"A Runway for brands "
Outdoor Today
(Vol 1, Issue 4: Jan-Mar 2003)
The
number of air travellers, across the world, is constantly increasing. Though
9/11 did have a negative impact on the numbers, the effect is not expected
to last too long.
Even in India, air travel is no longer restricted to a privileged few, what
with airlines offering attractive price packages and expanding business boundaries.
Against this backdrop, airport advertising is emerging as a preferred communications
medium for advertisers wanting to target the ABC1 or SEC A Segments. A look
at the medium and what it has to offer.
Ask
anyone about their favorite outdoor campaigns ever and chances are that Air
India's campaigns would find mention on the list, second, probably only to
Amul.
However of late, Indian airports themselves are emerging as a favorite outdoor
option for many outdoor advertisers. The Indian airport network handles an
average passenger throughput of 35 lakh every month. This adds up to a traffic
of approximately 4.2 crores annually, over 60% of which comprises the domestic
traveller. Add to this the "meeter and greeters" segment, figures
for which are not available, and the audience figures could double on even
conservative estimates.
Airport advertising in India has a significant share of the outdoor advertising
spend today.
Prem Bajaj, TDI International, the leading concessionaire for airport advertising
in the country, explains the growth of the medium, "I have been in the
business for over 17 years now and I still recall that the airport authorities
used to generate a meager amount of about Rs 30 lakh out of 120 airports available
with them. Our first bid for airports in the 4 metros itself was in the range
of Rs.50 crore as revenue annually. And airport advertising accounts for nearly
25% of the total outdoor advertising spend in the country."
The traffic that passes through the airports has been increasing quite rapidly.
According to figures from the Airports Authority of India, the total domestic
traffic in October 2002 was just over 25 lakhs, an increase of 31.9% over
the previous year.
According to Chris Bingham, Marketing Director, Primairsites, advertising
concessionaires for two of the UK's fastest growing regional airports, "One
of the main factors that has transformed airport advertising, has come from
the development of "low cost" or "no frills" airlines,
making air travel accessible to the masses. This has resulted in an exponential
growth in the numbers of people flying. As a result, advertisers look at airports
as an ideal environment to target a captive audience. The airports themselves
have looked to airport advertising as an additional revenue stream, as the
traditional source of revenue from landing charges has been reduced with low
cost airlines demanding cheaper landing charges in return for large passenger
volumes. The authorities are therefore more than willing to try new and exciting
advertising ideas that previously would not have been considered."
In India, the increase in passenger traffic in smaller towns is much higher
than in the country's major airports. This trend has the potential to draw
more outdoor spends to the concept of airport advertising. Also the increasing
"dwell times", the possibilities of an advertising message being
screened out is reduced considerably.
Says Bingham, "Audiences at airports are predominantly an ABC1 audience,
often the decision makers at work and home, making it a premium audience.
Airport advertising enables very specific targeting of passengers, like business
or consumer, by destination, by airline or even by type of ticket, like economy
or first class. Then there is the possibility of targeting by airside or landside,
which is seen by the 'meeter & greeter' audience also."
The advertising opportunities offered by Primairsites within the airport environment
includes traditional 48 & 96 sheets in the main roads around airports,
indoor light box advertising in various sizes, ticket barrier advertising,
car park ticket advertising, plasma screen advertising in both departure and
arrival lounges, product displays, baggage trolley advertising and floor &
window vinyl graphics. The company also offers other sponsorship opportunities,
ranging from complete branding of airbridges to branding particular sections
of airports like business lounges, stairwells and shuttle buses.
Bajaj explains the options available to advertisers in India. "Earlier
the medium was very disorganised. For example, earlier there were tinplates
but now we have moved on to displays that are more aesthetic. Right now we
have revolving displays, illuminated boards, pole kiosks and gantries outside
the terminals.
Within the airport complex the possibilities
are product displays, transparencies, pole kiosks and push cart or trolley
displays. The closed circuit TVs, that display flight information, are also
an extremely effective communication tool and response has been quite encouraging.
Of course, there are many innovative ideas that can be implemented, but they
can be quite expensive and given that the contract term is so short it would
be very difficult to amortize the cost of the display."
The cost of advertising in different locations within an airport can also
vary depending on dwell time. So a departure lounge would offer an advertiser
a greater dwell time than a transit area, and therefore command a better price.
So the opportunities in an airport, which enable advertisers to target their
clients are by location i.e. main concourse, departures, arrivals, transit
areas, short and main stay carparks etc. So it is a question of targeting
according to where the particular advertisement is located and tailoring the
message accordingly.
Says Bajaj, "So far as airport advertising is concerned the authorities
are very particular about the space they provide us, so one has to play within
the area. The space is allotted, the illumination points are given, the meters
are already installed, so it is very organized. For example, Indira Gandhi
International Airport, when you enter the security hold area there are only
26 sites to offer and yet target messaging is enormous. The number of people
travelling by air has grown manifold but the space is limited and so displays
are equally limited. But the exposures have increased."
So what are the new trends and technologies that are emerging within the airport
advertising segment. According to Bingham, "The technology innovations
have not been specific to outdoor airport advertising. But it seems that the
new developments appear first at airports as a kind of showcase before using
them in other locations. Often this is because the people who need to be convinced
for other applications may very well be flying in via the airport. Also, advertisers
are constantly looking at standing out from the 'visual noise'. So there has
been an increase in ambient media, ranging from large, free standing spectaculars
to walls of plasma screens."
Both Bingham and Baja are quite upbeat about the future of this medium.
According to Baja, "The future seems very promising. I think that the
corporate world has realised that outdoor media when it comes to billboards
or pole kiosks has been very disorganized with not too much accountability.
Here it is very organised."
According to Bingham, "The 'sky is the limit', if you excuse the pun.
Airport advertising will continue to offer unique opportunities of advertising
and sponsorship to reach a high quality audience."
Signing
off with a location inspired creative execution in airport advertising.
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