Out-of-home and mobile media are merging, as advertisers exploit the ubiquity of mobile devices to boost engagement and measure the impact of outdoor campaigns more precisely. To that end, Clear Channel Outdoor is unveiling a new global interactive mobile ad platform, called Connect, which will make CCO signage interactive by incorporating a number of mobile engagement technologies.
The Connect platform, which should be operational by June of this year, will equip 75,000 outdoor advertising sites in pedestrian areas around the world with near field communication, QR codes and (in Latin America) SMS capabilities.
Altogether, the network will reach 175 million consumers per month in 23 countries around the world. According to Clear Channel, this will be the largest combined out-of-home and mobile ad platform in the world.
The NFC and QR code tags will appear on ad displays that are readily accessible to pedestrians, including signage incorporated into street furniture, shopping malls, airports, and point-of-sale. The NFC and QR codes will be permanently attached to static or digital signage, while in Latin America, the SMS option will appear in the outdoor ads themselves.
Advertisers can use the mobile interactivity to provide useful information, including maps, search and other location-relevant content; drive transactions with discounts and coupons; build engagement with entertainment content including games, video, photos, and apps; and encourage sharing via social media and texting.
On the measurement front, advertisers will be able to capture data including date, time, location, conversion rates, and device type, which should in turn allow them to optimize campaigns and boost ROI.
CCO president and chief operating officer Suzanne Grimes noted that Connect should make mobile integration easier for ad clients by eliminating some of the technical demands. “With Connect, we offer advertisers easier and more nimble access to mobile-interactive campaigns as they no longer need to spend time creating NFC tags or QR codes. Via our preinstalled tags, we seamlessly direct consumers to advertisers’ mobile optimized content.”
The Connect platform has already launched in the UK, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Singapore. Additional rollouts, including the U.S., are scheduled to be complete by the end of the second quarter.
