Out of Home Advertisement (OOH) – What We Can Learn From Net-a-Porter Hongkong

Asia Pacific Focus: Net-a-Porter targets Hong Kong with Tram Takeover - Marketers consider using OOH advertising because it becomes easy to get customers attention in public area. Rosewarne (2007) claimed that,” OOH advertising is highly visible, often very large, and placed in heavily trafficked areas in order to attract as many viewers as possible.” Based on the case study about Net-a-porter that targeting Chinese customers by using tram, I believe that the main reason of Net-a-porter used OOH ads to attract more consumers as much as they can and it is make sense for me personally. However, the challenge on the OOH advertising is the target market who has opportunity to be persuade by the brand. Yet, Chinese consumers behaviour in Hong Kong is already been constructed as modern lifestyle and tend to try new shopping style (online). So, it clearly be seen that if they still using this method of advertising (OOH) until now, marketer still believe that they will be more popular.

In my point of view, the idea of using tram is interesting since Hong Kong has a lot of types of OOH ads. Billboard, phone booths, public toilets, bus, etc are ads medium that I would say mainstream. So, I think, Net-a-porter has different medium with vintage look on the tram. In developed country, OOH ads have been used in public transport, e.g. like bus in Canberra that using OOH ads to attract public with certain promotion of products/services or even same sex marriage vote in the past, and I personally would say that I got persuaded by the OOH ads and want to know more. However, Chan and Cheng (2004) suggested that OOH ads must be very creative beyond the size as well as the colour, picture and layout. I totally agree with that because public especially millennials generations like to see ads which is unique. On the other hand, if we look at Net-a-porter style of design and message is more western and vintage to show simplicity and luxury style. It is such a consistency of the brand with western outlook. Another point to add is about the marketing message which English only, however, not all Chinese consumers can understand English. If Net-a-porter can use mixing language on the marketing message, it would be great like what they did in their website. Some of luxury brand products that sold by Net-a-porter is relatively new, but by the help of new transformation in language system, Net-a-porter being more popular for Chinese consumers in Hong Kong. It clearly be seen that language can support ads systems.

To sum up, OOH ads is very useful to attract public-eye because of the places, medium, size, design and message is very creative and unique. Marketers should think about target market to be match with the message and medium of OOH to deliver marketing message. In my opinion, OOH ads will be more popular in the future since the change of technology and the sense of creativity.

Reference:

Bachman, K. (2010). Sin City offers OOH opportunities not seen anywhere outside of New York or Tokyo. (MARKET PROFILE) (out of home advertising). Brandweek, 51(15), 15.

L Rosewarne, Sex in Public: Women, outdoor advertising and public policy, Cambridge Scholars: Newcastle, 2007 p. 137.