Posterscope tool forecasts when consumers will return

Brand owners who ditched outdoor advertising in their droves due to Covid restrictions have been given the heads-up on when best to return to the market with the launch of a new Posterscope tool that claims to be able to predict national population mobility as lockdown eases during the next few months.

PSMind uses AI and machine learning to analyse more than 5 million data combinations in real-time to forecast and track population movement, in an effort to inform and deliver the most effective outdoor campaigns for clients.

The tool uses data gathered from multiple sources, including Google, Three Mobile, the Department for Transport and Oxford University, and analyses everything from weather forecasts, international travel and Government restrictions.

Posterscope insists this data enables it to forecast and understand national (England, Scotland, Wales) mobility levels, and point of interest visitation and traffic indicators with up to a 90% accuracy rate. Mobility forecasts will be published on a weekly basis from today.

Its first forecast, developed on March 1, predicts that national mobility will increase by 69% on March 8, 73% on March 29, 83% on April 12, 95% on May 17 and even 111% by June 21.

The move follows the launch in May last year of Posterscope’s weekly “Mobility Index”, a weekly barometer providing advertisers with a headline picture of the movement of audiences in the out of home space, and Posterscope planners with the industry’s most detailed understanding of population mobility.

Using first-party telecoms data from Three Mobile, Posterscope analyses every postcode sector up and down the country on a weekly basis to gain a barometer of peoples’ movement, and understand the journeys they are taking out of home (OOH). The index uses Three Mobile’s first-party telecoms data, which Posterscope maintains it to robustly segment by key buying demographics and with no “lag” time.

PSMind creator Christopher Ho, who is also Posterscope innovation director, said: “Throughout the pandemic we have tracked mobility levels and witnessed significant changes in people’s movements and behaviours, but in order to create plans that capitalise on the increased mobility we expect to see as lockdown restrictions ease, we wanted to be able to predict not just how many OOH impacts will be available to advertisers, but where the audience movement is taking place at each stage of the Government’s roadmap.”

Posterscope chief client officer Gill Huber added: “It is more important than ever for brands to be able to understand consumer behaviour, what changes are permanent and what will change over time. We are constantly developing solutions to better understand what people are thinking, feeling and doing when out of home and PSMind is a great step for us to allow our clients to forward plan with confidence.”