Fri, 21-Nov-2008
Out Of Home Media Company of the Year 2007
JCDecaux McDonald's Tonight
Published: Sep 11, 2007
The moment anyone of us steps out of our homes, we encounter an all-out battle for our eyeballs. From creatively decorated bus shelters to giant electronic billboards, out-of-home (OOH) media advertising platforms vie for our attention like never before. Jamie Nonis reports on the Top 10 outdoor and indoor media advertising companies responsible for the evolving streetscape.
While we certainly cannot compete with bustling Tokyo and New York in terms of the sheer number of billboard advertising blanketing the city, out-of-home media advertising has certainly changed the face of our city-state's streetscape. Such outdoor and indoor platforms have gotten ever-more unique, creative and hi-tech - all thanks to these OOH media companies reviewed here.
In a survey conducted earlier this year, we asked you which Outdoor Signage and Indoor Signage and Cinema companies you would put precious marketing dollars with, and broke down the results to discover what the different groups of marketing and advertising professionals prefer.
In last year's consolidated Singapore Top Media special annual edition, the top Outdoor companies were JCDecaux, Clear Channel, Moove Media, SMRT Media and SPH Media Box Office, but this year SPH MBO were replaced by first time entrant Eye Corp in 5th place.
In the Indoor category last year, Golden Village (GV), Cathay Cineleisure and Mediatech were the highest ranking but save for GV, the latter two were replaced this time round by JCDecaux and Eye Corp in 2nd and 3rd place.
JCDecaux emerged as the clear leader in its field appearing in the top two positions in both lists: claiming first place for outdoor and second spot for indoor.
TOP 10 OUTDOOR MEDIA COMPANIES - RESULTS
1. JCDecaux
Leading the charge in 1st place was JCDecaux, a popular choice for its high visibility and high traffic sites in prime locations along major shopping belts like Orchard Road. The company received a total of 212 votes out of 792 cast in the category overall. The difference between the number of votes for JCD and 2nd placed Clear Channel was minute - only 2.9% - largely represented by an additional 34 1st place votes for JCD.
More clients voted for JCD (55.19%) overall and in 1st place, too. These were mainly from the Consumer Products (20.28%), Retail (7.07%), Financial Services (6.60%) and Government and Community services (6.60%) sectors. In each category, the majority always voted JCDecaux 1st place.
When measured by job function, more, the bulk of votes came from marketing managers (27.35%) followed by account servicing staff (16.98%) and media representatives (16.50%). CEO/MD/GMs also voted for JCDecaux almost three times as much than ad agency types.
2. Clear Channel
In 2001, Clear Channel Singapore was reportedly awarded the largest outdoor advertising contract in the world - the advertising concession to design, build, operate and maintain some 3,200 bus and taxi shelters islandwide for the next 20 years, by the Land Transport Authority.
Overall, more clients (53.96%) favoured Clear Channel especially marketing managers (26.45%) in the Consumer Products (19.04%), Financial Services (7.40%) and Government & Community Services (7.40%) categories. However, when divided by industry group, the highest number of 1st place votes was from Creative Agencies (25.47%) followed by Consumer Products (19.04%) and Media Agencies (14.28%).
As for the client-side managers and CEO/MD/GMs who voted for Clear Channel, almost all put in 1st place votes. Professionals with local and regional responsibility cast the same number of 1st place votes but overall, those with regional responsibility placed a handful more. The vast majority of Clear Channel's voters were also Singaporean (92.06%) and mostly female.
3. Moove Media
Owned by ComfortDelGro, two-year-old Moove Media was formed through the partnership of Comfort Ads and SBS Transit Advertising. To date, its advertising platforms include 3,000 buses, 17,000 taxies, 16 rail stations, 18 bus interchanges/terminals and numerous prime landscape sites. It ranks 3rd on our list boasting 14.32% of the overall votes, with more votes from clients (58.19%) than agencies. Industries that contributed a significant amount of votes included Financial Services, IT & Telecommunications, Motor Vehicles and Retail. Generally, client-side marketing managers (62.29%), CEO/MD/GMs (9.83%) and VP/Directors of Marketing (9.01%) showed the most support for Moove Media with the latter two groups voting 1st place most of the time.
Of the agency support, Moove Media received the most votes from creative agencies hands down (31.14%) with most voting in 2nd place, having given most of their 1st place votes to JCDecaux and Clear Channel. Media agencies only accounted for 9.83% of votes.
4. SMRT Media
Taking 4th place is SMRT Media, which boasts an islandwide reach of 51 MRT stations and 106 trains, 14 SLRT stations and 19 trains, 900 buses and 3,000 taxis. The
seven-year-old subsidiary of SMRT Investments garnered 70 votes altogether, which is 8.28% of the total. Creative Agencies contributed the majority vote (32.85%) followed by Consumer Products (21.42%), Media Agencies (14.28%) and Travel Transport and Transport groups (10%). Of these, marketing managers were responsible for most of the votes (31.42%). Additionally, 62.85% of votes came from those with regional responsibility with them also casting most of the 1st place votes.
