Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn seen in Sandton

While this digital trend has evolved at a rapid pace in the United States, the development of high-quality digital networks in the local outdoor industry is, to date, in its infancy. According to S'khumbuzo Nkosi, the company's CEO, "Our outdoor digital network will provide top-quality digital outdoor, offering advertisers unique flexibility and spellbinding clarity, day and night."

The corner of Rivonia Road and Grayston Drive (Sandton) hosts the first 4m x 8m digital billboard, fondly named Venus because of its very high daily traffic count – 38,510 high-income consumers. Venus is angled to address traffic approaching from both Benmore on Graystone and the Sandton CBD travelling north on Rivonia Road, towards the M1 freeway.

Mars, the second site, is 3x6m and is further north on Rivonia Road, between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, and addresses the 21,294 vehicles northbound towards the N1 highway and Sunninghill.

Saturn, 4x8m, on the corner of William Nicol and Ballyclare Drives, reaches 20,408 vehicles a day headed South on William Nicol, from Bryanston and Fourways, towards the Sandton CBD and Hyde Park.

Lastly, Jupiter, also 4x8m, is on the busy William Nicol and Sandton Drive intersection, feeding 33,319 north and westbound commuters towards Bryanston.

The new technology allows advertisers to deliver tactical messaging, day-part message management, real-time updates and inexpensive creative changes. In addition, a range of brands or sub-brands can be interchanged within an advertiser's slot to allow message rotation and greater relevance.

The digital network will be set up to allow direct data feeds. "While standard copy changes require a lead time of 24 hours, more immediate copy changes will also be offered, providing greater relevance and flexibility to our clients," Nkosi says.

The new system can also offer cost and other advantages over traditional forms of outdoor advertising, such as eliminating print costs, and the fact that as material is in digital format, it can be reused.