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Home » Viewpoints » 'It will remain a support medium if it can't be measured'

'It will remain a support medium if it can't be measured'

By M4G Bureau - August 06, 2013

Arindam Sengupta, Head - Brand & Marcom at UNINOR, reiterates the importance of measuring the OOH medium.

Measuring the medium
Yes, it can be measured for sure. Primarily, what any marketer needs to look at are the criteria for their marketing mix and the role of OOH in it.  As of now, the confidence in the medium is challenged because of the low accountability and thus it has remained a step child. Till the time, the OOH medium can't be measured, it will continue to remain a support medium for TV and Print rather than being a prime medium. There are very few marketers who utilise OOH for brand building mechanism. For Uninor it has been one of the key mediums to build the brand locally.
 
Percentage of spend on Outdoor medium


We optimise our spends based on the market requirements. Historically outdoor has been the key medium for Uninor, whether we spend 100 rupees or two rupees.  
There are several gaps in the OOH medium. First and foremost, it is an extremely unorganised medium. Another gap is that there is not much of a benchmark to measure effectiveness of the medium. And most importantly, the whole measurement index of outdoor medium has been very fragmented. I have seen efforts from different industry bodies to come together to make it more measureable. I think once that happens, the effectiveness will be more convincing for the marketers.      
 
Preferred outdoor format


No, there is no particular preferred format. We are 360degree on OOH medium whether it is any form of format. But we select formats which are closer and more effective in the market place.  

Focus on Digital OOH


OOH medium is the primary mode to communicate for us. We are a mass market prepaid brand and a new entrant, therefore it is important for us to be absolutely sure about the medium that works for us, be it a wall painting or digital.  We don't have any prescription. It varies from the market to market.      
 
Creative agencies - Their focus or the lack of it on OOH & their creativity

I don't agree that creative agencies don't give equal preference. They definitely think about OOH medium, provided the marketing focus is to create an effective communication. There have been case studies where the brands have demonstrated success and Uninor is one of them.  I think it is a joint effort and a joint belief. Therefore, both the marketer and the creative agency need to know what are they doing. We have been successful in creating effective communications.
 
Credit issues faced by media owners 

I agree that this kind of problem exists in the industry and the root cause for this problem is the fragmented nature of the medium. It is not about who can help, but about how to make it more organised. It doesn't happen on TV, print or digital because they are much more organised. The fundamental question is why it happens only in the OOH medium. And the key reason is that the OOH medium is unorganised.
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