JCDecaux wins the advertising concession for the Helsinki City Transport

JCDecaux S.A. (Euronext Paris: DEC), the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, announces that, following a tender process, it has won an exclusive 7-year contract for the installation and operation of advertising solutions for the Helsinki City Transport.

From 1 July 2015, JCDecaux will participate in the commercial transformation of the Helsinki City Transport through the installation of innovative and effective advertising solutions. JCDecaux aims to make the very popular Helsinki rail-based public transport system one of the major communication platforms for advertisers, across all media platforms in Finland. The concession will upgrade the Helsinki outdoor landscape, as cutting edge digital and traditional advertising displays are introduced across the entire metro and tram system.

The new Länsimetro (west-metro) – line, opening in august 2016, will further accelerate the growth of the public transportation in the Finnish capital. It will increase significantly the number of passengers using metro and tram, as the western parts of the metropolitan area will be connected to the rail system for the first time.

JCDecaux has held the Helsinki City Transport concession for the past 6 year period, during which revenues have increased more than 50%, growing the Helsinki City Transport advertising to become among the three biggest advertising concessions in Finland. With the new Länsimetro and the new digital advertising opportunities, the Helsinki City Transport concession has the potential to become the largest advertising concession in Finland.

Yrjö Judström, Administrative Director at Helsinki City Transport, said: "We are pleased to continue our partnership with JCDecaux. The income from this contract plays an important role in financing the Helsinki public transport. Well executed advertising adds value to public transport when well designed and maintained advertising panels enhance the passenger experience. We look forward to the opportunity to further improve our on-line passenger information through the continued partnership with JCDecaux."

Jean-François Decaux, Co-CEO of JCDecaux, said: "We are pleased to continue our strong collaboration with the Helsinki City Transport Authority to further develop innovative outdoor advertising solutions. This 7-year exclusive contract combining Metro and Trams gives us a unique platform to deploy a digital advertising network which will enhance brand communication for both national and local advertisers. With only 4% market share in the Media Market in Finland, Outdoor Advertising needs this kind of investment to grow its share which is still below the European average.”