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Home » OOH News » DMRC Train Wrap: Profitable or Not?

DMRC Train Wrap: Profitable or Not?

By Bhawana Anand - December 05, 2014

This entity has been profitable in terms of monetary and impact nationally and internationally, but its performance at DMRC is a big question. Outdoor Asia caught up with Delhi-based media owners to decipher the results and impact of this OOH medium.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation recently opened a new advertising avenue i.e. Metro Train Wrap. This new added inventory has been permitted for three lines of metro, where an entire train can be wrapped with advertisements.

The train wrap avenue is quite an old concept of OOH medium; however it took DMRC a while to monetize this advertising asset. Although there have been successful train wrap models which are working in recent times i.e. Rapid Gurgaon Metro and Mumbai Metro, the Delhi based media owners have varied viewpoints when it comes to DMRC.

"Train wraps might be a new addition in the Indian market but it is an acclaimed international media vehicle. Train wraps would help the authority in gaining further credibility. This new vehicle will also go a long way in helping to organise the highly unorganised outdoor sector in India. As media owners we are happy to offer the biggest moving billboard in the country to our existing & potential clients. Regular advertisers inside DMRC will now be able to showcase their brand like never before. You could visualize a "Branded Train” crisscrossing the NCR region like a giant moving billboard of 7000 sq.ft. with branding on both outside and inside six coaches conveying messages of the mother brand and all its sub brands”, said Praveen Gupta, MD, EG Communication.

Whereas Jatinder Singh, VP Sales, TDI International India has a different view-point. "The metro trains either run underground or in an elevated corridor hence their visibility to the masses travelling on road is uncertain,” he said.

DMRC has been pretty rigid with its rules and regulations. But does the prevailing loss of revenue via advertising compel DMRC to change their view? Speaking on this, Praveen shares that he surely experienced a definite positive atmosphere overall since the last few months. Countering this, Jatinder said, "Not much because price to the concessionaire by DMRC is so high that media owners are hardly able to meet break even.”

Going forward, EG Communication, which has won DMRC train wrap rights has decided to concentrate on their current addition. "Judging by our initial discussions in the market, train wraps has shown a tremendous positive response amongst the various brand heads & media planners in the market. We want to focus on ensuring the smooth implementation and execution of this project first before proposing any new inventory to DMRC”, said Praveen. On another hand, Jatinder said, "Apart from Product Displays, touch points, kiosks, Floor and stair pasting we are not planning to propose any new inventory to DMRC.”


Mumbai Metro Experience-

Times OOH, which has exclusive rights for Mumbai Metro train wrap, finds it as an impactful media. "Train wraps are amongst the most effective media display formats, since they offer colossal brand visibility for any brand, through the sheer size of the advertising space. The constant plying of the metro between stations several times a day also helps in brand recall and retention, thus increasing the frequency of visibility. Mumbai metro train wrap is a highly evolved and clutter free medium, which reaches the desired targeted audience. Also Mumbai Metro train wraps offer exclusive and effective media display opportunities. They are one of the best fitted display formats to enhance brand awareness and it provides a huge opportunity to take the brand communication to a whole new level. The immense display on one of the city's best modes of transport is a matter of pride for the brand owner, while increasing the brand salience,” shares Manish Khandelwal, VP, Revenue Head Traditional, Times OOH.

The biggest advantage of train wrap is the huge space and its huge ridership. As Manish explains, "The Mumbai metro train wrap offers various solutions to enhance any campaign proposition; maximum reach - it caters to 7 lac daily commuters, instant impact - through a display area of 6000 sq ft, high frequency, digital screens inside the train to wow the audience and of course, the latest voice integrated jingles, thus reaching all touch points for successful brand awareness. Mumbai Metro train wraps create high recall, high impact value propositions for any brand”.

Another advantage of this option is that it suffices the needs of all categories of brands. "Any brand looking to generate buzz about their campaign or launch a new product is on board with us for the train wrap. Innovative formats like train wraps are the ideal platform to take any brand communication to the next level. Few brands/categories that have come on board are Ultratech cement - the first Infra client; Jenburkt Pharma - the first Pharma client to build brand awareness; BigBasket - a Bangalore based e-commerce client; Kerala Tourism - they used the train wrap to promote the culture and beauty of God's own country; OPPO smart phones - targeting different Indian consumer segments; Oxigen - a very niche category client”, said Manish. 

Although the debate on the effectiveness of DMRC metro trains wraps continues, the industry on whole agrees that train wraps act as an excellent OOH media, which not only capture the attention of commuters but also acts as a great recall factor.
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