What will spur growth for Ahmedabad OOH? Industry players share their take

Ahmedabad’s out-of-home (OOH) market is steadily expanding, backed by consistent advertiser demand and a growing mix of categories. However, the region continues to operate within structural limitations, particularly around premium inventory and digital adoption, making it a market that is evolving in layers rather than undergoing rapid transformation. 

Across industry players, the consensus is clear: while demand is strong, infrastructure and policy are still catching up. 

Sanjay Raval, Director at Sitemax Media

Demand rises, but premium inventory remains limited 

Sanjay Raval, Director at Sitemax Media, describes the market as active and growing, with increasing participation from brands. However, this demand is heavily concentrated in a few high-visibility corridors. 

“The market is good. Growth is happening, and there are many brands,” Sanjay says, pointing to stretches like SG Highway where inventory is already saturated. With multiple advertisers competing for the same premium sites, the pressure on static formats is becoming evident. 

Echoing this, Saket Shah, Managing Director at Kaushik Outdoor, notes that while inventory quality has improved over the past few years, “the ecosystem remains largely driven by conventional hoardings”, with gradual upgrades rather than large-scale transformation. 

This imbalance between demand and supply is now pushing the market to explore more flexible formats. 

Saket Shah, Managing Director at Kaushik Outdoor

LED growth driven by necessity, not ecosystem maturity 

As inventory pressure increases, digital formats, particularly LEDs, are emerging as a practical solution. 

“At a junction, if there are four unipoles and none are available, but everyone wants that spot, what do you do? You convert it into LED and serve multiple clients,” Sanjay explains, highlighting how digital enables higher utilisation of prime locations. 

However, DOOH adoption in Ahmedabad remains significantly behind metro markets. Shivani Nijhawan, Business Head – Gujarat & UP at Coral Media, attributes this to a mix of regulatory, financial and ecosystem challenges. 

“The gap is not because of one single factor, it’s a combination of regulation, cost, demand and ecosystem limitations,” she says. “Most advertisers here are still tactical and cost-driven. They prefer static media.” 

Saket reinforces this, pointing out that while digital formats are being introduced, the high cost of infrastructure and limited advertiser appetite for premium pricing continue to slow down adoption. 

Shivani Nijhawan, Business Head – Gujarat & UP at Coral Media

Measurement improves, but remains fragmented 

Measurement and accountability are gradually improving, but are far from standardised. 

Today, media owners are offering solutions such as traffic data, geo-tagged proof-of-execution, and audience profiling. However, scalability remains a challenge due to fragmented inventory and the absence of unified frameworks. 

“Everything is local. It depends on the road, traffic and movement,” Sanjay explains, underlining how location continues to be the primary decision-making factor in the market. 

Shivani adds that while brands are increasingly asking for data, OOH in the region still operates partly on trust and long-standing relationships, unlike digital platforms where measurement is centralised and real-time. 

A hybrid future shaped by policy and infrastructure 

Despite these constraints, advertiser expectations are evolving. There is a visible shift from visibility-led planning to impact-driven communication, with brands exploring premium sites, bundled offerings and innovation-led formats. 

“OOH is moving from just visibility to impact and presence,” Shivani notes. 

Looking ahead, Ahmedabad is expected to remain a hybrid market, where premium formats such as LEDs, transit media and landmark sites grow in key corridors, while traditional hoardings continue to dominate in terms of scale and cost-efficiency. 

“Large LEDs and landmark sites will grow, but the pace will take time to match metro cities,” she adds. 

For this transition to accelerate, policy will play a critical role. Industry players highlight the need for clearer regulations, faster approvals and more standardised frameworks to support both traditional and digital growth. 

As Saket summarises, the market’s evolution will be steady rather than disruptive, built on a strong traditional base, with innovation gradually layering on top.