Outdoor Innovations
Rob Atkinson, new UK managing director at Clear Channel Outdoor UK, reports on the latest innovations in outdoor advertising and explains how the world’s oldest advertising medium is evolving with the latest technology…
Outdoor is arguably today’s most powerful advertising medium – from the moment we set outside to the time we return home we are surrounded by inspirational and impactful advertising messages. Outdoor cannot be turned off or tuned out – it binds a fragmenting media world together, connecting with an increasingly mobile 24-hour society at every touch point.
However, although traditional outdoor continues to thrive, at Clear Channel Outdoor we are continuously looking at ways in which we can evolve our offering across all our formats.
Our most recent innovation is the launch of Clear Channel Interact, a suite of mobile services that will allow consumers to opt-in to find out more information about an advertiser, download mobile vouchers for special offers, access mobile websites or find the nearest store, gym, cinema or other desired location. All of these bespoke services will be supported by tracking and data profiling facilities for advertisers, further enhancing the accountability of specific campaigns, and the outdoor medium as a whole. Mobile technology is the perfect complement to outdoor advertising as it closes the loop by directly linking the consumer, while on the move and in a relevant environment, to the advertiser, initialising two-way communication.
Digital technology is also continuing to excite the industry and new formats will be launching throughout 2008. CBS Outdoor continues to roll-out its digital escalator panels and we await further roll-out of its cross-track projection technology, while JCDecaux has announced plans to install a number of digital roadside panels over the coming months. At Clear Channel we already have the country’s largest digital roadside LED screen in the ground and will have ten more screens in place by the end of May. We will be looking to extend this roll-out further throughout the year in London and the regions.
The future is not just about digital developments however. In 2007, Clear Channel was awarded a contract by Glasgow City Council to develop landmark architecturally designed advertising structures in gateway locations across the city. For this project, we placed the design brief with the world famous Mackintosh School of Architecture based in Glasgow to create high quality structures in tune with the local community. The winning designs will be unveiled later this year and illustrate how traditional outdoor can evolve to not only showcase strong advertising creative but enhance its surroundings.
What all these innovations, whether digital, mobile or structural, have in common is the need for the medium to continually adapt and improve to continue to capture consumers’ attention. Putting the consumer at the heart of all communication is what every media owner must do to thrive in a challenging climate and we believe out-of-home advertising is perfectly placed to engage and interact with consumers today and in the future.