Ambient airport advertising shrinks as luggage tags, boarding passes become passe

With most airports first doing away with luggage tags and now boarding passes with regard to security checks, a popular airport media for brand advertising is becoming a thing of the past. Firms that hold the ad rights on this media will as a result face revenue loss.

Commenting on this development, Atin Gupta, MD, Atin OOH, said: “Advertising opportunity and revenue will be impacted undoubtedly. However, the world is ever changing where new technologies are acquiring the spaces including advertising. Therefore, boarding passes were also set to become passé”.

On the revenue loss, Atin estimated that it would run into a few crores per annum. However, he expects that the losses will be counter-balanced by acquiring new airport advertising avenues. “Even the advertising brands are looking for various new consumer engaging opportunities,” he said.

Instead of boarding passes, the security agencies are planning to introduce biometrics-powered ‘express check-in’ which could provide new advertising opportunities as well. Advertising on such a medium will be more personalized, targeting individual passengers travelling to different destinations, said Atin.

Atin OOH which is a prominent player in ambient airport advertising is exploring numerous advertising possibilities with different airlines. “We are in discussion with various airlines to come up with new-ageadvertising possibilities”, summed up Atin.