5. Eye Corp
Responsible for over 200 advertising opportunities within Changi Airport across its five terminals: Terminals 1, 2 and 3, Budget Terminal and JetQuay, 5th- ranking Eye Corp only came to Singapore last year when it won the tender by the Civil Aviation Authority to manage its advertising concession. The company achieved 4.33% of the votes in inverse order: more 3rd place votes followed by 2nd and then 1st. Although votes from agencies were 14.89% more, the point differential was just one - in favour of clients. Split by job functions, votes from marketing managers clearly led the scoreboard (29.78%) followed by account servicing (25.53%) and media agencies (21.27%).
6. Mango Media
Making it to 6th place by virtue of its majority 2nd place votes, Mango Media has been in the local scene since 1999 and currently manages more than 150 sites. It obtained 3.57% of the total votes, mainly from agencies (62.50%). Of the latter, most were from account servicing functions (28.12%). Interestingly, Mango Media was one of only two Top 10 companies whose majority votes were handed by males, although the difference was small.
7. SPH MediaBoxOffice
Singapore's largest newspaper and magazine publisher, Singapore Press Holdings' two-year-old outdoor advertising arm is in 6th position. SPH MediaBoxOffice (SPHMBO) claims to own the largest outdoor digital media network in Singapore with five large LED screens at strategic locations and about 400 plasma and LCD screens in malls, banks and commercial buildings islandwide. Additionally, SPHMBO also provides event management services for clients who want to extend their marketing reach by experiential events. The votes it garnered were mostly in 2nd place and from creative agencies in particular. The only 1st place votes came from account servicing and the Retail sector for industry groups. More than triple the number of votes was from those with regional responsibility.
8. POAD
Considering its 8th place ranking, POAD actually secured a fair number of 1st place votes from Creative and Media Agencies (20% each), Consumer Products (20%) and Motor Vehicles (10%) categories. Owned by Hong Kong-based Polarline Development, three-year-old POAD had more agency people (70%) voting for it than clients, mostly creative types.
9. Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre
Twelve-year-old Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre clocked the same number of votes as POAD in 8th position but scored three points less. The majority of votes came from clients (80.00%), half of which were 1st place votes. Considering the company owns the E-board at the junction of Nicoll Highway and Raffles Boulevard, it is not surprising the Travel Transports & Transport industry accounted for the majority 30% of votes. Interestingly, there were no votes from media agencies at all.
10. Posterscope
Rounding off the top 10 was Posterscope. Although it only garnered only a handful of votes, the majority were in 1st position (57.14%). While the number of 1st votes were evenly split between agencies and clients, two more points were awarded by mainly from Media Agency types and from the client side, CEO/MD/GMs and marketing managers.
TOP 10 INDOOR & CINEMA MEDIA COMPANIES - RESULTS
1. Golden Village
Leading cinema provider Golden Village topped our indoor survey with its strong network of 73 screens across nine locations and state-of-the-art audiovisual technology. It received 40.47% of the total points in this survey and was ahead by 77 1st place votes compared with second-liner JCD. There were slightly more votes from client-side (53.93%) compared with agency-side. As for agency votes, the creatives led the way with 30.43% of the votes. Only 10.14% were from media agencies. Another strong group of voters were from the consumer products industry (16.66%).
Of the clients who voted, the majority were marketing managers (21.91%). Additionally, more local companies voted for GV than foreign ones and more voters with regional responsibility placed their faith in GV.
2. JCDecaux
JCD received a whopping 150 points less than 1st placed GV in the indoor category, with more people voting for it in 2nd and 3rd place than the latter. Votes between agencies and clients were split quite fairly down the middle. 26.78% of the votes were from ad agency creative types, 16.89% from media agencies and 14.86% from consumer products industry.
In terms of job function, JCDecaux was largely preferred by marketing managers (23.65%), 9.46% of which were 1st place votes, followed by account servicing (18.24%) and media types (16.89%). Local companies also seemed to prefer JCDecaux more than foreign ones and the vast majority of voters were Singaporean (95.95%).
3. Eye Corp
Although Eye Corp made it into the top three, the percentage of points it scored was half that of aboveplaced JCD and its votes were fairly split between 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. A relatively equal number of votes came from creative and media agencies followed closely by consumer products. Media agencies seemed to favour Eye Corp the most, having cast 26.83% of the company's votes. The next bulk of votes came from marketing managers. While respondents with Singapore responsibility voted for Eye Corp in 1st place more, overall, more votes were cast by those with regional responsibility.
4. SMRT Media
SMRT Media clocks in at the same position on our indoor list as the outdoor one - 4th spot. For this list, it garnered a significantly smaller slice of the pie though, only 3.01% of the total. This was fairly split between agencies and clients. From the client side, most points were accrued from marketing managers followed by CEO/MD/GMs.
