EXCLUSIVE: IOAA bats for increased hoarding size, DOOH in New Delhi

The Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA) and OOH media owners have written to Municipal Corporation of Delhi to relook at the existing Outdoor Advertising Policy (OAP) which was implemented in 2017. The OOH media owners are urging the civic body to increase the size of hoardings in the national capital.

Moreover, the OOH media owners have also urged the civic corporation to extend the permission of DOOH assets beyond the restricted areas defined in OAP 2017. As per the current norms, the digital displays are currently limited to markets, malls, high congregation pedestrian zones. Variable Message Advertising Devices LED/LCD are permitted on case to case basis by Commissioner of Municipal Corporation.

A OOH media owner on condition of anonymity said, "We have written to MCD to allow DOOH on roads facing traffic which will not hamper visibility of motorists. Globally, LED digital displays are used far more strategically placed to disseminate messages on behalf the city administration and enhance the landscape aesthetics on primary vehicular thoroughfares. In-fact New Delhi Municipal Corporation has encouraged the LED and digital displays on the mail vehicular pathways to break the monotony of the roadside visage."

As per the existing OAP, 2017- the size of hoardings is capped at 10x5m (32x16 ft) for roads wider than 100ft, and 6x3m (20x10ft) for roads less than 100ft in width. However, most hoardings in the city are 20x10 ft, and few hoardings with maximum size of 26x13ft. The maximum permitted height for uni-poles is 10m. Media owners are demanding that the MCD should allow 26x13ft hoardings across its jurisdiction.

IOAA has urged MCD to increase the size of the uni-poles to 30sq. meter from the current 18sq.mtr. The letter written by Chairman of IOAA to MCD (a copy of which is with Storyboard18) states, “The current size of the uni-poles is minuscule in comparison to the wide roads of the capital city, thus belying their primary purpose of being visible or more accurately creating visibility and impacts of the brands.”

Moreover, the media owners and IOAA has urged that the duration of the contract to be increased to 10 years and more as compared to current 3 years contract. The letter states, “This enables a media owner to invest more in the media asset to design and create a state-of-the-art media assets. Currently the shorter duration of the contract limits the investments on the structure thus limiting the utility and aesthetics of the structure.”

Another OOH Media owner told Storyboard18, "The NCR regions such as Noida and Gurgaon are today flourishing with huge hoardings. Both the revenue and brand placements have increased, it is time that the MCD should relook at the existing outdoor policy and help us build the ecosystem while maintaining aesthetics of the city."

Delhi’s outdoor advertisement sector has been under the scanner of the Supreme Court since 1997, which led to the creation of the Outdoor Advertisement Policy in 2007, followed by amendments in 2008 and 2017.

A leading OOH media owner in Delhi said, "Today, OOH advertising in New Delhi is not only super expensive but has led many top brands to exit the market. Markets like Mumbai and Bengaluru are clearly taking away the majority of OOH spends. MCD inorder to increase its revenue is unable to understand the dynamics of OOH industry. Brands are today refraining to indulge in OOH advertising in the national capital."