SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 13 February 2025 - In November 2022, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) made a monumental announcement of auctioning off the right to operate ad spaces at approximately 120 pedestrian overhead bridges, underpasses, and covered link-ways in a 10-year contract—a true first for the entity. One year later, the entity announced that out of seven proposals from four tenderers for the LTA, Stellar Experience, a subsidiary of public transport operator SMRT, had come out on top. LTA said the proposals were evaluated on their quality, whether tenderers were able to maintain the bus and taxi shelters per LTA's requirements, as well as their ability to generate non-fare revenue from these road assets. Stellar Experience, more commonly known within the adland ecosystem as Stellar Ace, was touted to have the strongest overall proposal. Under the leadership of Tony Heng, president of Stellar Lifestyle, and managing director of Stellar Ace and Stellar Ace Outdoor, the team is actively looking to transform Singapore's transit network into a vibrant advertising and retail hub. The corporation's vision is to advance the Lifestyle 360 concept, and seamlessly blend offline and online activations to create a holistic experience for the millions of commuters who journey with SMRT daily. Guided by SMRT's vision—"Moving people, enhancing lifestyles"—Heng is dedicated to transforming Stellar Ace's advertising ecosystem into an interactive brand experience through integration with retail spaces, event areas, and machine distribution points, along with versatile short, medium, and long-term spaces for retail promotions. The team is accelerating asset digitalisation by installing cutting-edge anamorphic digital screens at high-traffic MRT stations like Raffles Place, City Hall, and Orchard, offering dynamic, real-time advertising opportunities. "It's no longer just about placing static ads in high-traffic areas, but enhancing the commuter experience," said Heng. As such, the team is embracing out-of-the-box thinking. A prime example of digitalisation is Stellar Ace's 3D Ad Crown, featuring creative executions on the roofs of bus shelters. The exciting innovation elevates traditional static panels by incorporating dynamic 3D elements in a conventional bus shelter. This format captivates and engages commuters in new ways, providing brands with a unique and attention-grabbing platform while transforming a daily commuting journey into an immersive and interactive experience. "We are continuously working towards ensuring the content reaches the right demographics, and in turn, creates maximum value and impact for advertisers," he said. Transforming Stellar Ace's spaces into lifestyle destinations isn't without challenges. With users saturated by digital interactions, Heng's team is rethinking advertising through sensory authenticity and online-offline integration. As consumers increasingly interact with brands across physical and digital channels, Lifestyle 360 aims to align with how consumers live, travel, shop, and play. "This allows advertisers to engage their audience at multiple touch-points—whether through an immersive experience at a bus shelter, an interactive event at an MRT station, or a digital ad on a commuter's smartphone via apps such as WINK+," said Heng. Embracing the digital revolution for marketers Not one to be left behind the digital revolution, the team is also harnessing data-driven insights through AI and machine learning to enhance audience targeting and ROI measurement. This comes as many marketers investing in OOH advertising say they struggle to ensure their campaigns are targeted and relevant to the right audience. Traditional OOH, marketers say, lacks precise audience insights and engagement metrics. "By shifting from traditional static formats to dynamic, interactive digital experiences, we're adapting to the evolving OOH advertising landscape, where engagement is fuelled by technology and personalisation," Heng said, addressing the challenge faced by marketers. Endorsing his statement is Tjhin Poi Chung, deputy managing director of Stellar Ace and Stellar Ace Outdoor, who leads the company's digital transformation and media solutions expansion. Since joining SMRT in 2022, Tjhin has leveraged his expertise in engineering, AI technology, and business leadership, honed at previous jobs in ST Engineering and the government sector, to drive innovation and enhance operations and the customer experience. Under his leadership, Stellar Ace is advancing towards a tech-driven, integrated approach to OOH advertising, using latest ridership and footfall data and interactive, multi-touch-point experiences, to deliver success for brands. "We are leveraging digital data to enhance ROI measurement for marketers," Tjhin says. By utilising AI and analytics, Stellar Ace can now provide precise audience targeting and real-time campaign tracking. "M...