6 Issue 256 - December 2024 / January 2025 www.signlink.co.uk INDUSTRY / NEWS signlink signlink signlinkmagazine Ströer Media advocates for classic billboards Christian Schmalzl, chief executive officer of German outdoor advertising company, Ströer Media, has called on the out-of-home (OOH) industry to better integrate digital and static billboards, stressing the continued impact of classic OOH advertising in comparison to digital outof-home (DOOH). Schmalzl was speaking at the World Out of Home Europe Forum in Milan, in a talk entitled ‘All Digital: All Good?’. The event, which took place on November 4th and was run by the World Out of Home Organisation, brought together leaders from across the OOH sector to discuss industry trends and the future of OOH. In the talk, Schmalzl asserted that digitisation is driving the growth of OOH advertising, but also warned against neglecting the potential of classic static billboards. Outlining his suggestions to the industry as a whole, he mentioned that converting classic sites to digital screens “needs to go hand in hand” with leveraging new opportunities for creative and impactful solutions for advertisers within the sphere of classic billboards. “As most of the current momentum is digital, it’s crucial to not overlook the importance and unique selling points of classic OOH.” Schmalzl also spoke at the forum about a promising increase in the market share of the advertising industry for OOH campaigns. According to Outsmart, a trade body for the OOH industry, UK OOH revenues in the first quarter of 2024 were £292m, a 16.4% increase from the same period in 2023. Within that period, DOOH revenue grew 22.8%, while classic OOH grew 6.2%. Christian Schmalzl speaking at the World Out of Home Europe Forum in Milan By Jonathan Pert Tesco swapped out its well-known logo for photos of fresh produce in an out-ofhome (OOH) advertisement campaign. The campaign was created in collaboration with marketing agency BBHLondon. Titled ‘Icons’, aimed to showcase the idea that even without the Tesco letters, the brand's distinctive blue chevrons make it instantly recognisable. The campaign featured food photography by Will Cooper, with various food items representing the letters of Tesco's name in an abstract manner. Each of the billboard designs also contained Tesco’s slogan, ‘every little helps’. The OOH campaign which ran through October and November fostered a lot of debate online, with opinions split on if the campaign was effective. Abstract Tesco billboard campaign creates buzz online Investigations have begun regarding the appearance of shopfront signage for gambling company Betfred in the window of a well-known old department store. Heritage organisation The Bradford Civic Society has raised concerns that the window vinyl has been installed without the betting company seeking advertising consent or planning permission. Bradford Council has also weighed in, saying that the signs would be investigated by its planning team "as soon as possible." The vinyl sign was installed in the windows of the Betfred unit on Market Street. The building itself is within a Conservation area, and dates back to the 1870s. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a spokesperson for Betfred said the company will "work with the council on this issue." The word ‘Tesco’ is represented through the first letter of each food item Enforcement officers investigating signage on vintage department store Make it Happen Signage Consultancy has announced an exclusive partnership with graphic installation company, CVI group, which includes the launch of a new workshop called the Under Wraps Bootcamp. The Under Wraps Bootcamp offers participants the opportunity to learn the entire process of wrapping including installation, which is advertised as a “hands on” course. Workshops began in October in Leicester and will continue to run into 2025. Included in the course will be training on artwork setup, aesthetics, aftercare hints and tips, and a series of wrapping demonstrations. The workshop is one of a range learning opportunities organised by Make it Happen, which is run by founder and chief executive officer, Sam Armstrong. Make it Happen launch wrapping workshop with CVI Group [L to R] Sam Armstrong from Make it Happen and Chris Edwards from CVI Group Branding company Ast has detailed a sustainable way to process used backing paper, which it is asking printing and signage industries to adopt. The processing of used silicone backing paper is seen as an industry-wide problem as there is not a sustainable way to process it. Jon Hutton from FESPA UK worked with Ast to implement a multi-stage process for used silicone backing paper. The system involves delivery of the backing paper to a wastepaper transfer station facility. The card core is separated from the silicone paper through guillotining. The silicone paper is blended with other grades of paper, shredded, and made into millsize bales for use by a paper mill. The silicone is then removed through a chemical process, and the remaining fibre is re-pulped. Ast announces sustainable way to process backing paper This process, according to Ast, allows for all materials to be either repurposed or recycled Betfred has been criticised for a window vinyl install
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