Common currency, inclusive membership, collaborative ecosystem, upskilling programmes – IOAA focus areas: Pawan Bansal

Indian OOH is at the threshold of a major growth process powered by countrywide accelerated physical infrastructure development including transit infrastructure, growing investments in DOOH media, a large 900+ million active Internet user base, among others. As such, the industry size was estimated at US$ 439 million in 2022, at just 4% of the overall ad spends in the country, which leaves much headroom for the industry’s upward thrust. However, there are a set of industry challenges to be addressed before the full potential of the business can be unleased.

Pawan Bansal, Chairman of Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA) spoke about the key challenges that the apex industry body would look to address in the near term, in his address in the 2^nd World Out of Home Organization (WOO) APAC Forum, being organised in Bali, Indonesia on November 1-3. The key challenges cited were:

• Highly fragmented media ownership
• Absence of a standard policy for DOOH media
• Low industry entry barrier
• Practice of reverse bidding by media buyers resulting in commoditisation of the media
• Slow adoption of OOH audience measurement metrics
• High tax rates that impact cashflow of media operators

Pawan stated that IOAA is working toward:

• Formalisation of a common currency, in coordination with AAAI and ISA
• Inclusive industry membership drive
• Introduction of upskilling programmes in areas like DOOH
• Ushering of a collaborative environment
• Wider adoption of adtech
• Standardisation of industry terms and references.