Visionet launches at Kruger Mpumalanga International following Airport ads’ media rights extension

Airport Ads®, part of the Provantage family of companies, has announced the extension of its exclusive airport advertising rights at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) – the gateway to the world’s most iconic game reserve, the Kruger National Park, the Blyde River Canyon, ancient caves and many scenic and heritage attractions.

Airport Ads has held the rights since 2014. The extension – confirmed for five years, with the option for renewal for an additional five years – will incorporate the introduction of a Visionet™ large-format digital Out of Home screen, prominently located within the departing passengers’ check-in area.

This cutting-edge platform provides not only the speed and quality of digital out-of-home technology but also the opportunity for brands to achieve a high-impact and lasting impression with travellers.

The KMIA site complements the existing network of10 Visionet sites at airports throughout South Africa. With the introduction of the large-format digital platform and the renewal of media rights, Airport Ads is able to provide continued access, impact and operational stability for brands with a presence at the airport.

Since opening in 2002, KMIA has served three million passengers, opening the skies to domestic and international travellers. The Airport serves an average of 260,000 passengers annually. However, this number is set to increase as low-cost airlines FlySafair introduces a new flight route from Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) to KMIA, operating three times a week.

This expansion in air traffic is expected to drive a notable increase in passenger volume through KMIA, presenting advertisers with unparalleled opportunities to reach a diverse audience of high-income consumers and multiple opportunities to connect with this highly captive audience. Local advertisers, such as lodges and tourism-related businesses, are particularly primed to connect in this area.

According to recent survey results shared by Provantage, 54% of digital ad viewers noticed digital Airport OOH (Out-of-Home) advertising “all” or “most” of the time. 68% of viewers engaged in at least one action after seeing a digital airport ad. 59% of viewers engaged in mobile device actions after seeing a digital Airport ad. Additionally, DOOH drives four times more online activity per ad dollar spent than TV, radio and print.

Mzi Deliwe, deputy CEO at Provantage and Head of Airport Ads, says, “We are thrilled to extend our partnership with KMIA and introduce Visionet, a game-changing product that will elevate the airport advertising experience, boosting our network capabilities and enhancing services for passengers and stakeholders.”

“The Visionet screen will enhance passenger engagement and offer a unique opportunity for local advertisers with scope to extend to national campaigns. We are excited about the alignment with FlySafair and the opportunities it brings to drive additional passenger engagement and revenue growth at KMIA.”

“Airport Ads remains committed to the KMIA market, and we are confident in the region’s potential for growth and development. As we leverage our strategic partnerships, we also aim to contribute to this fast-growing destination’s economic vitality, “
says Deliwe.

By leveraging the Visionet screens strategically placed within various airport environments, local advertisers can effectively target travellers with relevant advertisements, promoting their services and attractions to a diverse audience. This innovative advertising platform presents a win-win opportunity for advertisers seeking to reach potential customers and passengers looking for information and entertainment while at KMIA and other South African airports.

Cat Nienaber, head of marketing at KMIA adds, “We are delighted to extend our collaboration with Airport Ads, as we have always maintained a mutually-beneficial partnership.

Visionet adds a dynamic new dimension for our stakeholders, adding value not only to passengers but also brands looking to engage with consumers who pass through our terminals.

The extension is testimony to the fact that we have achieved synergy in our unique corner of the South African landscape, and we hope to see it facilitate even more tourism growth with Airport Ads helping us drive that success.”

Visit airport-ads.com to learn more about how brands can maximise the many advertising opportunities available at KMIA or to inquire about the additional solutions Airport Ads can offer brands.

Cape Town International Airport makes the top 3 in the world – and big brands are noticing

Based on the latest data from the AirHelp Score for 2023, Cape Town International Airport has been voted the third-best airport in the world. And with Cape Town ranked as the second-best city in the world by Time Out Magazine, the Mother City is attracting more visitors than ever before – both locally and internationally.

