Airports: where Power of Influence takes off

Influence is a key factor in successful advertising – both influence of the message as well as influence of the individuals who were exposed to it. The latest research by JCDecaux UK Airport discovered that targeting influential people makes advertising go the extra mile as these individuals disseminate brand messages beyond the original ad environment more rapidly than others. The study first identifies influential people within the population and then examines how these influentials diffuse the ad message. Influential people or Engaged Britons make up 10% of the population, and they take time to engage with and think through issues. They act on their judgement and shape opinions rather than follow them. They are essentially the gateway to the rest of the population. An online survey of Engaged Britons showed that they are 4 times more likely than the national population to have been in airports in the last 3 months. This group expects to see advertising from global, prestigious brands at the airport, and expects ad messages to be informative and relevant. It is partly this thirst for knowledge that makes them influential. Results also revealed Engaged Britons as being very savvy with social media, with the majority having LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook accounts. This is not surprising given their active engagement with issues, and their role as advice givers and seekers within their various networks. Targeting influential people in the right environment is highly effective as the ad message is likely to be disseminated to a wider audience and other influentials. This means potentially less wastage in terms of media campaign spend. Airports are key locations in which to reach these influential people, who then diffuse and amplify the brand message beyond the airport.