PHA wants to extend lease periods for advertisers

LAHORE: The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) is planning to extend the lease period of auctions granted to advertisers who fulfill their commitments, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Instead of an auction period of one year, as stated in article 12(4) of Parks and Horticulture Authority Act 2012, PHA has proposed to increase the auction period between three to five years.

It further proposes to grant PHA the permission to renew the lease period for one time for a similar period as the first auction. It also demands permission for installation of boards up till 400 to 500 square feet at grade (on ground level) on green belts of major roads where electronic streamers (SMDs) have not been installed.

These boards could either be conventional billboards or digital billboards.

PHA, for this fiscal year, is hoping to generate around Rs600 million through 215 outdoor advertisement points.



This amendment is to lure more advertisers outdoors and give them a chance to run their ads without fear of losing an auction in twelve months.

Officials revealed a hefty amount was involved in the installation and management with the shift to digital screens and streamers.

They said that advertisers should be provided with some security to function their business smoothly in the longer run given their large investments at stake.

PHA Marketing Director Sohail Ahmed revealed that advertisers have appreciated the shift towards digital marketing.

He said digital screen at Hafeez Centre was up and running, whereas they also auctioned rights for installing digital screens at Mini Market Roundabout, Main Market Roundabout, Wapda Town Roundabout and Abid Market.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2017.