Bengaluru OOH Association takes strong stance to ensure strictest self-regulation, reposes unalloyed faith in New Ad Rules

Even as large format OOH media operators in Bengaluru await the impending BBMP go-ahead for re-introducing hoarding and billboard advertising in the city -- following Karnataka Government’s Urban Development Department (UDD) notification of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Advertisement Rules, 2021 for its incorporation in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Act, 2020 (Karnataka Act No. 53 Of 2020) -- the Outdoor Advertising Association of Bangalore is determined to ensure that the OOH business is well regulated by all its constituents.

Speaking to Media4Growth, Manmohan Singh, Secretary of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Bangalore explained that the New Ad Rules require all authorised outdoor media falling within the jurisdiction of BBMP to be listed on the urban local body’s website. Media assets not featuring on the BBMP website will thus be clearly identified as unauthorised and therefore lose their commercial value, as advertisers and buyers would not be inclined to have those media assets included in their respective advertising plans.

The Outdoor Advertising Association of Bangalore plans to feature the same list of authorised media on its own website, and also issue an RFID tag or a Code to all permitted media listed on the BBMP register.

Manmohan Singh said the regional association seeks to reach out to the Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA) and the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) to prevail upon the advertisers to use only authorised OOH media in the city of Bengaluru. ”We also plan to write directly to clients on this matter,” he said.

The New Ad Rules recommend instituting a Regulatory Committee with due representation of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Bangalore. “This will help in immediately placing on record any illegal media,” added Manmohan Singh.

He stated emphatically that the media format sizes provided in the New Rules are optimal and members of the Association have taken a firm resolve not to deviate from the prescribed norms at any cost.