INSIGHT
PMG to use
new Sharjah Airport contract as “springboard” for Middle East and Africa
Provantage Media Group (PMG) has secured a new contract with Sharjah International Airport to manage its advertising spaces for eight years.
Under the agreement, South Africa-headquartered PMG, which now has an advertising contract in 23 international airports, receives exclusive advertising rights through to 2027 with an option to renew for a further period. This includes all external sites at the airport and all internal advertising opportunities.
“From our perspective,
a strategic imperative is to
use Sharjah as a springboard
to launch our business further
into the Middle East and
North Africa”
Provantage Media Group Deputy CEO and Head of subsidiary Airport Ads, Mzi Deliwe
Provantage Media Group Deputy CEO and Head of subsidiary Airport Ads Mzi Deliwe tells Sight Lines: “Our commitment is to develop passenger-centric advertising solutions.”
He adds: “We have agreed a 360-degree advertising solution with Sharjah Airport. This ensures that passengers interact with the various media types along the entire passenger journey, which improves advertising recall.”
This is a significant win for PMG at an airport that saw a +13% increase in passenger traffic in 2019 to handle more than 13 million annual passengers for the first time. PMG secured the contract via an open tender after JCDecaux had held the rights for over 20 years.
A wide array of advertising opportunities in the pre-security area of Sharjah International
Sharjah is the third-largest airport in the UAE, and passenger numbers are forecast to grow to more than 20 million a year by 2030. Currently, the airport is undergoing an extensive US$408 million construction programme to expand capacity to more than 30 million passengers annually. At the same time, it is seeking new carriers to expand the routes on offer, with a particular focus on Europe.
This presents PMG with a significant opportunity. “From our perspective, a strategic imperative is to use Sharjah as a springboard to launch our business further into the Middle East and North Africa,” says Deliwe.
New installations in the meet & greet area of Sharjah International Airport
PMG has already rolled out its Airport.TV facility throughout the airport. The installation consists of 80 screens broadcasting live content together with advertising in a 50/50 split. The screens are placed in strategic areas, such as arrivals, luggage collection, meet & greet and security, and across the departure terminals.
“We have created iconic sites at Sharjah by developing ‘domination zones’,” says Deliwe. “By way of example, we would, where possible, combine three advertising sites into a single site. Our years of experience across various regions proves that advertising clients like these domination zones and tend to retain them for longer periods.”
Prime opportunity: Digital installations in the airport’s baggage claim area
PMG’s strategy at Sharjah already appears to be attracting attention, as it says it has been approached by other airports in the Middle East to bid for upcoming airport advertising tenders.
“PMG has a large focus on growing our footprint into Africa and the Middle East as aggressively as possible, not just in the airport space, but in the out-of-home space in general,” says Deliwe. “Our strategic imperative is to get the airport rights first and foremost, and then to follow this with other relevant solutions for that particular market outside the airport environment.”
Sight Lines
Issue 6 | February 2020
Sight Lines is published by The Moodie Davitt Report (Moodie International Ltd) five times a year.
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