“Data and measurability will bring in money for OOH”

What would it take for spends to go up on the OOH medium? The question assumes greater significance today as brand marketing evolves and the needs of marketers are driven by changing consumer trends and media consumption patterns. The use of OOH as a medium would thus need to consider these factors.

The session ‘How OOH can be a greater impact media for brands’ as part of the India Talks OOH had brand marketers sharing their take on what they expect more from the medium. The session was kick-started by Jayesh Yagnik, CEO, MOMS Outdoor Media, who set the context for the discussion that followed.  

Jayesh began by talking about the evolution of OOH from ‘Outdoor’  to Out of Home (OOH) to DOOH and now to ‘SOOH’ (solar) and set the stage for Anand Dubey, Head- Marketing, Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services.

Anand set down his ask-list as a brand marketers from the OOH medium:

1. Measurability and metrics

2. Creative brilliance

3. Environmental, Social Governance

4. Metaverse - Opportunity for OOH to be part of metaverse

Further reiterating the criticality of  measurability in OOH, he said, ”Today a CMO is not just Chief Marketing Officer, but Chief Measurability  officer. We still follow an archaic way of measuring. But look at it from a marketer’s perspective. Today we don’t talk about cost lead but cost per conversion. 

Jignesh Dawda, Vice-President - Marketing, IDFC Asset Management Company, came next and he began by drawing up some classic examples of engaging OOH, like the famous Amul campaigns, to drive home the power of OOH. “OOH establishes the brand identity and is also one of the few  mediums that also gives back to the society.“

Further emphasising the USP of OOH in comparison to other mediums, he said, “Unlike other mediums, OOH is always there.”

Further listing out the challenges inherent in the medium that were impacting the share  of the medium in the total adex he said, ”We need  standardised rate cards and syndication.”

Jaikishin Chhaproo, Head- Media and PR, ITC Ltd, in his presentation began by asking the question of whether OOH can grow and then talked about how OOH can grow and empasised the role of innovation. “Let’s bring the fun back in outdoor,”  he said.

The brand marketers were all unanimous in their view that OOH will always be part of the media mix although the form and factors may differ and the one thing that they all emphasised on was the role  of measurability and metrics for spends to go up.