Storyboard18 | Can EV charging stations become the future of outdoor advertising?

The formats of advertising at the EV stations need to be engaging. For example, interactive ads that can draw the customer in by sending a message when they visit an EV charging station. (Image: Volta Charging website)

With electric vehicles (EVs) taking over the world of mobility across the globe, the increasing number of EV charging stations are potentially being looked at as promising advertising platforms.

Recently Adweek reported that a US-based EV charging network Volta Charging, which boasts 2,137 stalls nationwide, is launching a dedicated media network, Volta Media, to better serve its advertising partners. The move simply means that brands across categories will now be able to advertise at these EV charging stations to capture the attention of tech savvy affluent consumers.

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On Volta Charging's website the company states: "It's time to rethink your media strategy. Our growing network of charging stations reaches millions of qualified customers with premium place-based, interactive content in a sustainable format."

In India, the same model can potentially be replicated as EV infrastructure strengthens. To be sure, there has been a strong impetus to ramp up the EV ecosystem by establishing charging stations both by the government and private players.

Recently, the Centre said that it is planning to install up to 70,000 EV chargers across the country in the next few years. The work is already underway to install these EV charging stations at various petrol pumps across India. Meanwhile, key companies including Mercedes Benz India already have 100-odd EV stations across the country where EVs of all brands can be charged.

Also read: Want to install a Public Charging Station for EVs? Here’s what you need to know

Innovate and engage

Experts believe that EV stations can potentially be an impactful outdoor advertising platform giving brands access to upwardly mobile, tech savvy and affluent urban consumer base. This cohort not only are early adopters of technology but also are equally conscious and responsible about the environment.

However, the formats of advertising at the EV stations need to be engaging.

Roshan Abbas, managing director of Encompass, a VMLY&R Commerce company, notes that the outdoor advertising in its interactive and digital avatar has become exciting. Abbas believes that if advertisers manage to interlink ads on EV charging stations to customer’s personal devices, then it could work.

“..If a brand manages to attract people’s attention through any interactive activity such as sending a message on a consumer’s smartphone prompting them to look at the digital screen at the charging station and engaging with them. If brands can direct attention, then it could be an innovative medium,” he suggests.

Also read: IOC to set up 10,000 EV charging stations in 3 years

Noting that millennials and Gen Z consumers are getting extremely environmentally conscious, clothing brands, for instance, talking about sustainability, could use this medium and benefit from it.

“The number of people purchasing EV vehicles will also decide the success of this medium. For now, it could be an interesting one-off thing to engage with customers but for it to become a medium to advertise we need more people using electric cars,” he adds.

Innovative out-of-the-home is the need of the hour and EV charging stations are innovative. Both combined could actually capture the attention deficient cohort of millennials and Gen Z consumer base, says Abbas.

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First-mover advantage

Essentially, there are three tiers of EV charging modalities – first is two-wheeler charging which can be plugged in at home, second one is where there is replacement for battery (a popular model in countries such as Taiwan and the Scandinavian countries) and the third one being charging stations which can be roughly compared to the standard gas stations and petrol pumps.

“In all three, there will be a higher concentration of consumers who are environmentally conscious or affluent. There are some bragging rights of owning an EV today. This customer segment is an early adopter, risk taking, affluent urban Indian,” says a senior automobile executive.

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The person quoted above further notes that this demographic is attractive and charging stations are a pivotal point of growing the EV environment itself.

“From a non-existent status now, EV charging stations will become very much a part of our daily life and whoever takes advantage and the lead there will benefit in the long run.  I think all tech related products should advertise at an EV station. It could also be beneficial for consumer durables and smartphone categories,” the executive adds.

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