Subway Ads in Russian cities

Today advertising on transport is a growing segment of the advertising market in Russia. Despite of the fact, that this type of advertising has already proved its effectiveness, its development is complicated by almost complete absence of large sellers. Advertising surfaces in each city belong, as a rule, to different transport companies, moreover - one type of transport in one city might be owned by several companies-owners. We can only hope that the market eventually will be structured and a seller finally will appear.

Subway advertising in Russia

Due to the fact that subway is not only transport, but also a complex infrastructure, this type of transport provides the widest opportunities for advertising. However, despite the variety of opportunities, non-standard solutions here are extremely rare. Here are the main types of advertising media.

Track billboards

Size of billboard – 4x2 meters. It’s placed on the wall opposite the platform, where passengers are waiting for the train.

Advertising on escalators vaults and arches of connecting passages

Light panels

There are several types of panels: light panels on the walls, above the cash desks, on the escalator. Dimensions are very diverse, depending on how the panel is situated.

Stickers inside coaches

These media is placed on the walls inside subway coaches, as well as on the doors and coaches windows. In the latter case they are usually bilateral, i.e. one image is addressed to people inside the coach, and the other - to people outside.

Coach branding

Is expensive, and therefore uncommon type of advertising, when an entire subway coach turns into an advertising media, by posting it with advertising prints. There are examples of not only coach branding, but the whole train as well.

Audio advertising

Text that pronounced by a speaker is constantly sounds in tunnels of escalators. This annoying kind of advertising is infrequently used by commercial companies, but is popular among municipal authorities and state organizations, as it is very cheap.

Other formats

Along with standard media, a number of less popular and familiar can be used: stickers on the turnstiles, on the floors and so on.

There are examples of complete transformation of subway station into an advertising media.

Trolleybuses, buses, trams – examples of branded transport in Russia

Standard Russian types of urban transport offer standard and not wide range of tools: advertising on bus stops, stickers inside cars and coach branding. Sameness of media is perfectly compensated by creative approach. Video advertising on monitors installed inside public transport owned by private carriers is also common (but not very often).

SpongeBob

In the streets of Saint Petersburg in 2013 there was inside-outside branded bus in the style of famous Nickelodeon cartoon SpongeBob - total volume of advertising was more than 100 square meters. City kids very well received such advertising.

LEO-tram

Another example of a full inside-outside branding. At this time, it’s a tram in Yekaterinburg with advertising of "LEO" chain stores, which sells building materials. Tram ceiling has demonstrated rich assortment of wallpapers, which people can buy in "LEO".

Perm Zoo

Advertising on buses made by agency "Circus Maximus."

Kids world

Advertising of a toy store made by Gray agency.

Adverting on Taxi cars in Russia

Advertising in taxis is also used in Russia, but it’s hardly noticeable. One of unusual advertising campaigns worth mentioning was Viasat in Yekaterinburg - taxis were fully branded - from the body to the head restraints.

If you want to know more about Russian Media advertising market, I would like to recommend you the White Paper "How does the media-buying market in Russia work? A media buyers’ quick guide for effective work in Russia" written by RMAA Group President Vadim Tylik. Our E-book is written for professional international media buyers. 

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