UP talks OOH, in depth and in style

The third edition of Talks OOH held in Lucknow on November 15 kicked off to a great start with participation and enthusiasm from the entire industry. A single day conference was inaugurated by Shree Prakash Singh. Special Secretary Urban Development Department, Uttar Pradesh, Vishal Bhardwaj, P.C.S, Additional Municipal Commissioner Lucknow, Pawan Bansal, COO, Jagran Engage and Vasant Jante, Owner and Publisher- VJ Media Works. The media owners from entire UP made their presence at the forum to discuss various issues prevailing in UP's OOH industry and look at the way ahead. The event also saw participation from agencies and national and as well as local brands.
 

The day began with a keynote address by Shree Prakash Singh, Special Secretary Urban Development Department, Uttar Pradesh. The minister shared his vision for UP's OOH industry, the plans, the emerging rules and regulations, the issues and the way forward for the out-of-home industry. He also answered queries posed by the media owners who were present. Following him was Vishal Bhardwaj, P.C.S, Additional Municipal Commissioner - Lucknow, who drove home some important points regarding the OOH industry in the state. He spoke about creating a successful partnership with the outdoor media in Lucknow and emphasized on the need to bring in more transparency in the industry and also on enhancing the city's aesthetics through the medium.
 
The event also saw brands active on the OOH medium in the state sharing their experience with the outdoor medium. Shalimar Corp Limited -- Lucknow, Dainik Jagran and Ambalika Institute of Management & Technology, were some of the brands which presented their views, requirements and the challenges in the outdoor medium which needed to be addressed on an immediate basis, according to them. The brands also expressed their support towards the media owners and agencies in accelerating the OOH industry's growth and development.
 
To discuss and highlight the agency's role in Tier II and III cities, Raj Mohanty, VP, Kinetic India shared his views on how agencies had brought about change in the industry and how the media owners have been benefited by this. He also threw up a few suggestions for a smooth functioning of media owners and agencies. Indrajit Sen, Executive Director, Indian Outdoor Advertising Association further showcased how the association had aided the industry in resolving issues and invited UP's media owners to join them to resolve their own issues and ensure their businesses.
 



The session ended with a panel discussion on who should take the responsibility of removing clutter from this industry. The session was moderated by Pankaj Sharma, Founder, Valentia and the panelists were invited from different segments of the state and some interesting and thought provoking points emerged which also facilitated interesting interactions with the audience.