‘OOH is not optional’: Arkade Developers on building trust and recall in Real Estate

For Arkade Developers, building and sustaining brand visibility is far from a campaign afterthought—it is the very bedrock of their entire marketing strategy. In the highly competitive and trust-dependent real estate sector, where the purchase cycle often stretches over many years, the brand has consciously established Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising as the central, non-negotiable pillar of its outreach efforts. Arpit Jain, Director at Arkade Developers, shares his candid insights on why this traditional medium has become utterly indispensable, not just for the real estate category as a whole, but specifically for establishing and reinforcing the confidence buyers need in the Arkade brand. 

OOH: The Foundation of Trust and Recall 

Arpit Jain is unequivocal about the medium’s necessity, stating plainly, “For us OOH is not optional, it’s essential.” He detailed the crucial role OOH plays in their long-term strategy. “Out-of-home is very pivotal for our overall marketing and brand building strategy,” Arpit explained in an exclusive conversation. “In real estate, the life cycle of a product is very high as compared to other products. There has to be an element of trust and visibility throughout that phase.” 

Arkade ensures OOH is seamlessly integrated across all phases of the marketing cycle, from a project’s initial launch to its long-term sustenance. “People plan campaigns according to quarters, and during festive seasons or launch activations as well as sustenance, we make sure outdoor hoardings are part of the mix,” Arpit noted. This constant, physical presence serves a dual purpose: it promotes the project while simultaneously providing reassurance to both existing customers and potential buyers. “There are two audiences: one who is already booked and one who is planning to book. Both of these audiences get reassurance when they see our hoardings. This constant visibility and recall act as reassurance for the home buyer,” he emphasized. 

Balancing the Media Mix: OOH as the Bridge 

While Arkade employs a 360° marketing approach that efficiently blends digital, print, and outdoor media, OOH acts as the crucial bridging element, guiding the prospect along their purchasing journey. Arpit described this integrated strategy in practice: “We prepare an artificial journey for a client. He reads the paper in the morning, then he goes out to his office and sees the hoardings. At the end of the day, he may type in digitally and search the brand that he saw. That is how we target the audience.” 

Within this media ecosystem, the outdoor element possesses significant power because it is ever-present in the buyer’s routine, reinforcing messages from other channels and creating the strongest opportunity for top-of-mind recall. 

Strategic Investment: Metro Naming Rights 

The brand’s commitment to OOH is underscored by its significant recent investment: acquiring the naming rights for the Bangur Nagar Metro Station in Goregaon, Mumbai. This move was strategic, leveraging the city’s rapidly expanding public transit infrastructure. “The metro planning in Mumbai is turning out to be very positive. We wanted to be a part of this journey,” Arpit shared. 

The choice of station was deliberate and data-driven, aligning with market strength. “We chose Goregaon-Malad micro market because historically it has been very good for us. In Bangur Nagar, we also have a couple of projects. So when people hear Arkade Bangur Nagar, it should give strong brand recall.” This high-impact branding, along with exploration into station-based activations, demonstrates their belief that OOH is key to generating strong recall in a high-value market. This conviction is clearly supported by their budget allocation: “Roughly 30–35% of our marketing budget goes into out-of-home. That shows our belief in OOH. It’s a very critical medium.” 

Measuring the ‘Tricky’ Impact 

Arkade recognizes that measuring the direct attribution of outdoor media in the complex real estate sales funnel can be challenging. However, they rely on clear performance indicators to assess its effectiveness. “It’s tricky to identify the direct role of outdoor hoardings,” Arpit admitted, “But when we run a digital campaign without outdoor versus with outdoor live, we see the difference.” 

The reliable indicators of OOH success include a measurable uplift in search volumes and inquiries, with numerous prospects citing the hoarding as a touchpoint. “That’s where you get the assurance that outdoor is working,” he concluded, emphasizing that this repeatable uplift makes OOH indispensable in their campaigns. 

As Arkade explores expansion into new markets like Thane, OOH will remain the fundamental, non-negotiable component of their marketing arsenal. “It creates a strong recall value. For us, OOH is not optional, it’s essential.”