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Key events in 2012 boost Outdoor Advertising spend

Outdoor up 9.9% in Q2, 2012, driven by key events

All major site types and environments up

4th consecutive quarter of growth

Digital up 27%

The Outdoor Media Centre today announces that outdoor revenues grew 9.9% year on year in Quarter 2 to £229m (£208m in 2011). Major events such as the Diamond Jubilee and the Euro Championships contributed to that growth, as have the 2012 Games.

All major environments (transport, roadside, retail and leisure) were up year on year, as were all the major site types such as 6 sheets, 48 sheets, 96 sheets, buses, and taxis. Revenues in the digital sector continued to grow 27%, as media owners continued to invest, transforming sites in the best locations to digital. Digital now makes up 17% of the total revenue.

Top spenders in Q2 were BSkyB, Glaxosmithkline, Coca Cola, Samsung, Universal Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Molson Coors, McDonalds, Talktalk, and Unilever. All told, an additional £21m flowed into outdoor across a wide variety of categories. In addition to outdoor’s traditional strength in entertainment brands, categories which grew included telecoms, drinks, food, business and industrial, household appliances, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, online retail, and fashion.

One main driver has been the series of major public events including the Diamond Jubilee and European Championships, where outdoor has helped advertisers to associate their brands with the celebrations. “The Olympics are already having an effect on our revenues too,” says OMC’s chief exec Mike Baker. “Next quarter will be even bigger as outdoor supports the greatest visual show on earth. We are already enjoying a shoulder peak, with some of the longer term holdings like airports, liveried taxis and wrapped buses kicking in early. During the Games, around a fifth of all sites in London will be taken over by sponsors, partners and other sports related brands. Outdoor is the active space, and visual branding is the most important goal for sponsors and Games related advertisers. Everyone out on the street is thinking about the Games.”

More Information:

  • The Outdoor Media Centre is a resource centre for all those involved in the inter-media planning process. It provides data, argument, audiovisual support and proof of outdoor’s effectiveness
  • The OMC launched in January 2011, with its website at www.outdoormediacentre.org.uk. Council members are CBS Outdoor, Clear Channel, JCDecaux, and Primesight. Together the OMC’s 34 members account for more than 96% of outdoor media expenditure. In April 2012, the OMC announced a new Board tier of membership with 6 members
  • In April 2012, OMC unveiled its landmark research report The Customer Journey, outlining a key role for outdoor in influencing the customer on their path to purchase across a wide range of categories. Previous research initiatives include Public Perception of Posters (YouGov, 2011), the Last Window of Influence (Helen Harrison Associates, 2011), and Sexualised Imagery in Outdoor (Credos, 2011)
  • Outdoor is approximately 9.3% of UK display advertising. Warc’s most recent industry forecast suggests growth of +4.1%, second only to the internet, in the Olympic year 2012

Source: Outdoor Media Centre

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