Advertising is the most effective and efficient technique to get public awareness and to reach the products and services in the market fast. The most common advertising categories in Myanmar are billboard ads, car ads, internet ads, print ads, radio ads, SMS ads, taxi-bus sticker ads and TV ads. Among them, billboard advertising is one of the most popular methods of outdoor advertising, especially for big companies. Pedestrians, drivers and passerby can have first glimpse of the advertisements and advertised photographic data, slogans and messages can instantly reach into both of their subconscious and unconscious mind. The amount of public awareness on products and services resulted from billboards depends on the attractiveness of the design and selected locations of the billboards. Billboard advertisements’ prices varied depending on the sizes and locations of the billboards.
During these days, a significant amount of billboards are vacant in most of the areas in Yangon. Currently there are vacant billboard advertisements at Pansodan Road, Pyay Road, Corner Anawratha and Latha Road, Inya Road, Sule Road, Mahabandoola Road, outside Taw Win Center-Pyay Road, Near 8 mile Junction-Mayagone Township, Zoological Gardens, Insein Road, Shwe Dagon Pagoda Road, Kyeemyindine Road, Kabaraye Pagoda Road, Tamwe Circle, Min Ye Kyaw Swar Bridge, U Htaung Bo Circle, Lay Daungkan Road, Aung Mingalar Highway, Strand Road, Myinigone Junction and Ahlone Township according to the Advertising Myanmar.
Almost all of the billboards in Yangon are owned by YCDC (Yangon City Development Committee). Recent application to lease billboards of YCDC was closed in March 9, 2018. These leases will last for six months from April 4, 2018 to September 30, 2018.
The billboards with the sizes of 45ft (W) and 15ft (H) are classified into groups and cost per six month period are as follows:
- Group A – 250 lakhs (Kyats)
- Group B – 180 lakhs (Kyats)
- Group C – 135 lakhs (Kyats) (4) Group D – 100 lakhs (Kyats)
- Group E – 50 lakhs (Kyats) Applicants have to enter lucky draw for the billboard and pay 20 lakhs (Kyats) in advance for one billboard.
In these days, a lot of billboard advertisements especially in downtown areas are vacant because of these very expensive charges. Billboard advertising is one of the most effective technique to get high public awareness at one go and long lasting with just one time installation. In spite of these benefits, billboard advertising is no longer the major marketing strategy in some of the big organizations. Other advertising categories such as TV ads, print ads and radio ads are more cost effective and achieve more familiarity with the customers by appearing frequently in widely used broadcasting channels and printed media. In this way, they become popular advertising techniques for international companies.
Meanwhile, taxi-bus sticker ads are increasingly well-known techniques to get great attention from the public with the development of YBS. Digital marketing is also significantly increasing with the wide use of social media and e-commerce. Advertising on social media and websites are more economical and reachable to the target customers than billboard advertisements.
The most common forms of billboards are uni-pole, horizontal-double sided, uni-pole, horizontal- single sided, uni-pole, vertical-double sided, wallmounted horizontal, free standing horizontal, roof top icon site, etc., According to Advertising Myanmar, wall-mounted billboard with the size of 50ft (W) and 16ft (H) is available now. It is located beside Yuzana Plaza, Banyar Dala Road, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township, Yangon. Its contract terms and charges are 25 Lakhs Kyats for one month, 75 Lakhs Kyats for three months, 147 lakhs Kyats for six months and 280 lakhs Kyats for one year. Its benefits and main features are it is constant reminder of the message throughout the year, sustains name and image awareness, captures and maintains a reader’s attention, serves as a directional guide for potential customers, the number of daily car pass is around 20,000 and the amount of estimated average viewership is 1.5 million.
Free Standing billboard (60ft (W) and 10ft (H)) located at Bogyoke Road, Beside Railway Ticket Counter, In front of Thwin Cinema, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township, Yangon is available at the current moment. Its contract terms and charges are 18 Lakhs Kyats for one month, 51 Lakhs Kyats for three months, 96 Lakhs Kyats for six months and 180 Lakhs Kyats for one year. Its benefits are the same with the above described billboard. The number of daily car pass through billboard is 150,000 and estimated average viewership is 300,000 people.
Free Standing billboard (40ft (W) and 10ft (H)) at Alan Pya Pagoda Road, Near Thamada Cinema, Dagon Township, Yangon is available now with the following contract terms and charges; 12 Lakhs Kyats for one month, 34 Lakhs Kyats for three months, 64 Lakhs Kyats for six months and 120 Lakhs for one year. The number of daily car pass is 180,000 and estimated average viewership is 450,000.
Another currently available free standing billboard with the size of 80ft (W) and 10ft (H) is located at Bogyoke Road, Beside Railway Ticket Counter, Corner of Maha Bandoola Park Road, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township, Yangon. Its contract terms and charges are 24 Lakhs Kyats for one month, 68 Lakhs Kyats for three months, 128 Lakhs Kyats for six months and 240 Lakhs Kyats for one year. Its key benefits are the same with the former two billboards, but the number of daily car pass is 150,000 and estimated average viewership is 300,000.
T h e p r i c e s o f t h e b i l l b o a r d advertisements in Yangon decreases significantly in 2018 compared to the prices in 2017. The charges of billboards in downtown areas in 2017 are about 49 Lakhs Kyats for one month, 260 Lakhs Kyats for six months and 490 Lakhs Kyats for one year. From the start of this year until now, the billboard prices in downtown areas are about 25 Lakhs Kyats for one month, 147 Lakhs Kyats for six months and 280 Lakhs Kyats for one year.
