Digital Outdoor – Why there are no multinationals in Romania

DIGITAL OUTDOOR. Video. How important is political influence and connections with the administrative area in the Outdoor industry? A lot. So much so that international players bypass the market from us, says Dio Boacă, from Phoenix Media. Some were, but they left.

A question and some possible answers “Why are there no multinational companies on the Outdoor market in Romania?”, in today’s All About Digital Outdoor episode. A Paginademedia.ro project.

Dio Boacă: “I also asked players from outside, when I met them at various congresses. The answer: as long as the politician is involved in this business, we have nothing to look for”

“It is very difficult for a multinational to buy a company from Romania”, says Dio Boacă. Why? “Because he doesn’t know what he’s buying”. More clearly: “Our companies cannot be sold because you have nothing to buy. I cannot buy 150 panels on the friendship of one with another, because at that moment I did not buy anything. If the friendship is upset, I ( outside buyer), what do I stay here with?”, he adds.

Dio Boacă: “Political involvement in this industry is incredibly important. The fact that in some areas you can do whatever you want in Outdoor and no one says anything is a problem. The fact that in other areas, only some can do it and others can’t do, it’s a problem again.”

In order to grow, it must have fair competition, there must be a market economy. That is, if it rains for me, let it rain for you too. If it’s sunny for me, let it be sunny for you too. If for some it only rains and for others there is only sun, there is no way to grow.”

How important is it to have outside players?

“First of all, the foreign players will bring you a consolidation of the market and, secondly, they will bring you some budgets from outside, which you do not see and do not feel at the moment”, answers the manager from Phoenix Mediate.

VIDEO 1. Why aren’t there multinationals in the Romanian shipping industry

An exception: Defi, the only large multinational on the market

Among the few exceptions on the market is the company Defi, says Dio Boacă. It is the only outdoor multinational present here with “rooftops” (large panels placed on buildings in areas such as Piaţa Victoriei or Piaţa Romană).

Dio Boacă: In Romania there is only Defi, which is a multinational company. It is a company that mainly has rooftops and that you can find in most of Europe.

I know for sure that the guys from Romania, from Defi, take care of – and congratulations for that, they love it to death – even Defi’s businesses in Poland and Italy. Otherwise, everyone is local. 80-90% of them are Romanian entrepreneurs.