Research Claims Ads Improve Bus and Tube Networks
Londoners are shunning online advertising in favour of outdoor campaigns, according to Viacom Outdoor, whose latest research claims that entertaining campaigns on the capital’s buses and the tube are seen as a welcome addition to the commuting landscape.
Viacom’s study, billed as one of the most “in-depth and innovative studies of London commuters ever,” claims that, when placed in the right environment, advertising is “valued as a source of information and entertainment” by many travellers.
After questioning more than a thousand London commuters, Viacom concludes that London Underground has the lowest incidence of consumers avoiding ads, at just 33%; while buses and the cinema ranked low in the list of environments conducive to ad-avoidance, at just 40% and 36% respectively. In contrast, Viacom claims that internet advertising suffers from the highest levels of avoidance, with 78% of users side-stepping campaigns.
The company’s London Commuter research also revealed that consumers are most likely to actively seek advertising while travelling on the tube, with newspapers and magazines also proving highly attractive to ad-conscious consumers. London Buses also ranked highly, a comparable figure to viewers in cinemas and ahead of other media such as radio.
The iconic status of London’s tube network and red busses are also influential to consumers, according to Viacom, with their affinity translating to their opinions of advertising carried in both environments. The study found that 38% of London travellers feel tube advertising is relevant to them, while 36% feel advertising on London buses is similarly well targeted, comparable only to billboards. In comparison, advertising on local radio and print media lag significantly behind.
Viacom’s study also reveals a perception of both the internet and television being “swamped” with advertising. Of those questioned, 76% thought there was too much advertising on the internet, while 70% felt there was an excess of advertising on TV.
The results of Viacom’s study show that, in the right environment, advertising can form a valid part of the London landscape, with the majority of respondents stating that the London Underground and London buses were improved by advertising. According to Viacom, 87% preferred an image of the tube with advertising compared to one without, while 73% said they preferred to see London buses with advertising. Conversely, many commuters felt that other media were spoilt by adverts.
Explaining the significance of the research in shaping the perception of Outdoor advertising, Tim Bleakley, joint managing director of Viacom Outdoor said: “Traditionally outdoor has been thought of as a passive, subliminal medium but this research proves that in the case of bus and underground the consumer is much more involved. Commuters are saying that in general they are ad avoiders and only welcome advertising in limited areas. At a time when the media industry is being asked searching questions about how to engage not enrage consumers this research is highlighting some important issues.”
Stephen Fuller, head of consumer insight at Viacom added: “The London Commuter research is particularly interesting in the current media climate of ad avoidance, with PVRs and The Jamster ad being the most recent high profile examples (see Infuriating Ringtone Ad Draws Over 400 Complaints).
“Finding a happy medium between persistence and resistance is not easy. If you have a medium that people feel strongly about and they also prefer that medium with advertising then the combination can produce a potent communication vehicle.”
Viacom Outdoor is currently embroiled in the bidding process for London Underground’s advertising contract, worth around £1.2 billion, and contested by ten high-profile outdoor specialists (see Ten Firms To Contest Underground Ad Contract).
Amongst those going head to head with incumbent Viacom are rival outdoor heavyweights, Clear Channel and JC Decaux. However, Viacom has bolstered its underground offering recently, installing the first digital billboards on the network’s escalators at Tottenham Court Road, enabling easy ‘takeover’ campaigns to be run, as well as providing increased accountability and flexibility (see Viacom Breaks New Ground With Digital Tube Posters).
Viacom Outdoor: 020 7482 3000 www.viacom-outdoor.co.uk