The Hindu Business Line : Indo-Pak cricket series: Madison Outdoor targets Rs 8 cr from in-stadia ads

Madison Outdoor Media Services, a division of the Mumbai-based Madison Advertising, expects to earn Rs 7-8 crore in revenues by selling space for on-ground hoardings across all the venues for the forthcoming Indo-Pakistan cricket series.

Madison, which won in-stadia rights for 40 per cent of the space available, bidding against a couple of Pakistani companies and Ten Sports, has tied up with Sign Source, among the largest Pakistani companies in outdoor media, to undertake local execution of the work. Mr Sam Balsara, Chairman, Madison, told Business Line that the tie-up with a local company will help sell space to Pakistani companies. "It was also thought necessary in order to ensure accurate execution."

The Pakistan Cricket Board had divided the signage space available at stadia into "unrestricted lots" and "restricted lots". The former constitutes 60 per cent of the space and the latter 40 per cent. Madison has won the bid for the "restricted lots", which means it can only sell space to Pakistani companies or to multinational companies which have a presence in Pakistan. It cannot sell space to any Indian company which does not have products selling in Pakistan. Nimbus, which has bagged the rights for the "unrestricted lot" or 60 per cent of the space, is free to market to Indian companies or to Pakistan-based outfits and even to the same clients that Madison Outdoor may target.

No other Indian company, Mr Balsara pointed out, bid for the "restricted" advertising rights. "They were daunted by the fact that they would have to market space only to Pakistan based companies," he said. Madison will be targeting FMCG and auto companies which sell in India and have a presence in Pakistan as well. For example, Hyundai, which has a large presence in India, sells its Accents in Pakistan as well or a HLL, which would have a presence through Unilever in that country.

The advertising package of $1,90,000 is for a minimum of four on-ground hoardings across all the stadia where the eight matches are being held — three Test matches and five one-dayers.