Since commencement of operations over a decade ago, GEMS Communications has been at the forefront of deploying new technologies and ideas to provide business solutions. In its bid to re-define the industry and deliver greater value to advertisers, the company recently introduced Traffic Data Analysis Report for its premium sites. Atilola Odudare, Managing Director of the company speaks on this and more. Excerpts:
How effective is Out-of-Home advertising in marketing?
Statistics show that OOH Advertising has the highest recall rate and this has been proven by campaign effectiveness monitoring done by brands in our portfolio. There are different parameters for rating Out-of-Home industry in the Nigerian market, but across board I will say the industry is delivering on media effectiveness.
Can you compare the developments in the industry to global trends?
To a large extent, Nigeria is moving at par with what is obtainable globally. We only need to step up our game in terms of technology and power. The advancement all over the world is backed up with the technology available and of course for technology to be useful, it needs electrical power.
Are Nigerian brands maximizing the opportunities Out-of-Home offers?
Well, a brand can only maximize what it has full control over. Unfortunately brands and Brand Managers do not have control over the Industry. They only work with what they are offered or what is available. I will say they are, based on the level of service available to them.
Give us an insight into the operations of Gems Communications.
Gems Communications started out as an Outdoor company in 2003. It was one of the foremost Outdoor Agencies in Nigeria. Gems Communications has gone through a lot of positive evolutions since inception. Apart from deploying the latest solutions in Out-of-Home technology, we constantly seek new ways of satisfying our esteemed clients. Innovation, focus on quality and exceptional customer service are the hallmarks of our operations at Gems Communications.
What are the things that stand Gems Communications out?
Gems Communications goes out of its way to attract the best talents in the industry. Its staff strength and capability are enviable. It has international affiliations and partnerships it exploits in deploying the latest technology in the OOH industry to deliver cutting edge solutions to clients across the country and beyond.
In what is seen as raising the bar in the Out-of-Home industry, Gems Communications recently introduced traffic data report on its premium sites. Can you shed more light on this?
Like I mentioned earlier, Gems Communications Limited, is a technology driven Out–of–Home display company that connects advertisers to consumers on–the–go with strategically located standout structures. In line with the company’s tradition of exploiting technology to introduce new value-adding offerings, we decided to ensure that the company provides the required Traffic Data Report to advertisers for its premium sites after the completion of its magnificent 300m2 LED screen (E-VISUAL) and Trivision posted 10m above the ground in the city of Lagos (along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway).
In addition, as a reassurance of the maximum value these out of home structures deliver, the company is working tirelessly, using the latest technology to deploy the tools, mechanism and software designed to capture, record and analyze these traffic data on all of its Out-of-Home structures pan-Nigeria.
How will this help in achieving improvement in marketing performance?
It certainly will ensure accurate information is provided to advertisers to aid ROI measurement on their spending and effective planning. A quick look at the Traffic Analysis Report below reveals that our magnificent 300m2 delivers maximum value for every kobo spent and it cuts across all Social Economic Classes (A – as they travel to city like Ibadan for social and religious events, Class B, C and D – as they travel from their owned and rented apartments to work and other areas of Lagos State).
What reaction do you think this traffic data report innovation will generate in the industry?
Oh! It is generating very positive reactions. Gone are the days when boards or hoardings are bought or selected without any data to support the location or the reach to target audience. Clients now demand data and strict brand specific parameters are followed for OOH media now. So, this is quite a novelty idea for advertisers.
Which other technological innovations have you deployed at your sites, for instance your magnificent 300m2 LED screen (E-VISUAL) along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway that will complement the data traffic report to guarantee maximum value for advertisers?
We also have the remote viewing technology on the boards. With this, clients can view the boards remotely on their mobile phones and lap tops from anywhere. Gone are the days when clients just buy boards based on their media budgets. These days a lot of justifications and parameters go into what board is bought and why. Our LED screens are with P-20 technology which uses advanced user-friendly billboard software for real time performance monitoring, brightness monitoring, remote LED calibration, rapid anomaly detection, data storage and reporting.
Projecting into the future, how do you intend to stay ahead of competition and sustain your trailblazing position in the industry?
We are not resting on our oars. There are a lot of innovative projects in the pipeline. We are fine-tuning and waiting for the right time to unleash them on the market. One has to be very strategic about every move. It is our foremost desire to satisfy our clients always.
