Can regulation catch up with advertiser demand in Gujarat?

Gujarat’s OOH market is developing alongside a broader expansion in real estate, retail, infrastructure and consumer activity. Rising land values, new retail developments, improving road networks, large venues and tourism are creating new opportunities for outdoor advertising, while emerging consumer categories and e-commerce are expanding the pool of potential advertisers. For Shaishav Mehta, Director & Owner, Chitra (B) Publicity Company, the market has the fundamentals for continued growth, but its development also needs closer alignment between the different parts of the ecosystem. 

Local advertisers continue to form a major part of Gujarat’s OOH business. In a market where building trust and establishing strong local recall remain important, Shaishav believes outdoor continues to offer businesses a relatively affordable and highly visible way of reaching consumers repeatedly within their own markets. Better monitoring, greater transparency and technology are also helping newer advertisers become more confident in the medium. 

This local strength is particularly relevant as Gujarat’s advertiser base expands. As businesses grow beyond their immediate markets and new categories enter the state, the expectations from OOH are also changing.  

When supply and demand don’t meet 

This is where Shaishav sees one of the key challenges for Ahmedabad’s OOH market. While size restrictions, permissions, double hoardings and unauthorised media are all part of the regulatory conversation, he believes the larger issue is the disconnect between permitted inventory and actual advertiser demand. 

“Regulations often do not sufficiently connect the supply of permitted media with what advertisers are willing to buy,” he said. A better understanding of demand and supply, he believes, could improve compliance as well as utilisation and municipal revenues. 

For media owners, the issue is therefore not simply about having more or fewer restrictions, but about creating a regulatory framework that works with the realities of the market. Shaishav believes greater consultation between authorities, media owners and advertisers can help develop policies that protect the city’s interests while allowing the OOH ecosystem to grow in a more organised manner. 

Check out the detailed article in the October issue of Outdoor Asia magazine.