All about: 3D OOH installations arrive

Look around a busy traffic junction, and a three-dimensional installation in place of flat hoarding is a common sight. Be it Colors for its show ‘24’ or Star Plus for ‘Mahabharat’, takers are many.

The OOH space in India is pegged at Rs 1,823 (2012) according to a FICCI-KPMG report on the media and entertainment sectors released in March 2013 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.39 per cent up to 2017. Such innovations are expected to be an integral part of this growth.

Marketing practitioners believe that brands need to undertake innovations so as to stand out in the increasingly cluttered OOH space. Anuradha Aggarwal, senior VP, brand and consumer insights, Vodafone India, explains, “It is essential for companies to plan their campaigns smartly in order to ensure the brand stands out of clutter and makes a mark. Over the years, there has been an increase in the number of brands that are willing to invest in and explore OOH innovations such as 3D installations.”

Rajesh Iyer, head - marketing, Colors, concurs, “OOH innovations have always been a marketer’s weapon and have been used by brands across product categories. Clutter-breaking innovations help drive buzz, build brand recall and also brings alive the concept of the show in case of a GEC. The right innovation can give a fillip to one’s campaign.”

1. Effectiveness Involving an element of novelty, the three-dimensional installations are believed to be more effective in grabbing eye balls than plain two-dimensional hoardings. Pratap Bose, chief operating officer, DDB Mudra Group, explains, “Generally, we are used to seeing flat 2D surfaces. So anything that is interesting manages to grab attention instantaneously. Further, in the entire universe of outdoor hoardings, the three-dimensional ones account for less than five per cent. They definitely stand out and I believe that such installations are at least three times more effective than plain hoardings.”

Such installations are finding takers not just from TV channels looking to create instant and timely impact for show launches, but are being used by brands across categories - from online classifieds portals (OLX.in) to sports accessories (Reebok) to telcos (Vodafone and Tata Docomo).

2. Cost While there are takers, it is interesting to note that these installations can be twice - or 10 times - as expensive. Shashi Sinha, senior VP, revenue– media assets and airports, Laqshya Media, reasons, “On an average one has to pay nearly double the cost of 2D hoardings. However at times, depending on the creatives, the cost may be ten times more than a regular hoarding. It is very expensive to make, therefore hoardings are generally taken for a longer term so as to amortize the initial cost that goes into making them.”

Though these installations are seen across the country, practitioners believe that they are far more popular in the metros and especially so in Mumbai. Factors such as CPT (Cost Per Thousand), MII (Media Intensity Index - reach of media in the city) and MPV (Market Potential Value - population of the city) are taken into account while deciding on the location of such installations.

Sinha explains that upon studying MPV, MII and CPT, clients and agencies are more inclined to investing their money (on such innovations) in metros, instead of smaller cities.

3. Future Marketers believe the number of the 3D hoardings is on the rise with more innovations in the pipeline. Iyer says, “Going forward, we can expect to see more installations… However, the race will be to grab eyeballs through smarter innovations.”

Bose sees the need for creative people to pay attention to creating specifically for the medium. He adds, “I believe that if more clients look at and use outdoor as a medium and not adapt print creatives onto outdoor, then yes, you will see more of 3D imaging. Thus, creative agencies need to treat the medium far more seriously.”

A likely outcome of the increase could be in the form of viewer fatigue, when the ‘innovation’ becomes the norm. Common sighting of 3D hoardings would take away from its novelty, caution some like Sinha. He surmises, “These installations amaze a viewer and because of that it catches the attention of people. I feel that if they become a trend then it will lose its appeal.”
But that, say others, is still some time away.

What it means…

• Innovation helps break the clutter
• Increases number of eye balls
• 2X to 10X the cost of 2D hoardings
• Data analysis points to better RoI in metros
• Too many brands opting for it could lead to viewer fatigue

The article appeared in the issue of Campaign India dated 18 October, 2013