‘DOOH will soon take the centre-stage’

Enkon is one among very few media owning firms in the eastern region to invest in DOOH media. What were the typical challenges that you faced in creating and operationalsing the media?

We are operating in the digital space since 2009. Way back then we were among the first to bring in full colour LED technology in OOH space. I think Kolkata is the only city which has successfully operated LED digital media. Even the number of installations were higher compared to other Tier 1 cities. With the launch of Viewcart we are again slotted to be the first company to bring digital for in store advertising. We just need to educate the advertisers and the outdoor specialist agencies about the available opportunities in the digital space. We are confident that once the media fraternity is aware of it, selling will not be an issue at all.  

It is often said that high hardware costs are among the key factors that deter media owners from investing in DOOH. Do you agree?

Hardware costs vary based on quality and specifications. The opportunities are massive and penetration level is not so high yet, so nothing should deter media owners from exploring the digital out of home. In fact, we are spending heavily on digital advertising on shopping carts which is kind of first in India. We look at huge opportunities and with more government embargos coming up in traditional OOH space, DOOH will take the centre-stage. 

DOOH is about creating a bigger impact on the audiences. How do you ensure that your DOOH media assets stand out on the OOH landscape?

We are encouraging companies to create innovative creatives with animations, movements and making the DOOH more live.

What kind of brands prefer DOOH media, and do they advertise on this media for a longer duration? 

Brands like Berger, Titan, State Bank, speciality restaurants, Vodafone to name a few have used DOOH to promote new offers, brand campaigns, product information, etc.    

How do you manage the back-end controls of DOOH media? Is that very challenging?

All our installations are network connected operating through WAN and controlling content is not an issue. We have been doing this since 2010.

Do you have any tie-ups with overseas firms for getting the best technologies, equipment, etc?

We do have OEM DOOH technology tie ups with companies from China who are working with us since last 10 years. So they provide robust support and always update us with technologies.