'The outdoor will work for you if it is used smartly and creatively'

Tata DOCOMO has maintains a sizeable presence in the outdoor spectrum since its launch in mid-2009. Over the last one year, the brand has run several high-decibel OOH campaigns in all key markets where it debuted.  Abdul Khan, Advisor to the MD and head - GSM marketing, Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd, maintains that OOH advertising is integral to brand's communication strategy. In an interview to network2media's Rajiv Raghunath & Neha Nagpal, Khan says that OOH can work as a lead medium for major promotions. An alumnus of IIT (Kharagpur) and IIM (Ahmedabad), he has over 20 years of experience in brand marketing and advertising. Excerpts:

 

OOH is a proven platform for food chains to reach out to their target groups. McDonald's India has re-entered the domain after a 7-8 year hiatus. The brand recently launched a two-city (Mumbai & Bangalore) OOH campaign to promote its 'Value Price Menu'. Plans are afoot to take this campaign to several more cities.  Rameet Arora, senior director - marketing, McDonald's India (West and South), talks about the brand's view of OOH and shares his particular views on the efficacy of the medium in an interview to network2media's Rajiv Raghunath. Arora was earlier head - marketing, Colors. Excerpts:

'Kerala OOH market is not confined to key cities'

Kerala makes an interesting case of a state where the outdoor media is not limited to the key cities. The small towns are just as attractive for the advertising brands given the demographics of the state. Hence, while the geographical area of the state is relatively small, the target group for any advertising brand is significantly large. Varghese Thomas, CEO, Century Communications & CMD, Screenery, talks about the OOH opportunities in Kerala and the growth experience of his OOH firms, in conversation with network2media's Rajiv Raghunath. Thomas is also general secretary of the Kerala Advertising Industries Association (KAIA) and a Board member of the Kerala Chamber of Commerce. Excerpts from the interview:

'More brands and product categories are now advertising on OOH'

Aaren Initiative Outdoor Advertising Pvt Ltd, the outdoor media arm of the Lintas Media group, is one of the foremost OOH firms in the country. Over the years, since its formation in 2000, the OOH firm has handled some of the best known brands like Hindustan Lever, Nokia, Sony, Tata Capital, HCC, Jockey, Future Group, Mont Blanc, Big Bazaar, Kingfisher, Raymond, CNN IBN, et al. Aaren Initiative uses its own proprietary media tools, namely, Ad View, Ad Vigil, AIPT and AIMS to create the right value proposition for its advertising clientele. Vivek Lakhwara, CEO, Aaren Initiative, talks about the firm's growth experience in an interview to network2media's Rajiv Raghunath. Excerpts:

DS Mittle & Sons has been operating in niche outdoor advertising segments for five decades now, with primary focus on the Mumbai market. The firm has been closely associated with Indian Railways on the advertising front, apart from various engagements in the electronic media. The firm holds a dominant position in the area of full train painting. At one time, it also held exclusive rights on six back-to-back stations from Matunga to Vile Parle. More recently, DS Mittle & Sons acquired four premium unipoles at NSCI Worli that hold significant advertising value. Devesh Mittle, managing partner, DS Mittle & Sons, talks about the industry trends and his company's growth plan in an interview to network2media's Rajiv Raghunath. Excerpts: