Global to acquire Exterion Media

Radio group Global has made a binding offer to acquire Exterion Media just weeks after snapping up fellow OOH (out-of-home) companies Primesight and Outdoor Plus in a double deal.

The purchase will help the media organisation bulk up its newly-formed OOH division, Global Outdoor.

In the UK, Exterion boasts an estimated 20% share in the sector. They hold the lucrative £1.1bn Transport for London (TfL) advertising contract for the London Underground and rail networks.

Current chief executive Leon Taviansky will transition with the business to Global Outdoor, which it has been announced will be overseen by Stephen Miron, Global’s group chief executive.

Miron said the acquisition complemented its two most recent buys.

“The incredibly positive reaction we have had to the news of our entrance into the OOH sector only reaffirms our belief and excitement about the opportunities within the outdoor market,” he said.

“Exterion has a great track record in the UK and across Europe and we look forward to working with the team to develop the business further.”

‘Heavily investing’ in digital sites

The LBC, Heart and Smooth Radio owner now has three prime OOH estates that will help it flex its muscle against giants like JCDecaux and Clear Channel.

Global previously suggested that digital OOH will become an increasingly important part of its business, saying it would “heavily invest” across Primesight and Outdoor Plus’ portfolio to up the number of digital sites it owned.

On the radio side, Global has already doubled down on programmatic with its audio exchange platform DAX.

The ‘perfect fit’

Exterion is also responsible for the OOH inventory across the other three metro systems in the UK: Newcastle, Liverpool and Glasgow.

The company claims to be the largest supplier of bus side advertising in the UK, and Global said its “transport focussed assets” would serve as a “perfect” complement to the portfolio it scooped up in the Primesight and Outdoor Plus deal, adding transport to its “existing, mostly roadside business.”

Primesight has an OOH ad estate of billboards and display panels that covers more than 35,000 sites in the UK, claiming to reach 95% of the population.

Outdoor Plus, meanwhile, owns a multitude of premium digital ad sites nationwide, especially in London where it owns the space at the Hammersmith Towers and Euston Underpass.

Global’s most recent purchase will have a far-reaching impact on the OOH industry for both competitors and brands.

Source: The Drum

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Study links long-term growth to brand characters

New research out this week from the IPA and System1 has proved the “tangible value” of creativity in brand advertising to achieve long-term growth.

Ads that use creativity in the form of brand characters or motifs are better at eliciting an emotional response and boosting brand recognition.

Yet despite this, only 10% of all TV advertising spend is currently invested on characters within ads. Despite the fact they outperform ads without them.

Furthermore, even when brands do use a character, they are not using them widely and consistently, either on TV or across other platforms. For instance, on average, only 63% of a brand’s TV ads feature their character, while only a quarter of their Facebook ads do, thus limiting their impact.

System1 conducted a tagging exercise on more than 3,250 ads airing on UK TV last year to identify ads using characters and establish the opportunities their use holds for advertisers.

The authors said that creative campaigns work better because they generate greater emotional response and establish memory structures that enable “fast and reliable” brand recognition.

The research reveals that, in the UK, 43% of all TV advertising spend is on work of an emotional quality “unlikely to contribute to long-term share growth”, with similar results in the US market.

Source: Media Tel

UK consumers wouldn’t care if 75% of ‘tired brands’ ceased to exist

New research from independent creative agency Impero has determined that the vast majority of UK consumers (70%) are more likely to avoid brands that they see as tired.

The study of 2,000 shoppers of all ages and incomes across the UK mirrors recent studies that suggest consumers wouldn’t care if up to three-quarters of brands ceased to exist.

Ben Hyde of Impero said: “Through this study, we were able to identify four pillars of brand vitality: ambition, boldness, surprise and relatability. Ambitious brands don’t follow trends, they create them; bold brands challenge the status quo and reinvent themselves; surprising brands can adapt and excite and don’t get bogged down in their own heritage; while relatable brands genuinely share the values of their target market.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, vitality is even more important to the youth. An incredible 88% of consumers aged 16-28 say they ‘probably’ or ‘definitely’ spend more with brands that are bold, surprising, ambitious and relatable

Within some industry sectors, around a quarter of higher earners are spending more than £1,000 a year with brands that are ambitious, bold, surprising or relatable, over their tired competitors.

Hyde added: “We believe fixing brand tiredness can boost profits and win back shoppers, and is a particularly effective way to engage younger consumers and higher earners, with significant sums at stake in key sectors. The good news for all brands is that 85% of respondents say they would go back to a formerly beloved brand if it revitalised itself to be ambitious, bold, surprising or relatable once again.”

Source: Media Tel

JCDecaux wins contract for the two largest UK shopping malls

JCDecaux announces that it has won the contract for the in centre advertising at Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City.

They are the premium retail, shopping and leisure destinations in London. Ranked number one and two for mall retail spend in the UK. The contract follows a competitive tender and is for a term of 8.5 years. 

They will take over the contract in November and will manage internal advertising opportunities across the two malls, comprising 180 screens in a 100% digital environment.

With the addition of Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City, their portfolio will now cover all 25 of London’s top retail zones (source CACI). Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City deliver 52 million digital weekly viewed impressions (source: Route 27).

“JCDecaux’s expertise in selling the London and international luxury audience means they are ideally placed to share our vision for the Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City advertising portfolio. JCDecaux brings the scale, digital expertise and data insight to understand our audience and to develop our offer further. This partnership with JCDecaux will give advertisers a new opportunity to reach influential and affluent audiences at multiple touchpoints in London and will benefit Westfield shoppers with relevant and engaging advertising content on the screens.”

Paul Buttigieg, Director of Commercial Partnerships, Shopping Centre Management, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield

“This win cements JCDecaux’s position as the number one in mall advertising in the UK and the leading provider of digital screens in all the major retail areas of London. Westfield centres offer a premium proposition with premium retailers and a premium audience and the new digital screens will make it a powerful proposition for advertisers and their brands.”

Jean-François Decaux, Co-Chief Executive Officer of JCDecaux

How are students are using technology?

What technologies are students using in 2018, and for what purpose?

Smartphones

Smartphones and students are more inseparable than ever in 2018, with average daily usage as high as 5.6 hours.

Across the 11,500 students asked during the UCAS Media student lifestyle there was 99% ownership  

The most popular usage (74%) is for messaging friends and family, followed by 54% usage for social media.

Just 4% of students use their smartphone for shopping.

Tablets

Tablets are yet to become a staple in the student lifestyle, owned by less than half of students.

Used just 2.6 hours per day on average, tablets appear to be more aligned to entertainment than laptops and smartphones. The most popular use was streaming video (45%), closely followed by playing games (43%). 

One key point to make is that among students who own tablets, almost a quarter use them for online shopping. Compared to the 4% who use their smartphone for the same activity.

Laptops

Laptops are owned almost as exclusively as smartphones, with 98% of students having one to hand.

While used less than smartphones – at 3.8 hours on average per day – laptops were the primary device used for online shopping.

Desktop PCs, perhaps due to being fixtures of most university libraries and study areas, still command 3.9 hours from students each day, and are also more popular for online purchases than smartphones or tablets.

Online shopping

This distinction between the devices students are using to make online purchases is indicative of a multi-device shopping experience.

Research published earlier this year shows that the vast majority of online shoppers are using a combination of devices, but the wider marketplace has already made the shift to a mobile-first purchase experience.

Perhaps students have more faith in their laptop’s security than that of their smartphone, but for now, it’s a clear message that laptops and desktops are the drivers of student online purchasing.

Source: UCAS Media

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Study sheds new light on social media retail campaigns

A new study out this week has suggested that brands need to turn social media platforms from “a source of inspiration” into an “actual purchase channel.”

Fewer than one in ten UK shoppers claim social media plays a role in buying habits.

The research was published by agency UM London. It shows that retailers who focus their marketing budgets on social media and smartphone campaigns might be on the “wrong track”.

Consumers still using laptops for purchases

In addition, 54% of those surveyed use a home computer or laptop for online research or look for inspiration before making a purchase. Only 38% use their smartphone.

The study was conducted among 4,800 adults in the UK. The categories where social media has the most influence are when people buy a new kitchen or bathroom (15%) or beauty products (11%).

By comparison, only 6% of DIY/garden centre shoppers and only 7% of fashion/apparel shoppers say that social networks play a role in their purchase.

“Brands need to look at turning social platforms from a place of inspiration into something that prompts an actual purchase,” said Glen Parker, chief insight officer EMEA at UM. “Instagram, for example, is great at building engagement but sometimes integrating a purchase mechanic on the platform itself can feel incongruous.”

Glen Park, chief insight officer EMEA at UM. 

Integrated experiences

Parker said one way to do this is to integrate social content into retailers’ shoppable channels instead. For example, having social feedback in the stores themselves or on their websites via reviews, user photos and influencer content.

“Developing an Instagram campaign for your brand just because you think ‘that’s where all the millennials are’ is unlikely to bear fruit,” he said.

“Similarly, websites need to be mobile-ready but ‘smartphone first’ may not always be the right way to approach digital marketing. Particularly for fashion and grocery brands. Laptops and PCs are still the main device people use for research and inspiration, probably while at home or at work rather than on the go.”

Source: Media Tel 

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Adshel Live becomes UK’s largest DOOH network

Clear Channel UK’s Adshel Live becomes the largest digital out-of-home network in the UK. 

Over 1,500 digital roadside 6-sheet screens. Located in busy retail and leisure hotspots in major towns and cities including London, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Liverpool.

This premium network is primed to influence consumer spend and deliver Activation campaigns at scale. Fitted with the latest digital and mobile technology. Adshel Live provides endless flexible planning and creative opportunities for brands to find the audience moments that matter.

• 72” HD, sun light visible screens
• Flexibility to run day and day-part specific activity
• Technology enables multiple copy updates and location, time and data-driven dynamic content
• Features mobile connectivity including Beacon technology

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Facebook announces WhatsApp adverts

It’s currently a free platform enjoyed by nearly two billion people.

But users can expect a significant change in their experience of WhatsApp, next year – when Facebook bosses plan to flood it with adverts.

The Android and iOS chat app, which was originally released in 2009, will start to embed paid-for content in the app’s Status feature from 2019. 

It comes five years after Mark Zuckerberg’s company bought the platform from co-founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton for a whopping £22billion.

Both Koum and Acton later quit Facebook, citing differences with the social media company.

Insiders believe they were unhappy that their beloved product – which was originally marketed as advert-free and end-to-end encrypted – would soon host commercial content at the expense of users’ privacy.  

Specifically, although the latter will remain unchanged, the men were unhappy that Facebook wanted to share data across platforms in order to customise the adverts.

Source: The Daily Mail 

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Brand rankings: who do young people love?

According to new research led by YouGov, Netflix is the most positively talked about brand among 18-34 year olds.

For the second consecutive year the streaming service leads YouGov’s Millennial Rankings with a score of 77%. Followed by Spotify at 73%. Primark and Apple share third position at 71%.

Facebook and McDonalds both share a score of 70%. The rest of the top ten is made up of gaming (PlayStation: 69%), travel (Airbnb: 69%), tech (Apple iPhone: 69%) and homeware (IKEA: 68%) industries.

“Netflix’s popularity shows no signs of abating,” said Michael Stacey, marketing insights manager, YouGov. “The streaming service continues to expand its offering, as well as investing in its own ‘Netflix originals’.

“By its very nature Netflix’s content invites discussion, and YouGov’s rankings show that the brand has certainly harnessed the power of word of mouth recommendations to gain a loyal following among a younger generation of viewers.”

There is still a strong presence from ‘affordable brands’, such Primark, McDonalds and IKEA. Even though Stacey also noted that tech features prominently in the rankings. 

Cinema chain Vue (11%), Visa (9%), Google Phone (7%), and Grey Goose (6%) experienced the largest uplift in ‘positive word of mouth.’

Source : Mediatel

How are people using media in 2018?

Attest’s media consumption report 2018 is a survey of 1,000 people taken in July 2018 to compile a report on the habits of UK consumers. What’s their verdict on some of the biggest platforms?

Television 

86.8% of Brits report watching more than one hour of television every day, a rise from 82% in 2017.

When it comes to streamed and on-demand television, use has risen dramatically since 2017.

Women tend to watch more streamed television than men, with 75.7% of female respondents tuning in for at least one hour per day, versus 64.1% of men.

Londoners are more likely to tune into Netflix, Amazon Prime or similar for 1-2 hours every day (47.7%)

The ITV Hub app ranked as the second most downloaded iPhone app of May 2018.