According to Airport Ads®, part of the Provantage family of companies, the booming traffic at Cape Town International offers brands multiple opportunities to connect with local and international visitors to the airport via its targeted static and digital-out-of-home (DOOH) platforms, strategically located in areas with the highest footfall and dwell times.

Big brands continue to seize the attention of travellers and visitors to the airport from the moment they catch sight of it as they approach. The compelling visuals and messaging continue to connect with visitors throughout the bustling arrivals and departures terminals.

Cape Town International Airport saw a 17% year-on-year growth in December 2023, with over 317,000 two-way international passengers processed. This is the highest monthly total in the airport’s history, surpassing the previous high of 290,000 passengers processed in January 2020.

The domestic terminal recorded an impressive 21% year-on-year growth for December, with 688,000 passengers processed, and total domestic passenger growth for 2023 has remained steady at 16%, compared to the same period in 2022, reaching just under 6.9 million passengers.

Mzi Deliwe, deputy CEO at Provantage and head of Airport Ads, says: “We encourage brands and advertisers to leverage this unprecedented growth in passenger numbers by making strategic use of Airport Ads canvasses, Visionet™ large format LED screens, Airport.TV® and a wide variety of classic platforms. For added impact, 3D animation is highly effective on the large format Visionet platform.”

Digital out-of-home and static platforms create a continuous, unmissable messaging journey throughout strategic transient spaces with high foot traffic. Large-format digital Visionet screens and Airport.TV screens capitalise on key high-dwell environments, and large-format static media on wall sites, pillars and escalators complete the showstopping messaging loop.

Deliwe adds: “The many options in Cape Town International Airport advertising allow companies to select the best method for reaching their audience. With international arrivals and departures rapidly rising, cross-border reach and engagement are at an all-time high, and the airport still has immense potential to grow in passenger volume.”

Deliwe concludes: “Cape Town International is one of our key focus areas for ongoing product innovation – to help both local and global brands leverage the unique, impactful OOH media platforms that we have to offer.”

To learn more about how brands can get the most out of the many advertising opportunities available at Cape Town International Airport, or to enquire about the additional solutions Airport Ads can offer brands, visit airport-ads.com.

Brands maximise DOOH domination as Springboks land at OR Tambo

The Springboks have returned to South Africa following a record-breaking victory at the 2023 Men’s Rugby World Cup. When the team landed at OR Tambo International Airport, thousands of fans gathered to welcome the champions home as they made their entrance via the airport’s international arrivals terminal. Brands took advantage of the moment by ensuring their visibility on the Airport Ads® atrium screens. These large format digital advertising screens provided innovative brand messaging to connect with the elated audience as the local heroes arrived.

As the most central point at the heart of the airport and a constant thoroughfare for passengers arriving and people collecting passengers, the international arrivals terminal is a vital touchpoint for advertisers throughout the year, and it can also be used to leverage the extra traffic brought on by big events – like the recent return of the Springboks.

South Africa’s global heroes and heroines are greeted and celebrated in the atrium following their international successes. And since September’s launch of Airport Ads’ four large-format digital atrium screens – each measuring an impressive 40sqm – big brands continue to seize the attention of travellers and visitors to the airport from the moment they step into the arrivals hall.

Mzi Deliwe, deputy CEO at Provantage and head of Airport Ads says: “We recognise that during significant events in the country’s consciousness, brands can take the lead by creating messaging that is relevant in the moment.

“The Rugby World Cup campaign saw brands like Mastercard, Nike, FNB and MTN becoming an integral part of the grand welcome. By harnessing the impact delivered by the atrium screens, these brands aligned themselves with the celebration and enthusiasm surrounding the Springboks’ victory.”

The atrium screens, strategically placed within the arrivals hall, can be seen across three floors and by passengers going to and from the Gautrain. International passengers departing from Terminal B and domestic passengers on their way to check-in also catch sight of the screens, which have become an integral part of the airport ambience, enhancing the overall passenger experience.

