I have just returned from India. My mind is still processing the deluge of impressions that soaked into it; many are of the polychromatic and cacophonic kind, but some are gently misty and verdant.
My travels took me from the metropolitan environs of the third largest city (Bengaluru), through the backwaters of Kerala and via back roads to the small hamlet of Hosamala. Throughout my peregrinations, the value of out of home advertising was constantly reiterated to me, both in urban and rural areas.
The Indian out of home industry seems largely unregulated and quite chaotic, except for certain controlled environments like the airports. Nevertheless, I was impressed by the strong sense that there was a solid understanding of how to produce effective creative. The approach is one of complete simplicity and a ‘less is more’ ethos which enhances visibility and memorability.
Perhaps this approach is based on an understanding that the out of home audience is a mobile one, with limited time to devote to decoding complicated creative messages. Driving in India seems to require remarkable antennae to predict fellow road users’ intentions – be they ancient car, colourful truck or laden tuk-tuk drivers, opportunistically weaving motor cyclists, doughty pedestrians or serene cows. While drivers have little attention to devote to out of home, their passengers may well welcome the distraction from the surrounding mayhem.
Or perhaps this simplicity can be explained by the the relatively low literacy rate in India: the country has the dubious distinction of having the largest illiterate population in the world. To be fair, it has raised its literacy rate from 12% at the time of independence (1947) to 75% (2016), but it still lags behind the world average literacy rate of 84%. There are major variations in the rate by state and predictably, by gender.
Whatever the reason, most billboards were easily comprehensible at long distances: typography was well spaced, simple and bold, headlines were short, and copy wording limited. Imagery was simple and clear, if at times, not particularly subtle. But I always understood the intention of the communication, even if the copy was not in English. Colour combinations were simple and contrasting. In fact, colour was intelligently used to establish brand identity even by small regional brands.
The principle of frequency was well understood too, and as I passed through areas, it quickly became apparent, which companies were the established local cement brands, the leading building developers and predominant bridal-wear and jewellery purveyors.
I was intrigued to notice how much attention was paid to the angling of billboards to ensure the best visibility from the road. On highways this often meant a well placed impactful single face rather than poorly placed double faces.
Of course, there were also negative lessons to be learnt. Often in smaller rural areas, I saw huge billboards situated on secondary or tertiary roads. Advertiser ego had clearly prevailed over common sense investment. This is a common problem in South Africa too, where advertisers often opt for size on routes where traffic does not justify the cost. The availability of the Out of Home Measurement Council’s (OMC) national Roadside Outdoor Audience Data (ROAD) this year, will hopefully assist local advertisers in making more dispassionate outdoor decisions.
Indians do not seem to be able to resist the lure of a good wall. School walls bear uplifting homilies and portraits of national heroes, the scenic grandeur of India is illustrated alongside a Bengaluru highway, the Kochi Biennale has not only produced a town full of intriguing murals, but also kilometres of a religious tale written in meticulous script.
This would be an example of artistic dedication (or ego) prevailing over audience capacity for involvement! Then there are the advertisements. Where the principles of simplicity and boldness are applied, the murals are effective. But there is also ample evidence of the need for advertisers who deploy murals to have an exit strategy at the outset of a campaign. Especially in the more remote areas, neglected, weathered and faded murals languished doing more brand damage than good.
The Indian out of home industry is poised for growth, with digital out of home signage and transport advertising being increasingly developed. As it evolves, I hope that the basic principles, which currently serve it well are not forgotten.
Britta Reid is an independent media consultant.
