MUMBAI: Ad and marketing budgets were already shifting from TV to digital but the pandemic has further accelerated the process. Broadcasters were mindful about allocating their money towards TV promotions; as revenue inflow slowed mid-2020, TV channels refrained from making a splash on out of home (OOH) and print medium, instead relying on network strength and digital platforms to create buzz about programmes.

But with the business gradually recovering to pre-Covid2019 levels, it finally seems there is light at the end of the tunnel for advertisers. As was the norm before, TV channels have now started promoting their shows on outdoor mediums. In order to drum up interest and garner higher TRPs during prime time, Colors has rolled out an OOH campaign for its new fiction offering Bawara Dil, an adaptation of its Marathi sister channel’s ongoing popular show Jeev Zala Yeda Pisa.

Produced by Happy High Creations, Bawara Dil is powered by Rajdhani Besan, Nirma Advance Detergent and MDH Kesar and set to premiere on 22 February. For its marquee property Dance Deewane, Colors is looking at OOH plan in Mumbai and Delhi showcasing the reality show’s celebrity judges Madhuri Dixit Nene, Tushar Kalia, Dharmesh Yelande, and host Raghav Juyal.

A recent WARC report forecasts that globally, OOH will be the second-fastest growing medium in 2021, with ad spend rising by a fifth (20.2 per cent). Media planners (who don’t want to be quoted) shared that 2021 will be a watershed year for the OOH space. After vanishing practically overnight during the lockdown, the industry will rise phoenix-like and clock an aggressive growth rate.

The demand for OOH advertising has picked up considerably in the last few months, which is surely a sign of revival. Colors has always been bullish on outdoor campaigns, especially for its tentpole properties like Khatron Ke Khiladi, Bigg Boss and other new launches. Similar to Colors, other GECs will also put in their money in marketing campaigns, predicted marketers.

2020 was a difficult year for the television broadcast space, courtesy the Covid2019 pandemic. Every genre struggled hard to ensure saliency in terms of content generation and maintaining ad volumes. In the early days of the lockdown, GECs were hit the hardest because production schedules were canned and there was no fresh content. They were forced to rerun old episodes of popular shows and were unable to create film anything until the Unlock phase started, that too under strict guidelines. But with relaxations given by the government, there has been a slight improvement.

“Every season has its lipstick trend and just because your perfect colour is a pinky beige, that doesn’t mean you can’t wear deep burgundy.” This quote by Bobby Brown clearly summarises the industry.

With shopping malls, gyms and other spaces opening up, media experts are optimistic that categories including the entertainment industry, pharmaceuticals, online services, educational institutions and real estate will revive and avail OOH services.

Despite the growth and positive market sentiment, advertisers believe it is too soon to predict anything as to how many channels will opt for OOH mediums. Unlike television channels, OTT platforms are extensively using outdoor campaigns. 

While speaking to a news publication, Laqshya Media Group CEO Atul Shrivastava stated that the unique suitability of OOH for digital platforms has received a lot of business and academic attention – and he expects a lot of the ‘conventional' brands to learn from the experience of OTT platforms.