The atrium is the largest central focal point in Airport Ads’ messaging touchpoints at OR Tambo. Beyond the large-format screens, a strategically-placed omnichannel brand narrative unfolds. The company’s large-format digital Visionet™ offering and Airport.TV® screens complement the brand messaging matrix, creating an immersive journey through the entire airport – connecting with passengers and visitors at several touchpoints with powerful brand messaging that converges in the arrivals terminal.

This holistic approach ensures that engagement is not limited to just one location. Deliwe adds: “The atrium is a captive platform for advertisers due its size and visibility, extended dwell times and the substantial foot traffic in the area. The larger-than-life screens, complemented by additional messaging throughout the airport, allow for impactful creative executions, engaging messaging and disruptive visuals.

“Additionally, the platform’s digital capabilities, including flexibility and immediacy, make execution straightforward, and we are fully equipped to tailor messaging in real-time.”

The bustling ‘meeters and greeters’ area is a dynamic visual landscape, enveloping travellers in a curated visual journey with a dwell time of approximately 45 minutes. Deliwe concludes: “The success of the Rugby World Cup campaign highlights the power of digital out-of-home advertising and the opportunity for brands to tap into the national consciousness during significant events. And it doesn’t stop with rugby.

“Being present at the right moment enables brands to make a lasting impact in this high-traffic and high-dwell time environment, where heroes are welcomed home, families reunite and travellers return to home soil.”

To learn more about digital domination in the airport environment and additional solutions Airport Ads can offer brands, visit airport-ads.com.

Airport Ads launches The Atrium – 160sqm of large-format digital – at OR Tambo

Airport Ads®, one of the most innovative airport media companies in the Middle East and Africa Region (MEA) and part of the Provantage family of companies, has announced the launch of The Atrium, its latest digital airport media solution situated within the International Arrivals Atrium at Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport.

The power of digital domination

Airport Ads’ large-format Atrium screens are unique and impactful advertising platforms that connect with audiences in the international arrivals area. The installation of four large digital screens – each measuring an impressive 40sqm – ensures that brands can seize the attention of travellers and visitors to the airport from the moment they step into The Atrium.

The Atrium offers brands the space to dominate. With synchronised advertising and 3D capabilities, this large format, multi-screen platform ensures that brands take over The Atrium on screens equivalent to two stories in height. Brands are therefore ideally positioned to seize the opportunity and convey their advertising messages in an innovative and creative way in one of the busiest transit hubs in Africa. This guarantees maximum exposure for brands that harness the screens’ displays for their campaigns.

Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport: A continental and international gateway

Location matters

The Atrium – an iconic site, unique to OR Tambo International Airport – is the most central point at the airport, which serves over 21 million passengers annually, and the ideal platform for large-format digital advertising to reach a positive, engaged audience with impactful creative executions, engaging messaging and disruptive visuals. It is in this space, where among others, South Africa’s global heroes and heroines are met and welcomed back following international success, with the screens also visible to passengers making their way to international departures and the Gautrain, and where dwell times tend to be longer than in any other space in the airport.

Fuelling innovation

This expansive, multiple-screen large format advertising opportunity – the first of its kind in South Africa – allows brands to dominate the airport’s highest-traffic space with bold creative executions, providing unmissable exposure to millions of travellers from all corners of the globe.

Atrium domination allows businesses to innovate freely, creating captivating and memorable campaigns that resonate with travellers. Mzi Deliwe, deputy CEO at Provantage and head of Airport Ads, says: “The Atrium offers brands an unparalleled canvas for creativity, enabling them to make a lasting impact on a higher-income target audience in a high-traffic and high-dwell time environment.

“By dominating The Atrium with their messages, brands can connect with travellers from across the globe and create an indelible impression on their journey through OR Tambo International and beyond. The Atrium is an addition to our impactful airports digital offering, which also includes the large format Visionet™ network and Airport TV® platforms, and we will continue to provide highly desirable site access and advertising solutions within the airport environment.”

