Outdoor ads get a digital makeover

TECHNOLOGY IS BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO OUT-OF-HOME ADVERTISING

- CHRISTINA MONIZ

REMEMBER BROOKE BOND Taj Mahal tea's Megh Santoor billboard that snagged a Silver at Cannes Lions 2024 in the 'Outdoor' category? The ad installed technology that enabled raindrops to play notes on the huge Santoor, creating a symphony resonating with the raga of the rains.

Then there were the Fortune hoardings in Lucknow and Kolkata that featured technology that transformed an empty plate into a mouthwatering platter of pakodas when it started raining.

There was a time when out-of-home (OOH) advertising was synonymous with static hoardings and colourful tin plates. The past few years have seen technology disrupt the medium like never before. The result? Digital OOH has logged an estimated 40% growth in 2024, well above the industry average of 12%, as per the recently released FICCI-EY media industry report.

The OOH advertising market stood at ₹5,920 crore, of which digital commands a 12% share at ₹700 crore. The report projects that digital OOH (DOOH) will grow at a CAGR of 24% to account for 17% of all outdoor advertising revenues by 2027.

Two key macroeconomic factors driving this growth are increasing urbanisation and infrastructure development, explains Arijit Chakrabarti, vice president (strategy & insights), GroupM, India. With more people than ever living, commuting and shopping in urban spaces together, there is a larger captive audience for advertisers to reach.