Advertising is commonly defined as that marketing activity undertaken by companies to inform their target market or potential customers about the products and services that they are offering. Today, advertising efforts are varied and widely available in different media like radio, television, magazines, newspapers and even the Internet. Generally, advertisements are place in just about any place where there is an audience or where there is access to visuals, audio or print messages.
With the tight competition, that characterizes almost all industries worldwide, companies had to find new media and advertising approaches to reach their desired audience. Among the more innovative advertising strategy used today is train advertising. This is an example of out-of-home advertising (OOH) which refers to all advertising that is communicated to the consumer while he is outside his domicile. Other popular OOH advertising include billboards, and street furniture.
More and more companies have subscribed to train advertising to target the millions of passengers who ride the train every day on their way to and from work. Moreover, this strategy takes advantage of the captive environment that passengers find themselves in while commuting. According to train advertising advocates, messages from train advertisements are captured and absorbed by passengers due to the confined space and thereby, minimizing distractions.
Quality and frequency of impressions for these ads are also high due to the repetitive nature of passenger use. Moreover, train advertising can be made more precise by selecting the particular route that the company’s target market will most likely follow or use. Train advertising is usually available in different size and formats. They can be displayed in a Framed One Sheet, Two Sheet or Three Sheet displays. These are strategically placed on platforms at waiting areas, exit points, and entrance points of subway and train lines.
In many metropolitan markets, brand train advertising is done by utilizing the entire rail car as an advertising tool for a paying advertiser. All overhead racks and premium squares are used for the sole benefit of the same company or firm. Some advertisements are also aired through the television sets and flat screen monitors that are placed in passenger cars. Advertisements are aired alongside news, weather updates and sports and business information that are relayed.
In assessing the effectiveness of these innovative advertising strategy, train advertising metrics would have to be identified. These should serve as indicators for success or failure. Depending on the advertising objective of the company, these metrics should accurately measure the facets of consumer behavior that will affect their acceptance of the product or service that they are promoting. Another method of assessing advertising campaigns is ad tracking or ad effectiveness tracking. This in-market research determines how a brand is performing, the target customer’s level of brand awareness, overall consumer attitude toward competition and product trial and usage. These assessment activities must be done in continuous fashion and at regular intervals.
