Transport media is, in our opinion, the likely workhorse of the entirety of the out-of-home advertising ecosystem. It’s a category of out-of-home advertising that uses modes of transport to display advertising messages, this includes the use of buses, taxis, trains and trams.

In the ever-evolving saturated media climate, advertisers and brands are continuously looking for new ways to make an impact and one way in which they can do this is with Transport Media.

In 2022, 5.1 billion passenger journeys were made on public transport vehicles in the UK (1), signifying a huge potential for your brand to be seen by a vast audience.

This highly versatile media leverages the mobility of vehicles to advertise messages far and wide to a number of demographic groups in just about any location. In this article, we take a look at what transport media is, the many different formats as well as the advantages of incorporating it into your advertising strategies.

What is Transport Media?

Transport media is a highly popular way to advertise in the UK with Transport for London having generated advertising revenues of 145 million British pounds in the fiscal year 2022/2023 (2). This indicates that advertisers and brands recognise its effectiveness as an advertising format.

The idea with transport advertising is to capitalise on captive audiences waiting for or using transport as well as leveraging the mobile nature of these vehicles to place advertising in front of commuters, motorists, passengers and pedestrians. It therefore offers maximum visibility, reach, as well as engagement. Each mode of transport provides brands with unique opportunities to engage with their audience.

Types of Transport Media

Train and London Underground

Rail advertising and London Underground advertising leverages the outside and inside of the carriage as well as the surrounding areas to advertise to commuters during their daily journeys.

London Underground advertising has the capacity to tap into the millions of commuters, tourists and residents using the network daily, providing a vast and diverse audience for advertisers to engage with.

Bus Advertising

Utilise the sides and the back of a bus to capture the attention with Bus Supersides, Bus Streetliners, Bus Rear Ads and more. You can target locally or nationwide with buses as they’re essential modes of transport for communities everywhere. Bus advertising has the ability to cut through other advertising in densely populated areas and make a statement due to its height and bold colours.

The back of the bus leverages the potential dwell time as motorists wait in traffic whilst the sides of the bus aim to capture the attention of pedestrians and motorists going about their daily lives.

Tram Advertising

Like train advertising, you can advertise on tram carriages as well as on platforms to engage and capture the attention of commuters and pedestrians. Tram platforms offer both static and digital billboards with the latter offering increased targeting and personalisation options, with the added ability of real-time optimisation.

Taxi Advertising

Taxi Advertising has the potential to influence a huge and varied audience of passengers, tourists, business people, consumers and more in several of the UK’s busiest towns and cities. By displaying advertising on the exterior as well as interior, taxi brands can capitalise on a captive audience for the duration of the ride.

Using the iconic and instantly recognisable London Black Cabs, advertising on taxis can help your creative campaign make a big impact on your potential customers and buyers.

There are a few options to choose from with Taxi Advertising, including Taxi Wraps or Taxi Full Livery for maximum brand impact. Taxi Super Sides can be scaled into hundreds of taxis with cost-effective coverage, and finally, close engagement with passengers using Taxi Tip Seats ads.

Airplane/Airport Advertising

Airports provide the perfect environment for advertising since all types of people use them, including business travellers, leisure travellers, tourists, commuters, HNWIs and frequent flyers.

From arrivals, departures and private lounges, there are multiple ways for businesses of all sizes to target this captive audience during a time when the majority are waiting around. What’s more, you can take advantage of the high dwell time within the baggage claims, shopping and dining areas to really drive engagement.

Other forms of airport advertising include banners trailing behind aeroplanes and advertising in aeroplane magazines.

Benefits of Transport Media

Transport media offers a variety of advantages making it a highly attractive advertising format. Let’s take a look:

High Visibility

The strategic placement of transport media adverts means that as transport travels through towns, cities and rural areas, your brand is highly visible and captures the attention of diverse demographics. The visibility and wide variety of formats to choose from ensure that there are multiple ways for your brand to reach the masses and increase brand awareness.

Captive Audiences

Transport users typically become a captive audience for the duration of their journey, particularly as they need to be aware of their surroundings. This provides the ideal environment for your message to be conveyed effectively and ensures plenty of time for audiences to absorb content. Creative designs have more of an opportunity to leave a lasting impression and the repetitive nature of commuting encourages brand recall.

Increased Reach

Transport advertising has the benefit of being mobile, which makes it an effective tool for extending reach across various locations throughout the day. Unlike static billboards, buses, taxis and trains cover significant ground throughout the week, exposing your messaging to different communities, demographics and socioeconomic groups.

Cost-Effective

Compared to other forms of advertising, transport media can be a cost-effective option. The cost per impression (CPM) can be relatively low and considering the extensive reach and exposure it provides, this is a pretty good deal. Whether you’re a business with a limited budget or a larger corporation willing to spend for maximum impact, transport advertising has a number of options and formats to choose from that cater to your diverse needs.

Targeting Options

Transport advertising allows for the flexibility to target and strategically choose specific locations for advertising campaigns. With the use of Digital Out-of-Home on train and tram platforms, you can also strategically target specific groups of people as they move throughout their day. These targeting options enhance the relevance of ads, increasing their effectiveness and reducing wastage.

Transport Media - London Underground Advertising - Tube Car Panels.

Integrating Transport Media into Your Advertising Campaign

Transport Media can be used to enhance the effectiveness and impact of your advertising campaigns. This requires a thoughtful approach as well as an understanding of the uses and relevant placements. Here are some tips on how to integrate transport media into your advertising campaign.

Define campaign objectives
Know your target audience
Select the right Transport Media
Craft compelling creatives and messaging
Select Target Locations
Employ a multi-channel approach
Measure campaign objectives and ROI

For more information on how to effectively integrate Transport Media into your advertising campaign, get in touch with our specialist team who will work with you to create a cohesive plan.
In summary, transport media encompasses a wide variety of formats that deliver benefits such as wide reach, high visibility and the ability to capture the attention of captive audiences. It is an effective and accessible advertising medium that can integrate into your overall advertising strategy to enhance and maximise impact. As technology continues to play a pivotal role in OOH, transport media presents opportunities to target audiences throughout their daily journey making it a highly attractive medium.

FAQs

What is transport advertising?

Transport Media is a category of out-of-home advertising that uses modes of transport to display advertising messages, this includes the use of buses, taxis, trains and trams.

Why is transit media important?

Transit media or transport media is important because it provides businesses the opportunity to reach a wide audience in a range of demographics, including commuters, tourists, students, motorists and more.

Reference

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