Industry Speak

OOH reinforces both impact and recall

"I think outdoor is the only medium where the brands get full control of the ad space."

OOH is a proven platform for brands to reach out to their target groups. Zoho has etched indelible impressions in the Indian outdoor domain with some of the most spectacular campaigns. Mohammed Raffic Aslam Ibrahim, Creative director, Zoho, takes us through the brand's experience in outdoor advertising in a tete-a-tete with allaboutoutdoor.com.

How important is the outdoor medium for Zoho in connecting with consumers? Has Out-of-Home become more significant in the last 3-5years?

As long as people are commuting to work and the city roads are witnessing chock-a-block traffic, outdoor medium is going to be very crucial :) Jokes aside, I think outdoor is the only medium where the brands get full control of the ad space. When strategically placed in key areas, it reinforces both impact and recall. OOH has turned out to be one of the most cost-efficient mediums for us. We will continue to invest more in OOH in the coming years.

How do you differentiate Zoho from the competition?

We are a private company that has been profitable for 20 odd years. ​ I think this explains everything about how we hire people, build products and support our customers.

Elaborate on your best OOH campaign. How did you measure the performance among your audience?

The recent one is our best, primarily because of the edgy creative that is complimented well by great spots. Credit goes to my creative and media team. 

How do you see OOH Media evolving in future? What are the top 5 trends do you foresee for 2020?

The future of OOH will be completely digital. We are seeing this change already in a few places in India. Though this is inevitable I am not in favour of this trend as what makes billboards most effective is the longevity and continued visibility for a brand's communication. Digitization will mean we share space with multiple brands. We will have to wait and see how the industry responds to these challenges.

Which markets are most crucial to you in terms of marketing?

8 metros have been our primary crucial markets, so far. But we are also seeing good traction from Tier 2 cities like Pune, Ahmedabad and Coimbatore. Since the majority of the businesses are looking for efficient ways to run their business.

Unified OOH communication is a big challenge, so how are you measuring your OOH campaigns and their effectiveness? 

Completely agree that it is a challenge and we have learned from experience that to take this challenge head-on our creatives need to distinctly stand out. Our efforts are directed at planning and creative iterations that helps in reducing our stress over data during post-evaluation.

What are some of the biggest OOH media lessons you’ve learned during the past couple of years?

As clichéd as it sounds, the right spot and the creative edge is the key. The creative must have an edge to it with bold fonts with contrasting colours and a location that does justice to it.   

Interview by: Aarti Pahwa