‘Cape Town successfully balances outdoor signage expansion with preservation of city’s natural and cultural heritage’

Ald. Andrews, Deputy Mayor of the city of Cape Town, South Africa in his special address to the 1^st World Out of Home Organization (WOO) Forum organised in Cape Town this week spoke the pivotal role of OOH in reshaping cityscapes and fostering economic prosperity throughout the continent.

Welcoming the OOH leaders to the Mother City, Ald. Andrews said the choice of Cape Town as the host city for the 1^st in-person WOO Africa Forum underscored the city’s significance as a vibrant urban centre with a diverse cultural heritage and picturesque landscapes.

Ald. Andrews drew the OOH leaders’ attention to Cape Town’s progressive approach in balancing OOH advertising expansion with the preservation of the city’s natural and cultural heritage, innovation potential and job creation. The city’s revised outdoor advertising bylaws, aligned with national standards, showcases the city’s commitment to sustainable growth in the OOH sector.

Ald. Andrews presented positive statistics on the South African outdoor advertising market while citing steady growth at a CAGR of 2.4% from 2021 to 2025. According to a PricewaterCoopers report, outdoor advertising in South Africa reaches nearly every adult with a massive weekly exposure of 9%.

Ald. Andrews emphasised the need for collaborative efforts to navigate the evolving landscape of OOH advertising, and noted that the WOO Forum serves as a platform for discussions on harnessing new trends and technologies, advocating for supportive policies, and sharing innovative practices to enhance the impact of OOH advertising.

He highlighted Cape Town’s success in OOH advertising regulation over the past two decades as a model for other South African cities to adopt. He credited the city of Cape Town as a trendsetter, influencing other metros like Johannesburg.

The session concluded with Ald. Andrews exhorting individuals, businesses, and institutions to make bold moves in response to the shared future of the OOH sector. He underscored the importance of leveraging collective knowledge to positively impact households, cities, and the continent.