Bigger, bolder, brighter

OUTDOOR AD SPENDING, BUOYED BY NEW-AGE FORMATS AND INNOVATIVE DISPLAYS, SURGED NEARLY 20% THIS FESTIVE SEASON

- CHRISTINA MONIZ

IF YOU TRAVELLED in or out of Bengaluru or Kanpur's airports just ahead of Dussehra this year, you couldn't have missed an unusual spectacle from e-commerce brand Flipkart.The company transformed vast farmlands near the two airports into giant crop-circle-like formations, announcing the start of its flagship Big Billion Days sale. During these festive weeks, Flipkart was one of many brands to have pushed the boundaries of outdoor advertising.

Advertisers have challenged the limitations of outdoor campaigns, finding possibilities in nearly everything during the past couple of months. Which is why Sebamed turned nail art into tiny billboards and Cars24 found a branding opportunity in potholes! Beyond the cities, rural markets have also seen outdoor advertising really take off, with autorickshaw panels turning into ad space, along with wall murals and mobile billboards.

"When we speak about advertising during the festive season, we generally think of channels such as social, e-commerce and OTT. But the outdoor growth story has been remarkable year-on-year, especially with the number of airports and malls growing in the country," notes Sajal Gupta, CEO, Kiaos Marketing. Airports and railway stations are OOH gold for brands targeting travellers.