5. SPH MediaBoxOffice
SPH MediaBoxOffice (SPHMBO) also makes it to our indoor list; two spots higher (than what it got in outdoor) in 5th place. SPHMBO achieved 2.26% votes, most of which were in 3rd place. More than double the votes and points were from agencies; creative (28.57%) and media (35.71%). While more foreign companies voted for SPHMBO, almost all the votes were from Singaporean respondents.
6. Focus Media
Although Focus Media owns about 450 outdoor digital sites mainly in the CBD district, it actually made it to our indoor list at number 6 with 1.25% of the total votes. The 2-year-old Singapore division, Focus Media Singapore (FMSG), of Hong Kong-based iMediaHouse reportedly pioneered the digital OOH captive TV network with 150 commercial arrangements and exclusive partnerships with Singapore Post, Housing Development Board and People's Association.In the survey, it received exactly the same number of votes from agencies and client however it got one more point from clients. In Hong Kong and China, FMSG has positioned itself as a leading OOH advertising network using audiovisual flat-panel displays and this is perhaps why the number of votes from foreign companies was double that of local ones, with 75% voting in 1st place whereas no local company voted 1st.
7. Moove Media
In 7th place, Moove Media garnered just 1 point less than Focus Media. The majority 71.42% of votes were from client-side, mainly from Business Services, Consumer Products, Education & Training, Financial Services and Travel Transport & Ttransport.
8. Clear Channel
While Clear Channel was amongst the top three preferred companies for outdoor signage, clients and agencies voted it 8th place for its indoor sites, which is interesting considering it does not currently manage any indoor sites. It may have achieved the same number of votes as Focus Media but it ranked two places below it in this list because it scored two points less than Focus Media. The bulk of its votes were from agencies: creative (50%), media (16.66%) and PR (16.66%) with financial services contributing the remaining vote.
9. Mediatech
Of all the votes 9th ranking Mediatech achieved, all were from clients. The 13-year-old media marketing specialist which manages indoor sites within the Shaw network of cinemas got single votes from business services, consumer products, IT & telecommunications and retail; only the latter voting it in 1st place. Most of the votes came from marketing managers (75%) and one vote from client-side, CEO/MD/GM in 1st place.
10. Gleamedia
Part of the Gleamour Group, Gleamedia manages 11 sites and makes it to 10th place on our list. It secured only two votes - both were in 1st place and from creative agencies. One vote was from an agency CEO/MD/GM, while the other was a media representative. Both were Singaporean with regional responsibilities.
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Respondents' breakdown
A survey universe of 11,077 professionals were invited to fill out an online survey, of which 11.6% or 1,285 responded. Of these, 1,189 surveys were valid. There were 759 client-side respondents and 430 agency-side ones - of which 292 were from creative agencies, 70 were from media planning and buying agencies and 68 were from public relations consultancies. Universe breakdowns were within a percent either way of the respondent breakdowns.
Responses on the agency and client-side were taken as a whole and split into company origin, region of responsibility (local or regional/international), and job function. Agency-side respondents were split by job function in terms of whether they held the CEO, managing director or general manager posts, or whether they were advertising creatives, advertising account servicing staff, media planning and buying professionals, and public relations consultants. Client-side job functions were split according to CEO, managing director, vice president, director of marketing or brand/public relations and events, and brand and product manager positions.
Aside from this, client-side responses were further split up by industry group. 10 groups were identified, namely - business services, consumer products, education and training, financial services, government and community services, IT and telecommunications, motor vehicles, property construction and utilities, retail, and travel transport and transport. Finally, all respondents were identified by gender and country of origin.
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How top OOH media companies were determined
We believe this research is as close as it gets to giving you an accurate indication of how much mindshare each OOH company possesses with media players and clients alike because of the unbiased way that it was conducted. Respondents of this survey were simply asked to list by descending order of preference, the three OOH media companies they would advertise with in two categories - outdoor and indoor & cable - with no prompts as to what their choices should be.
Ranking was determined by the number of points each company chalked up. The company ranked first received three points, the one ranked second received two points and the other ranked third received one point. These points were then eventually tallied and tabulated as a percentage of points within each category, then ranked overall by descending order.
While there were intricate differences in the way clients and agencies ranked the various company, the rankings were determined by the number of votes each one garnered overall.
The survey was carried out by full service research firm BDM Intelligence (BDMi) using its database of media professionals, creative, public relations and media planning and buying agencies and clients from across all industries in Singapore. It was conducted between 5 and 16 March 2007, with the results delivered by BDMi on 13 April 2007.
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No. of years each company has been in existence:
1. JCDecaux - 8
2. Clear Channel - 6
3. Moove Media - 2
4. SMRT Media - 7
5. Eye Corp - 1
6. Mango Media - 8
7. SPH MBO - 2
8. POAD - 3
9. Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre - 12
10. Posterscope - 3
11. Golden Village - 15
12. Focus Media - 2
13. Mediatech - 13
14. Gleamedia - 4