Transport Advertising: Benefits.
We all know that many people use public transport in our daily commutes or to travel in their free time, and we know advertising on public transportation is one of the most effective marketing strategies because in a captive environment, adverts are unmissable.
According to Neilson research, OOH is the most effective medium for generating online traffic as a whole.
Transport advertisements are also successful at reaching large numbers of people as they increase brand recognition and awareness among the targeted audience. In a study by Outsmart and Top Media, people recall ads they see within 30 minutes of going into a store which shows how effective transport advertisements can be- if they’re on the customer’s journey to shop.
It also goes without saying that public transport covers many areas and travels far. In the UK, data suggests that over 90% of the UK population live within 5 minutes of a bus route.
When you watch a double decker bus driving down the street with the most colourful ads, it’s highly likely you’re going to pay attention to it. And unlike stationary billboards, transport advertising travels from place to place ensuring a mass reach.
Here are some more detailed advantages of transport advertising:
Exposure. Long length of exposure to an ad is one major advantage of transport formats. The average ride on mass transport is 45 minutes, allowing for plenty of exposure time. As with airport goers, this audience is essentially a captive one as mentioned above, with nowhere else to go and nothing much to do. As a result, riders are likely to read the ads—more than once. A second form of exposure transport advertising provides is the number of people exposed. In numbers: About 9 million people ride mass transport every week, and over 9.4 billion rides were taken in 2001, providing a substantial number of potential viewers.
Frequency. Because our daily routines are standard, those who ride buses, trains and trams are exposed to the ads repeatedly. Transport advertising means your advert has more than one chance to capture attention. If you rode the same bus to work and back every day, in one month you would have the opportunity to see an ad 20 to 40 times. The locations of station and shelter signs also afford high frequency of exposure.
Timeliness. Many shoppers travel to shops using public transport which means an ad promoting a product or service at a particular shopping area could be a very timely communication.
Geographic selectivity. For local advertisers in particular, transport advertising provides an opportunity to reach a very select segment of the population. A purchase of a location in a certain neighbourhood will lead to exposure to people of specific ethnic backgrounds, demographic characteristics, and so on.
Cost. Transport advertising tends to be one of the least expensive media in terms of both absolute and relative costs.
As a result of all these things, transport advertising is an excellent way for marketers to advertise on transport , and no doubt public transportation is here to stay.