encourage a client to look at alternative media.
Out-of-home in general has grown significantly over the years to include much more than bulletins, posters and transit advertising. Alternative is becoming a relative term in our industry, as out-of-home is defined by much more than the previously mentioned media types.
What was the most clever out of home campaign you saw in 2010?
From a promotional standpoint, I really liked AMC’s “The Walking Dead” zombie apocalypse that “attacked” major cities from Taipei to Los Angeles over a 24-hour period.
That could just be the lover of all things zombie in me though.
I also loved the Mobile Loaves and Fishes’ “I Am Here” campaign in Austin, Texas. The non-profit had a homeless gentleman “live” on a billboard with a text-to-donate message in order to raise awareness of the homeless.
The program incorporated PR, traditional out-of-home and mobile media to create a campaign that not only achieved its goal of raising awareness for homelessness, but also helped Danny Silver (the man on the billboard) and his family move into a new home. It was a perfect example of how powerful an integrated campaign can be.
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