JCDecaux wins key bus shelter advertising contract in Oslo

JCDecaux SA (Euronext Paris : DEC) - The City of Oslo today announced that it has selected JCDecaux, one of the world’s leading outdoor advertising groups and the largest in Europe, as its preferred partner for a new bus shelter advertising contract.

The contract is the most important street furniture contract to be awarded in Norway and gives JCDecaux the exclusive right to install advertising panels on bus shelters and taxi stands in some 300 locations in Oslo. The contract runs for 12 years and is forecast to generate advertising revenues of €33 million. (NOK 250 million).

The Norwegian Architect Birger Heyerdahl has designed the shelters to enhance the Oslo street-scape and provide real benefits to the 500,000 inhabitants of the Norwegian capital. The installation process is expected to be completed by the summer of 2003. The contract will substantially enhance JCDecaux’s market position in Oslo, which currently includes advertising rights on the Metro system and at Aker Brygge, as well as strengthening its Scandinavian network.

The Head of Transport in the City of Oslo, Mr. Knut Gabestad said: “We selected JCDecaux because they came out top overall in relation to all of the tender evaluation criteria”.

Oyvind Markussen, Managing Director of JCDecaux Norway said: “We have been working hard to introduce the street furniture concept to the City of Oslo for many years and we are delighted to have been chosen in the face of strong competition. The new network will give advertisers a great presence on the streets of Oslo and at the same time, provide real benefits to the travelling public”.

Jeremy Male, CEO of Northern Europe added: “With this win we can now provide our clients with the unique JCDecaux quality in all of the key Scandinavian cities including Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Reykjavik”.