Mall Ads’ general manager John Faia spoke to media update’s Adam Wakefield about why the company was founded and why malls form an important frontier within the out of home (OOH) space and the broader marketing environment.

What led Provantage Media Group to establish Mall Ads? Why are malls an important part of the OOH advertising space?

The establishment of Mall Ads was a natural extension to Provantage Media Group’s current offering. Also, the timing and the opportunity was right to form the business. It is an important part of the OOH mix due to the societal importance of malls in South Africa and the fact that it becomes the last line of defence for brands to speak to consumers before they purchase products.

What particular nuances apply only to mall advertising, compared to other forms of OOH advertising?

There are various nuances, the first one being that mall advertising happens at the point of purchase. Another nuance is the consumer’s mindset – she or he is in a purchasing frame of mind. Malls are also considered the “third place” after home and work. Furthermore, the messaging and communication can be tailored to be more personal and the medium can be targeted to a more specific audience as opposed to other forms of outdoor, which can be large, loud, and for everyone.

What are the advantages for brands to advertise in malls, and what are the challenges they need to be aware of?

Advantages for brands advertising in malls range from being able to speak to consumers at the point of purchase, to the fact that malls provide the last opportunity to persuade, educate, or highlight key product benefits in an environment where consumers may be approached and engaged with face to face. Another advantage is the opportunity to capitalise on the consumer’s frame of mind.

Challenges include inconsistent production formats, so creative needs to be tweaked and applied to the specifications of each mall. The message and creative needs to talk shopper’s language as opposed to just applying existing main stream creative messaging. Certain landlord restrictions and rules may limit what brands want to do and achieve.

In an omni-channel world, how can OOH advertising make an impact in the mall environment?

Outdoor and any other medium can be part-and-parcel of mall campaigns. It’s more about the messaging and brand managers, and media buyers connecting the dots, and seeing the opportunity within targeted nodes.

How excited are you personally to be steering the Mall Ads ship, and what sort of direction is being provided to you, if any, by Provantage Media Group?

I am very excited and I appreciate the opportunity. I am entrusted with the responsibility of taking this business to where it needs to go and have the benefit of being able to tap into the greater Provantage Media Group resource-base and intelligence whenever I need to. It is a very exciting opportunity.

For more information, visit www.provantage.co.za/mall-ads.

Malls aren’t the only channel that brands can use to connect with consumers. Read more in our article, A game-changing channel strategy taps into the consumer journey