In pursuance of the aim of providing solution to the age-long marketing industry need for offline measurement, the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) and Interaction Channel Limited (ICL), an advertising technology company have embarked on a strategic collaboration to provide a currency of measurement for the OOH sector in Nigeria using the innovative ‘Moving Audiences’ platform.

The collaboration was announced at the press briefing in Lagos held on Thursday 22nd April where the two parties disclosed that they will leverage best in class global technology, data and tools to drive strategy, planning and buying of Out-of-Home Advertising for advertisers and brands.

To bring the technological innovation to the Nigerian market, ICL had partnered Moving Walls, having signed a deal with the international agency to provide upscale location intelligence for media and marketing services.

The President of OAAN, Emmanuel Ajufo disclosed that the innovation is timely considering the challenges of providing adequate data on audience engagement with its boards and others. He stated that it is a new dawn for OOH advertising in the country and it will further help practitioners and its members to offer unique and measurable services to clients.

Adding that the association is strongly in support of the initiative, he stated that it will transform the sector as practitioners will offer more value to clients. “The association is behind this whole initiative, we want everybody to know that the collaboration is for the good of the industry. For us our interest is value for our client and we are set to deliver much more with credible audience measurement in place.”

Similarly, the Managing Director of ICL, Tosan Omagbemi stated that now the OOH advertising industry can boast of having standards of measurement in line with global best practices which will further help it grow remarkably.

“It is evident that OOH Advertising delivers results. This is what the OAAN/ICL collaboration intends to amplify through global best standards of measurement. OOH now has measurement in Nigeria!

“At Interaction Channel Limited, we believe that we are engaging an ever-dynamic audience. Brands that intend to get the right space per time within the consumer/media ecosystem must employ dynamic solutions which our advertising technology company is all about – dynamic solutions for a dynamic audience. This is the next phase for brand custodians that would not only deliver their numbers, but be part of the consumers’ play,” he explained.

He added that its upscale location intelligence platform leverages 5th Generation cutting edge technology to offer a marketing lifestyle solution for OOH strategy, planning and buying, Mobile Advertising, Retail Analytics and Events Measurement. “Using these tools, brands will be able to deploy their consumer initiatives with an unprecedented higher level of precision. A robust synergy is now also possible across media types, for example OOH Media + Mobile. Furthermore, advertisers will be able to customize audience segments and leverage day-part understanding to reach specific audiences especially on DOOH.”

Commending the initiative, the President of Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN), Femi Adelusi  had some words to say: “In line with the MIPAN’s tradition, we are delighted to see the arrival of credible media audience measure on OOH. The ICL platform provides an end-to-end planning for Moving Audiences from Strategic/Planning to Buying and Measurement on the OOH media.

“I am convinced that Advertiser and first tier advertisers, who continue to invest about 40-55% of DME in Outdoor Advertising in Nigeria over many decades, are super excited by the availability of a credible means of measuring and substantiating their investment on the OOH channels.

“The job of the media /marketing professionals will also be made more exciting with this technology and data enabled decision making tool which will ultimately drive better effectiveness and efficiencies,” he concluded.

In the same vein, the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) Registrar, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo who was represented by the Director, Regulation, Monitoring and Enforcement, Ijedi Iyoha, applauded the partnership and assured them of the council’s support, stating that the collaboration will help boost advertising industry in the country.

She added that it came at a right time APCON has been directed to manage the audience measurement of media which also includes OOH. “APCON is giving its 100 percent support to this. I want to believe that with this collaboration if it is well implemented it will go a long way to enhance growth and innovation in the industry.”