To find out more about digital domination in The Atrium and additional limitless solutions Airport Ads can offer brands, visit airport-ads.com.

The rise of the Visionet network: Large format digital screens take over SA airports

Visionet™ from Airport Ads® (a Provantage company) is a large-format digital media platform available at key national airports in South Africa. With large-format digital Visionet screens in OR Tambo, Cape Town International, King Shaka International, Lanseria, and more recently, George Airport, reaching an audience of 1,2 million people monthly, the Visionet footprint is growing in the airport advertising arena. This dynamic, expansive environment connects with an affluent, receptive audience with travel time on their hands. This is seeing more big brands capitalising on digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising in airports.

George Airport

With screens ranging from 10m² to 70m² in size, the iconic Visionet platform provides the unmatched quality of digital out of home technology and the opportunity for brands to achieve a high-impact and lasting impression with travellers. Mzi Deliwe, deputy CEO at Provantage and head of Airport Ads says: “Visionet delivers a disruptive and immersive advertising experience.

“Leveraging newly emerged technology, the Visionet network now also has the flexibility to showcase 3D content, with tailored, visually striking creative to suit clients’ specific needs. This capability adds a new dimension (literally) to busy airport terminals and shopping destinations, making a lasting impression as consumers can’t help but stop to look.”

The large-format digital Visionet platform is well suited to creating enormous brand appeal, driving action and engagement by enhancing the traveller’s experience due to their lifestyle and travel choices.

As passenger performance continues to improve, so does the impact that Visionet creates. Deliwe adds: “Airports are on a positive growth trajectory at most terminals. The decline of Covid has inspired a new hunger for travel in South Africans and international travellers alike. This exponential growth allows advertisers to leverage innovative and impactful digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising solutions to grow their brands with captive audiences in transit.”

OR Tambo Airport

Deliwe adds: “Visionet’s greatest strength is that it offers all the advantages of digital OOH on a large high-impact screen with a particular demographic in view. Another key factor in Visionet’s success is its built-in capacity to adapt content for specific locations. This feature allows brands to deliver contextually relevant messages, enhancing their campaigns’ overall impact and engagement. Mobile integration adds an extra dimension to engagement.”

The expansion of the Visionet network reaffirms Airport Ads’ ongoing drive to provide advertisers with relevant, state-of-the-art digital out-of-home advertising solutions that deliver real results and drive business growth, dominating the airport space by slicing through clutter.

Research from Nielsen and the OAAA (Out of Home Advertising Association of America) shows that 54% of digital ad viewers notice digital airport OOH ‘all or most’ of the time; 68% engaged in at least one action after seeing a digital airport ad; 59% engaged in mobile device actions after seeing a digital airport ad; and DOOH drives four times more online activity per ad dollar spent than TV, radio and print.

Deliwe concludes: “The kinetic nature of the airport environment is the ideal platform for large-format digital advertising on Visionet. With a positive, engaged audience delivered daily, brands are perfectly positioned to target their desired demographic, ensuring maximum brand exposure and recall.”

To find out more about Visionet and additional limitless solutions Airport Ads can offer brands, visit airport-ads.com.

Travel is back – with brands advertising at airports benefiting

Travel is back on the agenda for many, and this is good news for advertisers looking to attract customers at airports and keep them engaged. Brands that dominated the airport space pre-covid are demanding to own their iconic sites again.

Ciska John, Advertising Manager at Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) says airport advertising enhances the aesthetics and offers entertainment benefits to airport users through activations and creative content. “Mediums such as Airport.TV^® also provides valuable information and newsworthy content to both local and international travellers. We strive to introduce new and exciting formats that rival international trends. “

There’s been a recent increase in air travel demand in South Africa. According to Stats SA,  South Africa welcomed over 260,000 visitors in the first quarter of this year. The South African Government says the country also saw a 147% increase in tourist arrivals in the first half of this year. Experts agree pre-pandemic international travel levels will only fully recover by 2024, however some are forecasting that by mid-2023 we will be ahead of the pre-covid passenger volumes.

