Rich people don’t have time to read

Factfile (MW August 5) confirmed much of what we already knew: affluent consumers read international media. It did expand on the reasons why they make this choice, but it did not really take into account the true pattern of how these heavyweight consumers lead their working lives and the media with which they come into contact. Let’s describe a typical business trip.

The high-powered executive gets collected by a taxi or car company, both of which are likely to carry advertising, and taken to the airport where they drive past huge branding advertising displays before being dropped outside the terminal.

After check-in, our archetype invariably has a long wait at security, where they can read the latest business information delivered by LED screen by UBS. Then they probably go to an airport lounge, which can now be penetrated with sponsorships in the business areas, using subtle but effective advertising to make a real connection with consumers.

Increasingly, time-poor executives are timing their run to the airport so that they arrive and then board while making phone calls as they walk to the plane. On the way, they will pass stand-out advertising with striking creative work and strong branding qualities. Finally, they board the plane – without having read any print media at all.

Preparation for the meeting takes up the duration of the short flight, before a drive into the destination city centre is punctuated by more outdoor advertising. They’ve arrived and the advertising messages have all been through various out-of-home media. And even when they arrive back, they stand in a taxi queue facing city-light posters with too many minutes dwell time.

Sure it won’t give them enough blagging material for dinner that night, but those campaigns will have reached this desirable market. We’re always being told to get inside the lifestyle of the consumer and the above overview is accurate – after all, it is exactly the travel pattern of international media people.

Mike Segrue

Managing director EMEA

Poster Publicity

London SW1E