This pandemic crisis was naturally very severe for the Foreign Environment. The PSE audience study showed the obvious audience drops that the medium, throughout each week we live. But now it also demonstrates its clear recovery since May 2021, as we can see in the following chart:
Source: PSE – Outdoor Advertising Audience Panel; Jan 2020 – Aug 2021
- One of the lessons that we can draw from these results is that the instrument for measuring the audience of Outdoor Advertising had, in this pandemic, a totally unexpected and demanding “acid” test on its ability to measure. And passed this test with flying colours. In fact, this innovative methodology, certified by CAEM, made Portugal one of the few countries in the world to have Outdooor audience results every week during the pandemic.
Now in September, in the current “almost post-pandemic” context characterized by the end of most restrictions, the return of holidays and the beginning of the academic year, it is possible to observe a return to normality in mobility, but also new trends that are building, finally, a new normal of post-pandemic mobility. Telework is today a very relevant new factor, especially in the Greater Lisbon region. In June, July and early September, 11% of the population was telecommuting but not counting people who were on vacation at that time. We still have to see if this percentage is maintained in October or not, as well as whether the remaining changes, visible today, will be maintained in the near future.
This and other information derives from the PSE_OOH Panel, under the responsibility of the PSE consultant. This is the official study accredited by CAEM to measure the audience of Publiciade Exterior, in Portugal. The basis of this study is the daily and constant monitoring of mobility, combined with the application of the ROUTE visibility algorithm. This instrument originated in the UK JIC, and used in the vast majority of countries that measure the Outdoor audience. This point allows for international comparability of data from Portugal. It is important to say that the PSE study has a huge representativeness of inventory as it audits 54,100 advertising pages, belonging to the five most important operators of outdoor advertising in Portugal.
Regarding the current context of mobility and the audience of Meio Outdoor, considering the data obtained from the 6th to the 20th of September, we can indicate five main conclusions: already practically on the same level as the pre-pandemic audience (GRP’s). But now this value is obtained in somewhat different places. This is because there are 28% of the municipalities where there is a clear increase in the Outdoor audience in relation to the pre-covid situation. On the other hand, there are 42% of the municipalities where the Outdoor audience has not yet fully recovered. And of course, in 30% of the municipalities it is already the same as it - The PSE global mobility index tells us that the mobility of the Portuguese is almost equal (only 2 pp lower) than the pre-pandemic value of September 2019.
- The possibility of measuring the audience allows the Outdoor medium to demonstrate its current strength. Data is produced every week. The OOH audience information demonstrates that, in a context of enormous and growing fragmentation of audiences in the media, Meio Outdoor has the unifying role of being a “mass media”. This is because it manages to deliver important Coverage values, which are very difficult to obtain in other ways. Added to this is its high and natural average frequency, typical of outdoor advertising. It is only important to choose the right networks for this context.
- Daily rush hours have returned but are less severe, allowing travel that is on average 17% faster. In particular, in Greater Lisbon and Greater Porto, there are some days where commuting in light vehicles takes place in 50% of the time spent before the pandemic, during peak hours, on weekdays.
- There is a slight increase in traffic in the traditionally “empty” periods, ie between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm and between 3 pm and 5 pm. Which shows a greater flexibility of mobility.
In conclusion, it seems evident that the mobility of the Portuguese is clearly normalizing, but presents differences and transformations. This is also the case with the Outdoor Advertising audience. It is important to monitor what will happen in October, a month that will already allow us to understand which mobility behaviors are really here to stay and which behaviors will disappear. With the inherent changes on the Outdoor Environment.
The study of the Outdoor Advertising audience allows us to know where the outdoor audience is, in terms of geography. Which makes it possible to optimize advertising campaigns, of course. If we compare the Outdoor audience produced in each municipality, in a “like For like” regime, that is to say with stability in the geographical position of the recorded positions, we can conclude that there were municipalities where the audience increased and others where it decreased. And of course, counties where there was stability of values. Typically, the municipalities where the audience increased are municipalities bordering the city of Lisbon or Porto, with a more residential profile. We will have to wait for the results of the end of September and especially for the month of October to understand if these trends disappear or if they consolidate.
It is important to remember that Portugal only started to have an official study to measure the audiences of Outdoor Advertising – accredited by CAEM – since January 2021. This study is produced and developed by PSE, the result of innovative work that lasted four years. The panel is composed of a sample of 2500 individuals, representative of the universe of the study. These individuals are asked to install an APP that monitors 24 hours a day, their mobility, confinement at home, geographic position, speed and means of locomotion.
Methodological Note:
Introduction:
This study has produced since 2019, but officially since January 2021, data that are applied, above all, to the measurement of the audience of outdoor advertising, but also to assist city councils in land use planning and mobility and transport management. And also in behavioral studies of mobility and “shopper”, for other companies and entities. Data is continuously produced, day after day.
Technical Note:
This study is the PSE panel, with continuous data collection through location monitoring and means of travel via mobile application of a panel of 2500 representative individuals of the Universe over 15 years old, residing in the regions of Greater Porto, Greater Lisbon, North Coast, Center Coast and Faro District. This study involves an APP installed on the participating sample’s mobile phones. Thus, we monitor the actual movement of the population, in each hour of the day. This study is carried out 24 hours a day. Data are obtained rigorously, via GPS and with the consent of the monitored sample. For a universe of 6,996,113 individuals residing in the regions studied, the margin of error attributable to the study is 2% for a confidence interval of 95%.
