Hong Kong – JCDecaux Transport has completed a pilot project using artificial intelligence to measure audience behaviour in metro advertising, marking what it says is the first deployment of AI-driven audience measurement in Asia’s metro advertising industry.
The pilot was carried out through MTR advertising at the Iconic Digital Zone in Tsim Sha Tsui Station, using digital advertising inventory across the MTR network. It involved the use of SmartRetail’s AI analytics and computer vision technology to analyse audience behaviour in real time. Metrics captured during the trial included footfall, movement direction, estimated demographics and screen engagement.
According to JCDecaux Transport, the system analysed images in real time without retaining or uploading any images, and did not store personally identifiable information. The technology was designed to generate aggregate insights while addressing privacy considerations.
The company said the pilot demonstrated how AI analytics could provide advertisers with more detailed and timely insights to support campaign planning and optimisation. It added that the initiative could set a benchmark for efficiency and precision in outdoor advertising measurement and support broader adoption of AI-based measurement tools across the network.
To validate the findings, the pilot included independent auditing by market research firm Ipsos. The audit confirmed the effectiveness of directional analysis based on coordinate comparisons to track audience movement, a high true positive rate in demographic classification for male and female categories, and age estimation accuracy with a mean absolute error of about 4.5 years compared with manual assessments.
Shirley Chan, managing director at JCDecaux Transport, said, “This pilot transforms the outdoor advertising business into a dynamic media platform, providing the market with trusted, data-rich insights, empowering brands to engage audiences more effectively. The achievement signals a new era for metro advertising, where data-driven precision and accountability become the foundation for strategic decisions.”
She added, “By embracing AI-powered audience measurement, MTR advertising is not only enhancing transparency but also unlocking smarter ways for brands to engage commuters in high-impact environments, paving the way for advertisers to move beyond assumptions and toward measurable, meaningful connections.”
