Outdoor is hit by six-sheet slump

Outdoor advertising revenue has fallen for the first time in five years, according to the latest figures from the Outdoor Advertising Association (OAA).

The figures, published today (Wednesday), show a 6.7% drop in outdoor revenue to £221m for the first quarter ending March 31, 2008. Industry sources say the declining value of six-sheets posters has contributed to the fall.

Meanwhile, digital screens, which have been installed across the underground network and at Heathrow Terminal 5, are understood to have grown by 24%.

Posterscope deputy managing director Glenn Wilson says: “Every year you get a sector that doesn’t perform as well as another and it would be fair to say six-sheets are there at the moment. A couple of years ago it was 48-sheets.”

Industry insiders say that a cull of six-sheet sites is needed to prevent the medium from further declining in value (MW May 1).

But Wilson adds that the results may paint a “slightly false” picture due to exceptionally strong results in the first part of 2007. He says: “With the exception of online, outdoor has been consistently growing.”