Rewriting the Script on Billboard Advertisement

A local startup, just a year old, is aiming to transform the Ethiopian advertising industry with a platform that connects ad space owners with potential advertisers. Developed by Weyra Marketing and Promotions, the platform, AdGo, offers a range of advertising options, including billboards, LED screens, vehicle ads, mall branding, and light-pole signs.

Through a web-based centralized system, advertisers can browse and select from an array of billboards across Addis Ababa, tailored to their sales targets. Spaces can be sorted by duration, simplifying the ad placement process. Weyra charges a small commission for linking the two parties.

Kalab Amaha, co-founder and CEO of Weyra, identified inefficiencies in how advertisers sought ad space. He highlights challenges, from the difficulty of finding ad-space owners to the complexity of negotiating with multiple parties to run ads. “We’ve brought the advertising world closer to clients,” Kalab told Shega.

Users can register on AdGo using a phone number or email address to view available options, and an inbuilt dashboard allows them to track their orders from booking to sales. Kalab also mentioned a new feature that improves performance tracking through LED screen management.

Since the introduction of new standards by the Building Permits & Control Authority, Addis Ababa’s outdoor advertising landscape has shifted towards digital screens and billboards. Currently, 15 digital screens are listed on AdGo, with sizes ranging from 14 meters wide by 2 meters high on road bridges to 8 meters wide by 6 meters high on buildings. Brands can rent these screens starting at 63,460 birr per week.

“We’ve partnered with several suppliers in the city who provide billboards, wall branding, and vehicle ads,” Kalab told Shega. “Additionally, we’ve established partnerships with Alliance Bus, Anbesa Bus, and the Association of Upcountry Buses, which manages 120 upcountry buses. They provide the ad space, and we handle the printing, placement, and licensing.”

Kalab expects the platform’s management features to help users maximize the benefits of long-term contracts through continuous supervision throughout a campaign. He believes that offering a diverse range of options will better meet the evolving needs of clients. “There is a pervasive lack of data regarding performance,” he noted.

The CEO envisions an advertising landscape defined by direct engagement between advertisers and suppliers, with minimal time spent and consistent themes throughout campaigns. Constantly updated performance data and centralized LED management will empower marketers to make informed decisions.

Weyra is currently testing sensors that will provide accurate viewership estimates and actionable insights into effective marketing strategies. “Brands had no way of gauging how well a campaign was performing,” Kalab explained. He believes the aggregation of data by advertising companies will be a game-changer for the industry as a whole.