DAVID PUGH - managing director, Maiden Outdoor
What do you think the results Media planners and clients should have
of the updated Postar figures increased confidence in outdoor as the
on the industry will be? updated roadside cover and frequency
numbers are released and rail
campaigns are included for the first
time. This will improve further when
retail and other transport campaigns
are added by the end of 2005.
What is your most sought-after Maiden's Transvision network of LED
site? billboards at ten stations. The
locations offer high dwell-time and
the high-specification screens allow
advertisers to run innovative
campaigns that target commuters
precisely. BBC News 24 bulletins
complete the package and let us give
something back to the audience.
What do you think has been the People who don't work in outdoor tend
most innovative outdoor to ask that seeking today's equivalent
campaign this year? of Araldite sticking a car to a
billboard. For me, the most innovative
campaign has been the BBC's long-term
holding, using plain 48- and 96-sheet
billboards on road and rail sites as a
noticeboard to keep the BBC brand at
the top of the agenda and make an
appointment to view for key
programmes. No 3-D images, sounds,
smells or Bluetooth: just a fresh
creative proposition to a big audience
at the best locations every week.
How much do you think the It is fashionable to criticise
overall standard of outdoor declining creative standards, but I
campaigns needs to improve? see a much lower standard in TV,
cinema and press, where there seems to
be a phenomenal number of ads lacking
a proposition. Things go in waves, but
in my view, the number of effectively
designed outdoor campaigns is
increasing. Agencies are designing for
the medium and the number of recycled
press ads is diminishing.
What are the benefits of Outdoor can reach the parts that other
outdoor advertising compared media increasingly struggle to find.
with other media? The medium has built upon its core
strength of broadcast reach by adding
increasingly precise targeting and a
variety of new formats in new
environments that make it difficult to
miss.
What are the remaining Outdoor's growth has been based on
barriers to growth for the solid fundamentals: rising rail and
outdoor share of advertising? road audiences, investment in high-
quality poster sites and new
environments and a superior audience
measurement system. All of these
trends will continue over the next
five years.
What is your best format Maiden announced the launch of a
innovation of the year? campaign to promote new record and
film releases earlier this year.
Provisionally called "release", it
will be a back-illuminated panel for
stand-out at the main stations and
will reach the young urbanite
commuter.
How does your company differ Maiden is the only British company in
from its rivals? the top four and is entirely focused
on the UK. We have developed the
widest portfolio, spanning roadside
billboards, malls supermarkets and
rail.
What do you enjoy most about The challenge of taking on
your job? multinational competitors. Maiden is
tiny in comparison to global giants
such as Clear Channel and Viacom, so
we have to be innovative.
STEVIE SPRING - chief executive, Clear Channel UK
What do you think the results More clients being more reassured to
of the updated Postar figures book more outdoor campaigns more
on the industry will be? often. The new figures show outdoor is
delivering larger audiences - the
logical conclusion of people spending
more time outdoors and exposed to
posters. The figures also show modern
travel patterns make conurbation
campaigns even more important.
What is your most sought-after Fort Dunlop, the largest advertising
site? site in Europe, a 3,500 square-metre
canvas for creativity; the Adshel six-
sheet outside Selfridges, a prime
location on England's premier shopping
street; the Adshel Connect phone box
on Bayswater, the only opportunity to
advertise on the road; any taxi on the
Heathrow run (Enough. We only asked
for one - Ed).
What do you think has been the Dove and iPod get my vote for on-the-
most innovative outdoor street impact. But for chutzpah, I'd
campaign this year? vote Finding Nemo - all bubbling water
and bright lights. Water-filled
electric lightboxes? The impossible
takes a little longer - but see below.
How much do you think the There have always been creatives that
overall standard of outdoor use outdoor well ... equally, there
campaigns needs to improve? have always been posters that are
literally a waste of space - giant
press ads on steroids. It's a big part
of our job as media owners to raise
the median to the highest it can be.
When creative is crap and the campaign
bombs, it's our medium that gets the
blame. So the more we can help to get
short, sharp, strongly branded work up
on our sites, the more clients will
keep coming back.
What are the benefits of We offer almost universal cover (give
outdoor advertising compared or take the odd agoraphobic) - the
with other media? only truly broadcast option. We make a
public statement, seen simultaneously
by all stakeholders, past, present,
future, with no political bias or
editorial slant. Ours is not a choose-
to-see medium. We can't be switched
off, turned over or TiVo-tuned out.
We're infinitely flexible, creatively
and geographically. Outdoor delivers.
What are the remaining The biggest barrier is the threat from
barriers to growth for the further regulation. We've lost tobacco
outdoor share of advertising? and potentially face restrictions on
food, drink and God knows what else. I
have always believed that if a product
is free to sell, it should have
freedom to market.
What is your best format Taking over 18,000 (currently) BT
innovation of the year? phone boxes and launching Adshel
Connect's contravision product as a
new opportunity for great value point-
of-sale impact.
How does your company differ Emotionally, we're like Curry Motors -
from its rivals? nice people to do business with, but
driven by an "anything is possible"
ethos. Rationally, we have the
broadest portfolio of formats, ranging
from banners to tip seats.
What do you enjoy most about Well, put it the other way, there's
your job? nothing that I don't enjoy. I think I
have the best job in adland.
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