Brands and Out of Home

Question: Wagacha John     Is the billboard business becoming less and less popular?  John Walter Mwanthi walt what's your thoughts Response: John Walter Mwanthi   Well well well, Yes and No. Yes because we (the Outdoor industry) have planted too much metal on the ground, focusing more energy and resources in having posters up and less in having meaningful consumer engagement in the out of home environment. Basic ally offering the market advertising space for posters rather than asking where the audience is and how best to have brand conversations with them. No because with consumers spending about 70% of their time out of the house, out of home still remains the biggest driver of search (online) and mass awareness.  My two cents... Be on the lookout for the next article on  https://brandsandoutofhome.blogspot.com/?m=1 Edit or delete this BRANDSANDOUTOFHOME.BLOGSPOT.COM Brands and Out of Home ...

Washrooms Here -> Last evening I met a friend in one of the most popular joints in town. As is the case with every other coffee drinking spree, I found myself at the Gents after two rounds. Two ladies walked into the Men's room, and after a synchronised and apologetic oops! they stepped out, as fast as they came in. Would you blame these beauties for walking into a gent's washroom? Isn't it clearly marked outside? I mean, who does that? Before going further into the disambiguation of whether they were right or wrong, let's all first agree that the signage outside every restroom is an out of home media touchpoint; a directional signage that either tells us to turn right, left or walk right through, depending on our gender, or choices thereof. So when I walked out, I turned around and took this picture of the door. Let's look at the picture (above) once more.... The other door (signage) was positioned on the opposite side of the alleyway, so I co...

Outdoor Advertising or Out Of Home as we know it today traces its roots to ancient day Babylon in present day Iraq. Although some historians tend to differ, most agree that the oldest profession on earth made use of simple signs to pass messages in Mesopotamia. Here, they branded the foot of the citadel with offers such as dancing and entertainment as an addition to their services. At the harbor, they inscribed on successive tiles the directions to the nearest brothel.  This makes Outdoor Advertising one of the oldest communication channels in the media mix.... # Outdoor   # outofhome   # Media   # communication   # advertising   # ooh

          Lessons for Equity Bank from the Matatu Industry The 'matatu' industry has for long been tainted with words such as 'disorderly' and 'poorly managed'. But one thing that is clear from the operations of Makangas and drivers in this industry is  communication . They will always tell you when to expect a traffic snarl up. If you hail a 'matatu' and it is filled to capacity, the tout always tells you that 'iko crome" (slang for 'the bus is full and there is no space for you') If by any chance there is a passenger in the bus who is alighting  at the next stage, rather than the tout leave you behind and risk losing out on potential business, he asks you to get in and bear with having to be on your feet for a few yards till that passenger alights, then you will enjoy the comfort of your own seat. When a tout does not have loose change, he goes to the extend of asking you to help solve the problem, "Since your fare is 60/- a...

The Kenyan Guest House When I first left my dad’s house to join nursery school; those days there was nothing like day care or preparatory school, or play school; you left your mother’s arms ready for the world. Well, one of the reasons I believe this was so, is that our mothers were much more dedicated to motherhood as compared to today’s busy mom; who has in most cases metamorphosis-ed from a clande . Why would such a seasoned writer like me derail from the subject matter and start comparing the 1300AD mother and the twenty first century lady? We should be out here. I started coming out here as long as I can possibly remember. Mom let me out to go start education and said, “When you go out there, take care of your pencil and books, uweke vizuri usiibiwe ”, she is such a lovely moma. Then I finished taking care of pencils and finally landed out here! This is the world of volumes, strategic plans, annual budgets and millennium development goals! So I’m out here toda...

Everything starts somewhere! This blog post is the beginning of either a long tiring journey, or a short sweet successful roller coaster ride; they say Hope for the best, but expect the worst. My heart has never been so convinced that I can do more than wake up and go to the office every morning; I know that I am more than I have been thus far.The world is a fast rolling place, neither am I that slow; I am ready to pay for the price of my dreams! I used to think I was young, till I saw a #trend on twitter for kids born 1990-1999, and I was left out of the conversation. Logging out of twitter I switched on the telly, only to find an advert for People 18 and below to save for their future. What a harsh way to realize that I was already living in the future! Then I looked back to see the things I had done in my past; nothing! Well except for an education that hasn't stood up to its promises, is there much I can be really proud of? Oh! Whenever I am around people, I make it my j...