Hong Kong outdoor advertising signage company Media Partners International (MPI) is investing 400 million yuan (about HK$372 million) in the next two years to build the mainland's largest bus advertising network - by giving away its sites.
MPI purchases mainland-made buses and gives them, free, to bus companies. In return it receives all money derived from the advertising on the buses.
MPI has about 1,000 buses in seven mainland cities at present and plans to purchase 1,500 more buses and expand to 17 cities before year-end.
MPI Group managing director, Greater China, Winnie To said the company had invested about 200 million yuan since starting the operation in 1996 and planned to build the network through joint ventures with local bus firms.
MPI has a joint venture with the Nanjing public bus company and is in the process of setting up a partnership with local company Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings to form a joint venture with Chongqing public bus company.
Between the two cities, MPI would have a further 4,000 buses available to the company. It also has 24 buses in Beijing, 524 in Shanghai and 180 in Dalian among others.