Out of London out of home: the best sites

There’s no denying it, when we talk about media we too often talk about the Big Smoke. Yes, the capital boasts a raft of exciting outdoor advertising inventory but good sites, which offer impact, audience and location are not the sole preserve of London.

Regional assets are not only inspiring, they offer some great options canny advertisers should be aware of. We asked out-of-home specialists to tell us what they thought the best sites were. Here are the results.

Royal York Hotel, Old Steine, Brighton
Site Contractor: Viva Banners

Brighton is famed as being loud and proud and this site fits right in with that. This piece of Viva inventory is the only banner in the city and looms over the main section of the A23.

All traffic going in and out of the city passes it and it is hard to see how anyone visiting Brighton would miss it, not least of all as it stands 14 x 12 metres. Whilst it would be a stretch to claim that this is an attraction in itself, the site, which is on the side of the Royal York Hotel, enables brands to reign over commuters; it is even visible from the Brighton Wheel.

Name: The Big 2, M8, Glasgow
Site Contractor: Forrest Media

Scotland has been centre-stage this year and its stay in the limelight should continue until at least November, when the MTV Awards hit town. Scotland’s leading OOH inventory owner, Forrest Media, has responded to this attention in a big way – literally. Last month saw the launch of the ‘Big 2’ site, located on the M8, Glasgow’s busiest road. This is already Scotland’s premier advertising site, towering over 12 lanes of traffic and visible to 300,000 people daily. For fans of disruption, the skyline rarely gets more imposed on than this.

Name: The Screen @ The Bullring, Birmingham
Site Contractor: Ocean Outdoor

The Bullring in Birmingham is famous – not always for the right reasons – but it offers an impressive advertising platform. As one of the UK’s leading shopping locations, with over 40 million visitors annually it makes for prime territory. The site’s elevated position above Birmingham’s slow moving traffic means drivers have the chance to experience digital screening which includes 6-10 seconds of image rotation. Perfect for targeting rush-hour drivers.

Name: The Expressway Domination, Glasgow
Site Contractor: Forrest Media

Forrest Media’s second Glasgow site on this list is an OOH spectacular, most notable for its impressive lighting. Located on the embankment of the Expressway in Glasgow, this magnificent V-shaped, back-lit tower is set on over an acre of featured landscape.

Due to the use of LED lighting in the back-light and surrounding area, the entire advertising site can be tailored to the colours of the brands campaign. With impacts of 1.75 million per fortnight, this is another site which enables brands to dominate in the Scottish market.

Name: 104 Commercial Road, Portsmouth
Site Contractor: Maxx Media

Maxx Media is a group which understands the need to remain ahead of the curve and nothing demonstrates this like its site at Commercial Road in Portsmouth. This may not be one of the most glamorous or largest regional locations but it is highly effective, not just for its location but for how it is managed.

Positioned directly opposite Portsmouth’s Mainline Station, this site targets commuters, shoppers and visitors travelling into the city centre. This piece of inventory is a digital screen that can be bought for as little as 60 seconds and booked in advance as little as two hours ahead.

Name: Glasgow West George Street, Glasgow City Centre
Site Contractor: Viva Banners

This is a site that cannot be ignored. Viva Banner’s 300 sqm offering is a great location from which to target commuters, tourists and shoppers.

Located in the heart of Glasgow City Centre, the appeal of this site is, quite simply, footfall. 20 million passengers pass through the near-by Glasgow Queen Street Station each year and, being placed just 100 hundred yards from Glasgow’s leading shopping district and tourist centre, this 30 x 10 metre tall banner is hard for anyone to miss.

Name: Newcastle Central CityScreen, Newcastle
Site Contractor: Forrest Media

Just shy of three million motorists pass the Newcastle CityScreen each day. This is the largest digital screen in the north-east of England, measuring at 14m x 3.5m and targeting traffic travelling in and out of Newcastle City Centre.

This marked another significant venture south of the border for Forrest Media, which are not only Scotland’s leading OOH operator; it is also its greenest. The company generates all the energy it uses to power its inventory itself, using hydro-electricity.

Name: CityScreen, Edinburgh Gateway, Edinburgh
Site Contractor: Forrest Media

The Edinburgh Gateway is Scotland’s largest digital screen and sits on the Western Approach, leading to the city centre as well as Edinburgh’s busiest supermarket and legendary Murrayfield Stadium. This screen is vast – 80 square meters – and has an audience reach to match, with impacts of up to 1.72 million per fortnight.

Did we miss something? Do you hate the list? Get in touch with your own out of home London submissions.