Metrics, creative focus will augment OOH advertising: Brand marketers

A panel discussion on the theme of ‘Why brand custodians fail to creatively use OOH – an everywhere medium?’ at OAC 2018 brought forth interesting brand perspectives on OOH advertising. The discussion was chaired by Lloyd Mathias, Independent Marketing Consultant & ex-Marketing Head, HP’s Consumer PC Business, Asia-Pac & Japan. The panel speakers were Gayatri Ojha, VP – Marketing & Corporate Communications, CSR, Total India; Ankit Desai, Head – Media & Digital Marketing India & Global Centre of Excellence, Marico Ltd; Anand Dubey, Head – Marketing, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services; and Pramod Patil, Associate VP Media, Kotak Mahindra Bank.

Mathias set the tone for the discussion by highlighting some of the concern areas like OOH not being considered as a primary medium for advertising by most brands, lack of audience measurement metrics, and the general lack of creative focus in OOH campaigns. At the same time, he cited how brands like Amul and Vodafone have demonstrated the creative use of OOH.

Commenting on the BFSI approach to OOH, Anand Dubey said that OOH is broadly seen as a reminder medium which isn’t the fault of the industry but the value chain is designed in a way that OOH isn’t there as a primary communication medium. Dubey stated that the creative brilliance is generally missing on OOH. He felt that marketers have been too focused on billboards when it comes to OOH, adding that there are so many other OOH formats available for advertising. He called for OOH to be a key part of integrated campaigns. Dubey shared that innovations have to be co-curated by the media and creative agencies alike.

Gayatri Ojha stated emphatically that Total has used OOH strategically and creatively but added that brands may not have the budgets to run OOH campaigns right through the year. She pointed to the problem of getting the right kind of sites at the right locations for campaigns.
She conveyed that marketers should take the onus of using this medium creatively as ultimately the idea glorifies the medium.

From the perspective of Kotak Mahindra Bank, one of big spending brands on OOH, Pramod Patil said that this medium builds on the belief factor. Also, OOH gives the confidence because along with digital, outdoor is a growing medium. Moreover, he reckoned that OOH is the only medium which is there consumers want it and cannot be pushed out like other mediums.