Music Streaming

The most popular paid-for music streaming service is Spotify (35.1%).

However, Apple Music (27%), Youtube (25.3%) and Amazon Music (19.7%) are close behind.

News Media

Younger generations seem to be more interested in newspapers than older generations, with 37.7% of those aged over 40 admitting they do not read a printed newspaper on a regular basis, compared to just 23.2% of under 40s.

Magazines

Digital Media

Digital advertising grew at its fastest rate for nine years in 2016. But how are consumers using social media?

Source: Attest Media Consumption

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Swansea’s going digital!

Swansea has become the first Welsh city to benefit from free ultrafast wi-fi and phone calls

The free ‘InLinkUK from BT’ service, which already has more than 148,000 subscribers across the UK, has just found its first home in Wales, in the heart of Swansea.

This latest city launch brings exciting new opportunities for brands to target consumers in some of Swansea’s busiest areas.

The first 11 InLinks have been installed in and around Swansea’s city centre and will provide ultrafast wi-fi speeds of up to one gigabit per second (1Gbps), the fastest free public Wi-Fi service available in the UK. The InLinks also provide free phone calls to UK landlines and mobiles, rapid mobile device charging, the BT Phone Book app, as well as easy access to charity helplines.

The first of the fully-accessible InLinks have recently gone live on Princess Way and Castle Street, with further activations expected in the coming weeks. 

Since the first InLink was launched in June last year, they have saved people more than £660,000 in free calls, with 50,000 calls being made on average every week across the UK.

Swansea Council leader Cllr Rob Stewart said: “This is great news for the public and local businesses. The exciting addition of the InLinks – with their free high-speed public Wi-Fi to Swansea’s streets matches perfectly our ongoing work to transform the city centre into a vibrant and bustling location for business, leisure and living. We want to increase the number of people working and living in Swansea – and our InLink network will be a big help.”

“Digital ambition is at the forefront of what we plan for our new city centre. The Kingsway will become a thriving digital district as we start to deliver projects that are due to be part-funded by a £1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal – and plans are progressing well for the city’s 3,500-capacity digital arena.”

Finally, and particular to the roll-out in Wales, BT, InLinkUK and Primesight have worked closely with local stakeholders to ensure that the new InLinks will support both Welsh and English languages, with the screens showcasing dual language community information at launch (with the tablet to follow shortly).

Source: Primesight

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Why does TV work?

Here are five reasons why TV advertising is in such good health.

1. Television delivers audience

Between 2010 and 2018, adult impacts in the UK have remained remarkably stable – in fact, they’ve actually increased, from 867.4m to 873.6m (BARB).

Among the 16-34-year-old demographic, impacts have fallen from 203.5m to 158.1m (BARB).

2. TV commands attention

The rise of ad-free, subscription-based television platforms has been taken as proof that advertiser-funded television is on the wane. 

But this viewing and these subscriptions are incremental, not substitutional. While 2018 can boast record subscriptions in the UK to Netflix (9.1m) and Amazon Prime (4.8m), the same is true of subscriptions to the three leading pay TV cable and satellite platforms, all of which carry advertiser-funded channels: Sky, Virgin Media, and BT Sport (15.1m).

3. TV dominates spend

The spend behind television advertising is reliable and robust. In 2010, advertisers in the U.K. invested £4.1bn in TV advertising. In 2017 – following the great recession of 2008-2010 and its medium-term consequences – the figure had risen to £4.8bn.

4. TV delivers the best efficiency

Across every sector and every category, the ROI data indicate that television is the most efficient media available to advertisers. TV delivers the strongest ROI in the short term (£1.73 for every £1 invested), more than radio (£1.61), print (£1.44), online video (£1.21), online display (£0.82), and out-of-home (£0.57). Short-term – for campaigns measured in weeks and up to six months – ROI is holding up. In 2008, TV’s ROI was £1.70, whereas today it’s £1.73.

5. TV is the most effective medium

No other medium delivers ROI at scale or offers as strong profit return as television, enhancing profit better than any other channel. In a major meta-analysis of almost 2,000 campaigns by major brands from 2009 to 2016, our Profit Ability study for Thinkbox found that television delivers 71% of profit return of all advertising investments, despite accounting for just 54% of total spend.

Source:MediaTel

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Find out more about television advertising.