Outdoor Advertising or OOH (Out-of-Home), the oldest form of
advertising, is still going strong. The platform has always successfully
negotiated the obstacles which have occurred in its path throughout the ages. When
we put it in the Indian context, we find a higher number of obstacles due to
various reasons. Let us look at some of the stymies which the OOH Agencies in
India have to overcome.
The first and foremost obstacle arises due to the diversity of
India. The different kinds of terrain and weather conditions, in themselves, make
a challenge out of successful implementations of OOH campaigns. It has been
found best to employ local assets who can also ensure proper maintenance throughout
the period of the campaign. Managing assets, on a pan India basis, requires a
strong network which cannot be afforded by most of the agencies.
Another problem, plaguing the Outdoor scenario in India, is
the continued presence of illegal hoardings. Apart from the dangers which they
create, illegal hoardings eat away into the revenue of the authorized Outdoor
Agencies, making their sustenance and growth a difficult affair. The fight, against
the unauthorized agencies, has been on since a long time and has recently received
a ray of hope with the Delhi high court finally ordering the immediate removal
of all illegal hoardings in Delhi.
The OOH Sector in India has to
take into account government regulations in their attempts at digitization of
the sites. The dream of complete OOH-Mobile integration cannot be completed
without convincing the authorities. Media houses have been praying to the
authorities in this regard for quite some time now.
The above are the top obstacles which are faced by Outdoor Advertising Agencies in India. However,
the media continues to provide excellent solutions to the brands even in the
face of the above obstacles.
