The value of the Irish OOH market grew by 10% in the first half of 2016, according to new research PML Group.
According to PML, Q2 of 2016 saw OOH register its fifth consecutive quarter of growth and the specialist agency expect 2016 to be the busiest on the medium since 2007.
The upturn for the medium has been quick and steep and is attributable to a number of factors including improved quality of plant, an expanding portfolio of advertising opportunities within the sector (particularly on the digital side), and highly competitive advertising categories such as telecoms and supermarkets who use the medium extensively.
In its second quarterly Posterwatch review of 2016, PML Group also highlights how the audience for OOH is growing. Public transport figures are on the rise again. Recent figures indicate traffic congestion in Dublin is among the worst in Europe. Networks have been established or enhanced in recent times to reach more and more people as they go about commuting, working, shopping and socialising.
Increased flexibility with regard to buying OOH is an added attraction for advertisers. Digital screens now outnumber traditional 48 Sheet billboards and these formats offer opportunities to get on OOH at shorter notice and for periods outside the traditional two week OOH cycle.
According to Colum Harmon, marketing director at PML Group, “digital OOH is helping drive this increase to a large extent but other classic OOH formats that have performed well in the first half of 2016 include transport formats such as bus externals and Luas advertising and large formats such as Commuter Squares, Metropoles and Golden Squares.
“Advertisers have a huge choice of formats in relevant locations and are taking advantage of both the digital and classic elements of Out of Home. Our post-campaign research also indicates Out of Home is working well for our clients.’
He says that the top three advertisers for year to date are the same as Q1, although McDonald’s and Diageo have swapped places, with the Guinness producer now number one on the list. Sky completes the top three. The retail sector is the largest single sector of advertising on OOH so far in 2016. Apart from the supermarkets, which account for around 50% of retail investment, other significant retailers on the medium include Life Style Sports, IKEA and Arnotts.
