10+ reasons to
use… TUBE
advertising
Access to huge audience numbers
•
1.1 billion passengers used the London
Underground last year
•
3.5 million passenger journeys a day
•
On average, 180,000 people enter the
Underground per hour
•
2 million people travel into Zone 1 every day
Source: Exterion MEdia,, TfL
Affluent audience, more disposable income
•
74% of all tube users are ABC1 - busy people with
high disposable income
•
A young, 18-24 audience
•
Higher salaries than non-Tube users (£35k vs £21k
national average)
•
79% of London’s working population use the Tube
to commute to and from work
Source: Exterion Media, TfL
People like seeing adverts on
the Underground
•
87% of commuters welcome advertising on the
London Underground – the audience has the
desire to engage with it, as it fills their ‘dead’
time
•
It gives passengers something to read and
engages them
•
It’s a form of escapism – “I saw a beach and just
imagined being there”
Source: Exterion Media
London workers are low consumers of
other media
London workers are hard to reach and costly using other
media, because:
•
They spend more time out of home
•
49% are light TV viewers (under 20 hours a week)
•
Only 45% have listened to commercial radio in the last
week
•
Only 39% read a national daily newspaper
•
72%* of regular Tube users do not read free papers
found on the tube, such as The Metro
•
But 90% have seen outdoor advertising in the last week
*Source: Exterion Media, London Worker Planning Tool & TGI 2012
Commuters are connected
•
Commuters are more likely than non-commuters to
have smart phones
•
WiFi on the Tube now means there is never a
missed opportunity to share and connect
•
69% of CBS’ work.shop.play panel said they have
used WiFi on the Underground or probably will
•
15% have gone straight to the website of a
company they have seen an advert for on the
Underground
Source: Exterion Media, Virgin Media
High Dwell Time means more time to
read and engage with adverts
•
79% of commuters have responded to an
advert they have seen on the Underground
•
Central London workers spend an average of
two hours a day on the Tube
•
Consumers spend around 3 minutes on the
platform engaging with cross track ads
•
Passengers have an average of 13 minutes to
take in detailed information displayed on Tube
Car Panels
Source: Exterion Media
Digital Underground offers unique
opportunities for advertisers
•
1,619 digital screens in London
•
3 types of digital screens: DEP, LCD and XTP,
all with different selling points
•
Transforms what advertisers can do with the
Underground
•
Time specific advertising and advertising with
up to minute information means ads are
always relevant
•
LU Digital formats can be bought by the day
and daypart
Source: Exterion Media
Tube users index highly on travel and leisure
• 75% took a holiday in 2012 –
10.9m individuals
• More likely to fly for leisure
• Spend more time away
• Spend more money on travel
• Early consideration and
booking of holidays
Source: Exterion Media
Tube users: more likely to fly for leisure
140
More likely to fly for leisure
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Tube
Source: TGI, Exterion Media
Evening Standard
Metro
TV
Tube users: more likely to have had
multiple holidays in last 12 months
More likely to have taken a holiday in the last 12 months
120
115
110
105
100
95
90
Tube
Source: TGI, Exterion Media
Evening Standard
Metro
TV
Commuters agree: the Tube is the right
environment for drinks advertisers
“When I’m in the pub, I
wouldn’t consider buying a
different type of bourbon
other than Jack Daniels as
the image and history of the
brand have stuck with me
and it is always the first
brand I think of when
someone asks what I would
like to drink”
(male, 25-34)
Source: Kantar Media – Interactive Europe 2012, Exterion Media
Commuters agree: The Tube is the right
environment for drinks advertisers
“Obviously placing an
alcoholic drink
advertisement on the Tube is
perfect placement. I've
finished work, standing on
the platform reflecting on all
of the various issues that
have come up and what is
the best way to relax…”
(25-34, male, UK)
Source: Kantar Media – Interactive Europe 2012, Exterion Media
Tube users regularly drink out of home
•
43% of young London Underground users say
they drink 2 to 3 times a week out of home,
twice that of all adults nationally
•
Young London Underground users are much more
spontaneous. 73% will choose to go for a drink
depending on how they feel that day
•
84% of young London Underground users say
they regularly go for a drink after work
Source: Work, Shop, Play May 2012, Exterion Media
The right environment for financial advertising
•
77% of Tube users own three or more credit
cards
•
58% of tube users are interested in financial
advertising
•
50% of tube users describe themselves as
influencers when discussing finance
•
79% of tube users have a good knowledge
about financial services
Source: TGI 2012
A brilliant medium for publishers
•
Tube users are heavy book users – they
are significantly more likely than nonTube users to read 6+ books a year
•
Tube users agree that the Underground is
a great environment to advertise books
•
Over half of Tube users state that they
keep an eye on new releases whilst
travelling on the Tube
Source: Exterion Media
A spot-on medium for pharmaceuticals
•
Boots ran a DEP campaign with the aim of
increasing frequency in store and online
•
The Underground campaign was used to
target 25-55 year old women
•
Exposure to the DEPs had a positive effect
on respondent visits
•
Over half of women (53%) who use the
Underground recall seeing the Boots DEP
adverts that featured
Source: Exterion Media
The Underground reflects what can
be found above ground
•
Specific stations offer different brand associations
•
The Underground is a gateway to what’s above ground
•
The Underground is as diverse as London itself - Camden
for music, Knightsbridge for fashion
•
Advertisers can pick just the right station ambience and
proximity to stores which stock their products
Source: Exterion Media