Traditional media (such as TV, radio and newspapers) are getting battered by the Internet. But the washroom advertising industry is thriving.

Forget about Google and Yahoo! One of the hottest areas of the advertising market in 2007 is about as far away from the glamour of internet advertising as you can get: toilet posters.

Advertising revenue for the washroom advertising category, which includes talking posters as well as direct response media pads was up more than 8 percent last year.

Toilet posters, a 21 st century media

Industry insiders and analysts say there are several good reasons why washroom advertising is performing so strong, in fact, it is dubbed as the most effective outdoor advertising medium.

For one, toilet posters, unlike other 'older' forms of media, have not faced the pressure from the internet, IPods, BskyB PVR's, satellite radio and other technology. When you are in a bar toilet for instance, the only way not to see the toilet poster is to walk around with your eyes shut. Needless to say, that is not a good idea.

"Technology helps people avoid other advertisements, but we are the one unavoidable media. There is no mute button, no off switch. You can't change the channel. We're there, 15 inches away from your nose, and you remain exposed to the message until you've finished' said Philip Vecht, CEO of Admedia Ltd [http://www.admedia.co.uk/toilet_advertising.php], the leader in toilet advertising in the UK.

Industry woes not a concern

Washroom advertising is both versatile media and in-tune with modern technologies. "Technology is not a threat for the washroom advertising industry, it is just another ally. The industry leaders in washroom advertising already have the capability to deliver interactive content through wi-fi and Bluetooth connections or talking posters in shopping centres, pubs, msa's and health clubs." says Liam Schooling from the Creative Solutions department.

Even with all these technologies complimenting the toilet poster, washroom advertising remains cost-effective way for marketers to reach a large audience of people.

For this reason, washroom advertising is expected to become increasingly attractive to a wide range of advertisers including those running direct response campaigns. As internet becomes more and more important in direct response, washroom advertising can serve as an inexpensive way to drive traffic (no pun intended) to websites. Add to this direct response media [http://www.responsedirect.org/direct_response_media.php] pads and you now have a call to action your prospect cannot forget.

When washroom advertising started out 13 years ago, it was met with controversy, and brands were wary that the washroom environment might be a bad touchpoint. Recent surveys have shown that these fears were unfounded: 97% of people having seen a washroom ad think of it as a totally appropriate media.

"At end of day, it is just a piece of advertising." stresses Jim Prior, managing partner at The Partners creative agency in the UK. "The issue is not whether the ad is in a loo or not in a loo. It's just that people have got an opportunity to read. People have taken the newspaper, which is full of advertising, to the loo for centuries and this is not really much different. I don't think people will think worse of a brand just because they saw some marketing in a restroom somewhere. Far worse would be to have an ad that people thought was lame and boring."

The strength, impact and accountability of toilet posters means that they have elevated themselves to a must in the marketing mix, in fact, they are the most memorable media platform in that mix.