SHARES in the More O'Ferrall outdoor advertising group rose 38p to a new of 585p sterling following record financial results for 1995. Pre tax profits surged 58 per cent to £15 million on turnover up 18 per cent. The rise was helped by a particularly strong performance in Ireland.
Chief executive Mr Roger Parry said the proportionate increase in operating profit and sales in Ireland had been better than in Britain. Sales of space at the 2,200 Adshel poster sites at bus stops in Ireland increased 35 per cent last year compared with a more pedestrian growth of 29 per cent for Adshel sites in Britain.
"The Adshel product has been particularly well received by the advertising community in Ireland," he said. The group believes its share of the Irish bus shelter market is around 40 per cent. In addition, More O'Ferrall has important advertising outlets at airports, race tracks, and roadside bill boards in Ireland.
As such, Mr Parry said, Ireland was regarded as the group's "cutting edge" activity, providing scope to test new initiatives. Recently, for instance, detailed information about the group's Irish advertising sites was produced for potential advertisers on CD ROM.
Another initiative being market tested in Ireland involved bar coding of posters to provide advertisers with information about the time posters are put on display and removed.
