Marketing Week chose this excellent letter from Gerry McKenna at Matchday Media [1] – over mine !!!! 🙁
Dear Sir
I read in astonishment the letter from Rosie Plunton (Marketing Week, 16 Jan 2008), which seemed to imply that the digital outdoor sector was on its last legs.
As MD of a specialist digital outdoor network, I’m afraid I have to disagree. Far from being a medium which will see the “novelty wear off’, the digital out of home market is continuing to grow and expand, and will no doubt be one of, if not the key growth area in marketing in 2008.
Although Ms Plunton makes an interesting point, I think she has missed the benefit of entertainment led screen networks that deliver live, relevant and targeted editorial content to engaged audiences in out of home environments. Far from being a “novelty”, entertainment led networks can actually enhance audience experience and give brands an
opportunity to create value added communication with their consumer via brand funded micro shows, media sponsorship or traditional TV creative.MDM.TV has operated outdoor screen media with full audio support for over four years in major football stadiums and has seen audience engagement levels grow deeper and last for longer as the editorial mix has improved. In fact, screen systems are becoming a service that is now expected by fans attending live football in major stadiums.
Entertainment led screen networks can take brands closer to their audience, with less competition for attention and benefit from a shared, positive viewing experience.As far as I see it, any marketing discipline which embraces the rapidly advancing developments in consumer behaviour, and allows people the chance to interact with the messages that surround them, is set not for an early death, but in fact a glowing future.
Yours Sincerely,
Gerry McKenna
Managing Director
MDM.TV
This was in response to a letter the previous week entitled “End of the road for ads on digital screens” [2]