What’s driving this resurgence?

Leisure and business travel is rebounding, driving the resurgence in both domestic and international flights. This is good news for South Africa’s tourism and hospitality industry following the challenges brought about by the covid-19 pandemic.  The surge in domestic leisure travel is also reflected in flight passenger volumes, with coastal and inland regional airports returning even more rapidly to their pre-pandemic levels.

It’s predicted that approximately 41% of economically active South Africans with access to the internet are planning an international trip in the next 12 months. So, what are airports doing to keep their travellers engaged?  ACSA’s John says operating without restrictions has been phenomenal. “There has been a move towards pop-up facilities to ensure freshness in terms of the offerings. This encourages travellers to arrive well before their departure and increases dwell times. “

How brands can benefit

“The recovery of the industry is underway,” says Mzi Deliwe, head of Airport Ads^® and Deputy CEO of Provantage. “This is good news for clients advertising at airports for highly effective branch of out of home advertising – it ranks near the top of several measures, from reach to audience to receptivity.”

Following the pandemic, multiple studies have shown that repeated lockdowns left people with a greater awareness and appreciation of their surroundings. This, along with increased dwell time due to Covid regulations amplified the power of advertising within this space.

Airports offer omnichannel touchpoints: everything from classic billboards and digital media to activations and Airport.TV. Deliwe says the resurgence of travel and the established strengths of airport advertising, are attracting attention not only from brands who have traditionally advertised here, but also from those who haven’t.

“We’ve seen several new brands entering this space, “says Deliwe. “Now is a good time to do so, while there are good deals to be had.”

Hisense ‘Reimagines Life’ With Impactful Airport Ads Campaign

Johannesburg, October 2021 – Global leading consumer electronics brand Hisense has teamed up with Airport Ads, a division of Provantage Media Group in selecting two key strategic and unique advertising touch points at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International  (ORTIA), one of Africa’s busiest airports.

In order to achieve their objectives of targeting and communicating with business travellers, the brand has opted for a combination of digital and large format static Out of Home (OOH) platforms – namely, the Airport Ads ‘Classic Site’ Centre Wall at ORTIA and Airport Ads’ Visionet™ platform.

The wall site looks set to deliver high impact, due to its size and scale – 19m (wide) x 10m (high) – along with its central location. The site is situated in the center façade of the ORTIA building and targets all car rental returns and car park users, whilst it also visible from the Gautrain platform. 

Visionet^™, meanwhile, is Southern Africa’s largest indoor airport available at key national airports in South Africa. With screens ranging from 10m² through to 70m² in size, this platform provides not only the speed and quality of digital Out of Home technology, but the opportunity for brands to achieve a high-impact and lasting impression with travellers.

The Visionet™ screen at ORTIA is strategically situated in the domestic departures hall, visible to all passengers. Here, Hisense has opted for rotating two visual executions operating on a loop, communicating various Hisense product messages at different times.

 “This is a well thought out airport campaign, integrating the use of static and digital to deliver on objectives,” says Mzi Deliwe, Deputy CEO of Provantage Media Group. “There’s the high impact of the wall site and a similar result from the Visionet platform, but with a different execution – the latter maximising the speed and high quality visuals of digital Out of Home technology. Both platforms, though, look set to make a lasting impression on travellers, with high levels of brand recall.”

Sanlam Targets Business Traveller with ‘Classic’ Lanseria International Outdoor Campaign

Johannesburg, August 2021 – South African financial services group Sanlam is looking to make a big impact with a niche, targeted audience, with an Airport Ads^® campaign that is well-placed to drive increased levels of awareness of the Sanlam brand.

The campaign has been rolled out at Lanseria International Airport to the north-west of Johannesburg, with Sanlam opting for size and scale, in the form of a classic large-format site targeting domestic travellers approaching the high dwell-time security check-in area.

