Media industry positive toward smaller, greener billboards in Manila

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and outdoor advertisers signed a “Magna Carta” agreement last week, which sets new guidelines for the construction, installation and display of billboards.

The new rules and regulations cover all existing and proposed advertising signs, billboards, display signs, electrical signs, LED signs / boards, ground signs, roof signs, and sign structures along major thoroughfares, public roads, secondary roads, avenues, streets, roads, parks, and open spaces.

Thirty per cent of the total area of the billboard shall be allotted for a landscape or vertical garden, while two full-grown sustainable trees shall be planted and maintained within the setback areas of billboard structures.

Ortega noted that the biggest challenge, as always, will be in the implementation of the agreed guidelines and in a consistent manner through time.

According to Norman Davadilla, OOH director at Starcom MediaVest Group Philippines, the industry sees this new regulation as an opportunity to develop other out-of-home formats outside billboards.

“Digital OOH, for one, is a popular format,” he said. “Our clients are starting to see value in creating consumer experience out of this platform. The creativity, flexibility and affordability make DOOH a suitable alternate to static billboards.”

Davadilla said the outdoor business in The Philippines was estimated to be US$196 million last year, of which 70 per cent was spent in Metro Manila. Some 60 per cent of spend was on large format billboards while 40 per cent was on smaller formats (transit ads, airports, trains, street furniture, DOOH).

Lead categories for outdoor advertising are telecommunications and real estate, followed by textiles and fast food.