Surabaya Is Becoming More Crowded, and Brands Are Finding It Harder to Gain Consumer Attention

With the increasing cost of digital advertising and growing competition across social media platforms, more brands are returning to Out-of-Home Advertising (OOH) as an important marketing channel to build mass brand awareness.

However, today’s OOH advertising is no longer limited to traditional static billboards. One of the fastest-growing formats is Mobile Advertisement, where advertisements are displayed on moving vehicles such as cars, ride-hailing partner vehicles, and Trans Jatim buses.

The question is: does this type of media still provide value in a city like Surabaya?

Based on government data, transportation operator insights, academic research, and the latest consumer behavior trends, the answer is:

Yes, and its potential continues to grow.

Surabaya Has One of the Largest Vehicle Markets in Indonesia

According to the latest data, Surabaya’s number of motor vehicles reached approximately 3.81 million units in 2025.

The breakdown includes:

• Around 3.05 million motorcycles
• More than 573 thousand passenger cars

Expanding to the East Java provincial level, the number of vehicles reaches approximately 26.7 million units, making it one of the largest mobility markets in Indonesia.

For marketers, this represents a clear opportunity:

“The higher the public mobility, the greater the opportunity for brands to gain repeated exposure through OOH media.”

Unlike digital advertisements that can be skipped within seconds, branded vehicles exist in real public spaces and create continuous visual interaction with consumers throughout the day.

Traffic Congestion Becomes an Advantage for OOH Advertising

One of the most important factors affecting OOH effectiveness is dwell time, which refers to how long consumers are exposed to an advertisement.

Several high-traffic areas in Surabaya include:

• Diponegoro Street
• Urip Sumoharjo Street
• Wonokromo Station Area
• Basuki Rahmat Street
• Mayjend Yono Suwoyo Area
• Raya Darmo
• HR Muhammad
• Mayjen Sungkono

During morning and afternoon peak hours, especially along the Bundaran Waru to Darmo and Kertajaya routes, vehicles often move slowly or remain stationary.

From an OOH advertising perspective, this situation creates an opportunity because consumers have more time to notice advertising messages.

When a branded vehicle or advertising bus is positioned in traffic congestion, consumers can clearly see:

Brand logos, product information, and campaign messages.

Smart City Development Makes Surabaya Mobility More Measurable

The Surabaya government continues to develop its Smart City concept through the SITS (Surabaya Intelligent Transport System).

Currently, more than 1,000 CCTV monitoring points are connected to the system to monitor traffic conditions in real time.

At the same time, public transportation usage has experienced significant growth.

The number of public transportation passengers in Surabaya increased from:

Approximately 1.9 million passengers in 2023

to:

More than 7 million passengers in 2025

This shows that Surabaya not only has high population mobility, but consumer movement is increasingly concentrated in specific areas, creating more precise opportunities for advertising placement.

Why Are Trans Jatim Buses an Attractive Advertising Medium?

The Trans Jatim bus system has become one of the main transportation modes in the Surabaya metropolitan area.

Its annual passenger volume reaches nearly 6 million people, covering several major routes:

Corridor 1

Sidoarjo – Surabaya – Gresik

Corridor 5

Surabaya – Bangkalan

Corridor 6

Sidoarjo – Mojokerto

These routes pass through:

• Industrial areas
• Business centers
• Office areas
• Dense residential areas

This means a branded bus does not only reach public transportation users but is also seen by thousands of road users every day.

In addition, buses provide large visual spaces, making them suitable for:

• New product launches
• Mass brand awareness campaigns
• Regional marketing activities
• Government and public service campaigns

The Potential of Car and Motorcycle Advertising Continues to Grow

Besides buses, ride-hailing partner vehicles are also becoming valuable advertising assets.

Currently:

• Grab has more than 3.7 million driver partners
• Gojek has more than 3 million drivers

Mobile advertising platforms have proven that car advertising models can operate effectively in various cities, including Surabaya.

The biggest advantage of this medium is:

Flexibility.

Unlike fixed-position billboards, mobile advertising vehicles can move according to target consumer areas, such as:

• Office districts
• University areas
• Shopping centers
• Premium residential areas
• Industrial zones

In other words, brands can select more precise coverage based on marketing objectives.

How Does Data Prove OOH Advertising Effectiveness?

Several studies show that outdoor advertising has a significant impact on increasing brand awareness.

For example:

A GoScreen pilot project by Gojek recorded:

• More than 4 million impressions
• Reached approximately 850 thousand people

Meanwhile, academic research on Gojek advertising shows:

A strong relationship between OOH media and brand awareness, with a correlation value of 0.826.

Research also shows that in outdoor advertising, simple and direct visual communication is often more effective than complex long messages.

Successful OOH campaigns usually include:

• Large logos
• Short messages
• Strong visual elements
• High-contrast colors
• Easy-to-remember call-to-actions

OOH and Digital Marketing Integration Becomes the New Trend

One of the biggest misconceptions about outdoor advertising is assuming that OOH is only useful for brand exposure.

Today, effective marketing campaigns combine:

OOH + Digital Marketing Strategy

Common approaches include:

QR Code

Consumers can directly access websites, campaign pages, or applications after seeing advertising vehicles.

Hashtag Campaign

Encourages discussions and User Generated Content (UGC) on social media.

Social Listening

Analyzes online conversations generated from campaigns.

GPS Tracking

Validates the actual coverage area of advertising vehicles.

This approach transforms OOH from a simple branding tool into a part of a complete:

Full-Funnel Marketing Strategy.

Mobile Advertisement Strategy Based on Consumer Segments in Surabaya

If the Target Is the Mass Market

Motorcycle advertising is recommended for areas such as:

• Diponegoro
• Urip Sumoharjo
• Wonokromo
• Basuki Rahmat

Because these areas have high traffic volume and can reach a wider audience.

If the Target Is Middle-to-Upper Class Consumers (SES A-B)

Car advertising is recommended in areas such as:

• Mayjend Yono Suwoyo
• HR Muhammad
• Raya Darmo
• Mayjen Sungkono

These areas have a higher concentration of middle and upper-income consumers.

If the Goal Is High Exposure and Frequency

Use Trans Jatim bus advertising on:

• Corridor 1
• Corridor 5

Because these routes pass through commercial areas, industrial zones, and commuter centers every day.

How to Measure Mobile OOH Advertising Campaign ROI

One of the biggest challenges in OOH advertising is:

Performance measurement.

Currently, many agencies and brand managers combine three measurement approaches:

1. GPS Tracking

Measures vehicle routes and coverage areas.

2. Social Listening

Analyzes keywords, conversations, and UGC generated during campaigns.

3. Brand Recall Survey

Measures brand awareness improvement after the campaign ends.

These three methods provide more comprehensive insights compared to relying only on estimated impressions.

Conclusion

Recent data shows:

Surabaya is one of the most promising markets for OOH Mobile Advertisement in Indonesia.

With:

• A large vehicle population
• High-traffic transportation routes
• Growing public transportation usage
• Strong internet and social media penetration

The combination of:

Car advertising, motorcycle advertising, and Trans Jatim bus advertising

creates a valuable opportunity for brands.

For companies aiming to increase brand awareness, expand regional reach, or strengthen digital marketing performance:

Mobile Advertisement is no longer just an alternative to traditional billboards, but an increasingly important media channel in modern marketing strategies