This, as it targets the South African business traveller who makes regular use of Lanseria International Airport which has seen steady monthly domestic passenger growth. The airport has built a reputation as Johannesburg’s business travel-focused ‘hub’, connecting the city with other major business centres in South Africa, in the form of Durban and Cape Town. The latest passenger numbers available from Lanseria International reflect continued month-on-month growth, with May 2021 approaching 60% of the total passenger numbers achieved for the same period in 2019.

“Travel continues to grow, with business travel dominating the airport landscape even more than before, due to the impact of Covid-19, and Sanlam has clearly identified the opportunity to engage directly and effectively with this particular audience – one that sits in the upper-income segment,” says Mzi Deliwe, Deputy CEO of Provantage Media Group. “This sort of targeted approach is what delivers results in the Out of Home advertising space.”

The selected iconic Airport Ads advertising site’s large size delivers impact and high levels of awareness, providing an airport based canvass on which Sanlam is able to drive a consistent message of its financial services products, which include life insurance, funeral cover, retirement annuities, unit trusts, personal loans and online wills.

Ninety One Digitally Engages Target Audience on Airport.TV

Johannesburg, March 2021 – Ninety One has been sponsoring the news segment on Airport.TV®​ for the past five years, and in the process has been able to directly engage a targeted audience on this effective digital Out of Home platform.

Such has been the success of this long-standing sponsorship that Ninety One has elected to renew it for the next 12 months.

“The longevity of this sponsorship speaks to its value and ability to deliver on Ninety One’s sponsorship objectives,” says Kotie Basson, Head of Marketing, Africa Client Group at Ninety One. “Investec Asset Management rebranded to Ninety One in March 2020, but had sponsored the Airport.TV business news segment in its previous guise, and this sponsorship renewal is a powerful vote of confidence in Airport.TV’s ability as an advertising platform.”

Airport.TV®​ is a place-based TV network situated in South Africa’s airports and provides a unique blend of high-quality traveller-centric content, such as news, sport, and business news, which brands can ‘top and tail’. They also have the option of running a 30-second advert, sponsoring a segment, or providing Airport.TV®​ with their own unique content.

The high quality of the Airport.TV®​content is borne out by the supporting customer feedback statistics, with research conducted by Millward Brown on behalf of Airport Ads producing the following findings:

• 93% of respondents actively engage and enjoy Airport.TV®​
• 83% would engage with promotions if they were on offer via Airport.TV®​
• 88% believe that Airport.TV® ads stand out and are memorable​
• 60% and more could remember more than one of the adverts

“It’s a great fit for a premium financial services brand such as Ninety One, as the sponsorship is appropriately aligned with and focused on the Airport.TV® news offering, which obviously attracts the attention of business people,” says Mzi Deliwe, Deputy CEO of Provantage Media Group. “This targeted approach is amplified by the fact that business travel currently dominates the airport landscape even more than before, due to the impact of Covid-19, and there’s a great opportunity for premium brands to engage directly with this particular audience.”

Huawei Opts for Size and Scale in Memorable Airport Ads Campaign

Global technology company Huawei has enlisted the help of Out of Home market leader Airport Ads to make a big splash in South Africa and drive awareness of its ‘Huawei – Enterprise’ campaign. 

The campaign is a classic large-format billboard campaign, with Huawei opting for size and scale at four key airport sites – O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Lanseria International Airport, King Shaka International Airport in Durban, and Cape Town International Airport.

The advertising platforms are all massive in size and iconic airport canvasses on which Huawei has been able to paint an attractive picture of its IdeaHub product — a productivity tool for the smart office that bundles together intelligent writing, high-definition video conferencing and wireless sharing, all rolled into one.

“Airports may not be operating at full capacity at the moment, but with business travel still being conducted, there remains the opportunity for brands to engage with a particular audience – one that sits in the upper-income segment,” says Mzi Deliwe, Deputy CEO of Provantage Media Group. “Huawei is a global brand and it clearly understands its target audience, and this bold campaign says volumes about how valuable it views the South African airport environment as an attractive location in which to engage that particular audience.”