Clear Channel Outdoor launches ‘Connect’ – the first global OOH mobile advertising platform

In a world first, Clear Channel Outdoor (CCO), the leading innovator in out-of-home advertising, is rolling out Connect, its interactive mobile advertising platform globally, representing a major development in the evolution of out-of-home media worldwide – generating more opportunities for consumers and brands to connect.

Advertising panels on CCO’s pedestrian-accessible sites across the globe will be turned into mobile launch pads, enabling consumers to access interactive content from advertisers via their smartphones. Connect creates seamless integration between out-of-home and mobile, driving deeper brand engagement with consumers when they are out and about.

Singapore has taken the lead by offering advertisers interactive mobile advertising solutions through Mobile Life! since August 2011. In the coming months, Mobile Life! will be re-branded as Connect. Starting May 2014, all 4,000 6-sheet advertising panels in Singapore, in addition to existing Mobile Life!-enabled panels in the CBD, will be permanently equipped with Connect capabilities, allowing advertisers to launch mobile enabled campaigns with ease – anytime, anywhere.

William Eccleshare, CEO of Clear Channel Outdoor, said, “We have made this investment because all our intelligence tells us this is what consumers want, to be able to engage with brands individually, immediately and effectively. We are bridging the online and offline worlds by combining our outstanding audience reach with personal engagement through mobile devices. The global rollout of Connect accelerates the metamorphosis of out-of-home advertising from being the oldest form of advertising to the most modern and creative.”

He added, “At Clear Channel Outdoor, we take pride in being a company of advertising firsts. We were the first to introduce the public bike scheme; the first to deliver an outdoor digital street furniture network; and the first to run a facial recognition campaign. We have done it once again with Connect as we are the first to roll out this interactive mobile platform on such an international scale.”

The Connect tags are permanently attached to digital or static poster structures on pedestrianaccessible sites with heavy footfall and long dwell-time, such as street furniture – including bus shelters and similar street-level advertising structures – shopping malls and at point-of-sale. Connect sites can be found nationwide in Singapore, from the heartlands to premium locations such as Orchard Road and the CBD, reaching out to consumers of all ages and profiles.

Consumers simply tap or scan their smartphone over Connect’s NFC tag or QR code to instantly open a gateway to an online brand experience. In CCO’s Latin American markets, the platform will also run with the addition of SMS capability; a tailored SMS code will appear on the outdoor advert.