Amar Ujala launches OOH wing Autdoors

Leading regional print media group Amar Ujala has ventured into the OOH industry by setting up a specialised OOH firm called Autdoors. One of the oldest publication brands in the country, Amar Ujala understands the emerging necessity of OOH advertising platform in the industry and aims to provide 360 degree advertising solution to their clients.

"We have been there in this business and operating in the metropolitan cities. However, looking at the emergence of new markets, the growing demand creation and growth in Tier II and III cities, OOH business becomes an obvious choice for advertisers and companies.  Looking at this scenario, we are offering a total solution based approach and not just providing print solutions. Hence, we are considering this need to provide 360 degree solutions with OOH business being one of the verticals in these emerging markets,” said Rajul Maheshwari, MD, Amar Ujala Publications Ltd.

The name Autdoors contains the initials of Amar Ujala to depict the basic DNA of the group.  As far as the management team is concerned, a team specialising in the OOH business has been put in place with operations in different regions with a new business head.

Autdoors will have both OOH media ownership and agency business. "This will help in increasing the scalability of the organisation. This dual approach will help in aligning the Autdoors vertical with the advertising needs of our clients,” explained Maheshwari.

"Our approach in this industry is to break the clutter by adding'newness' into this business. This newness, which we are taking about, will not be restricted to only metropolitan cities but will also be further implemented in the emerging markets,” he said.

To begin with, the group will focus on developing traditional OOH formats but in due course innovations on the digital platforms will also be taken up. The group already has a digital arm i.e. amarujala.com, focusing on delivering national and international news and analysis, business, sports, technology entertainment, lifestyle and astrology with around 183 million page views per month. Leveraging this, the brand will tap into the digital OOH opportunities.

"There is an existing base of business partners and clients who acknowledge brand Amar Ujala and its reach, which is evident from their growing spends with the group every year,” summed up Maheshswari.