WHILE the industry of outdoor media business was badly affected by the pandemic, advertising solutions group HDI Admix is optimistic that more brands will gradually return to outdoor media advertising as many people, having learned to adapt to the new normal, start to go out.
Raoul Buencuchillo, president at HDI Admix, said in an interview the group had to be agile, find ways to remain relevant, and rethink its business. During these times of face masks and shields and social distancing, he advised to forget about competition, help one another, and ensure the industry would survive and thrive.
“We launched the cross-sellership program that can benefit all of us,” Buencuchillo said.
“They help us sell our sites, and we help them sell theirs.” This initiative will help keep the industry afloat and eventually recover.
Aside from partnering with other industry players, the group also launched an independent sales agent program to help those who need additional financial sources.
Buencuchillo pointed out the group does not expect to recover in a snap, but the trend is surely going up. “Brands started approaching us again, and we should see more sites being occupied as many brands noticed that more people are on the road,” he said.
He noted some of the advertising channel trends which may be useful and applicable for this year’s campaigns.
Out-of-home (OOH) advertising will turn out to be a more personal platform, he said, as people are now attracted to the idea of putting their personal messages on billboards particularly for fan groups.
Jeepney ad is likewise a perfect channel for brands which opt to communicate more specific messages to their target audience. “If you have a really creative idea, you can play with the execution of this new platform,” Buencuchillo said.
Brands need not miss the chance to capture the attention of potential customers once they put their mobile phones down. Create a good journey for customers wherein the brand is present and is constantly communicating with them in every possible touchpoint, Buencuchillo said.
The audience’s pandemic-caused complex lifestyle was the reason why the group re-crafted its offerings as well as launched its multi-touchpoint plan, which allows the brands to stand out in different customer touchpoints — from mobile/socials ads as they wake-up and transit ads as they head to work, to the waiting sheds leading to their point of purchase.
With the multi-touchpoint plan, clients can expect a more channel-strategic recommendation.
“Today, brands are no longer asked to choose their advertising channels; the question we ask them is their budget allocation for each channel,” Buencuchillo stressed.
“Our goal now is not only to sell OOH platforms but also to craft a channel strategy,” he added, which will help clients take advantage of the current situation to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
