Global, a media and entertainment consortium, has secured the advertising contract for Network Rail’s extensive roadside outdoor estate following a competitive bidding process.
Network Rail’s advertising estate is the largest roadside contract in the United Kingdom. Global has been awarded exclusive rights to manage advertising across over 1,400 sites, ranging from popular classic formats to digital billboards in cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh, and Leeds. Additionally, a significant investment will see the rollout of more than 100 state-of-the-art digital screens in premium city centre locations in the coming months.
Hamish Kiernan, Commercial Director at Network Rail Property, expressed satisfaction with the continued partnership, stating, ‘We’re pleased to continue our relationship with Global for a further seven years. We’re looking forward to seeing the ambitious investment plans come to fruition, creating some of the most premium and iconic digital screens across the country. Any advertising revenue generated across our portfolio is invested back into the railway, which means this partnership will not only deliver engaging content to millions but will also benefit our customers through rail reinvestment.’
Chris Forrester, Director of Commercial for Outdoor at Global, added, ‘We’re delighted to have won the contract and look forward to working with Network Rail for another seven years. We have exciting investment plans, including creating incredible new digital screens across the country. Global is home to the most premium outdoor advertising estate in the UK and we’re proud to be UK’s biggest and brightest media partner operating across Outdoor, Audio and Digital.’
All digital roadside screens on the Network Rail estate are accessible to advertisers via DAX, Global’s digital ad exchange, a pioneering platform in programmatic outdoor advertising. Global is one of the largest outdoor media owners in the UK, with over 250,000 sites. Its extensive portfolio reaches 95% of the UK population and includes major airports, the London Underground, large and small format roadside posters, and a majority of the UK’s bus fleet.
In a related development, Global recently announced a ten-year collaboration with BT to upgrade the nation’s payphones and deploy more digital hubs for local communities.
This partnership marks a significant development in the UK’s outdoor advertising landscape, promising enhanced digital advertising capabilities and increased reinvestment into the rail infrastructure.
