Out-of-home advertising (OOH) encompasses all forms of public, tangible advertising, generally taking the form of large-scale ads in highly trafficked places. As large portions of the American population receive vaccinations and the CDC opens travel restrictions, US citizens are expected to hit the road in droves, taking summer and fall vacations with new safety precautions. According to the U.S. Travel Association, close to nine in 10 (87%) of American travelers now have travel plans in the next six months—the highest level since March 2020. (US Travel Association) With expanded travel comes new and exciting opportunities to get your brand message out to the public.
OOH ADVERTISING DEFINED
Out-of-home advertising, also referred to as outdoor advertising, outdoor media, or out-of-home media, are advertising channels that reach the consumer outside of their home. The goal is to reach the consumer while they are on-the-go, whether commuting, running errands, waiting for a bus, shopping at the mall, or simply walking down the street. It is important to note that OOH advertisements are not meant for print circulation, but rather, are designed for consumers to take in the ad all at once, at a glance, and without paper collateral.
The most common forms of OOH are:
Billboards
Point-of-Sale Displays
Interactive Fuel & Taxi TV
Transit Signs & Wraps
Street Placements Like Bus Stops, Kiosks, and Signs
Advertising in Transport Locations
Taking Advantage of OOH Technology
Advancements in OOH technology have made ad delivery easier than ever. As the number of digital screens grows in public places, so too, do our opportunities to make an impact on our target audiences. Over the past ten years, OOH has seen consecutive growth in advertising revenue (OAAA). Because businesses are starting to take advantage of digital ad development and delivery for OOH mediums, many consumers have come to expect targeted outdoor advertising that is tailored to their demographics and buying habits. To meet these consumer expectations, agencies worth their salt are shifting their OOH ad strategy focus from location to target audience-based messaging.
DIGITAL-OUT-OF-HOME ADVERTISING
Digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising is taking the outdoor ad arena by storm. Using digital forms of OOH advertising couples traditional OOH advertising with digitally-focused execution like electronic billboards, signs, and screen displays in public areas. According to the Statista Research Department, in 2020 digital out-of-home advertising spending in the United States was estimated to amount to 2.72 billion U.S. dollars. It is projected to further grow to 3.84 billion dollars by the end of 2023. (Statista) Zenith Electronics forecasts that DOOH will grow faster, globally, than all other buying methods. Further, PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that DOOH advertising revenues are growing at a rate of 15% a year for the next four years (Michael Wehner, AdAge).
DOOH advertising combines the importance of location placement with the tailored ad experience of data-driven digital content. The DOOH landscape is vast, including digital billboards, information kiosks in retail centers, and even backseat screens in a taxi cab. What makes DOOH unique is its ability to reach the consumer in a real-world setting. Instead of interrupting video playback on sites like YouTube or forcing an ad into a consumer’s social media feed, DOOH is focused on ad placement outside of personal digital devices.
DOOH gives advertisers the opportunity to share the right message at the right time with content that is valuable and engaging based on the outlet. Video reels in cabs offer longer video content, digital billboards can highlight or rotate information, and kiosks can provide valuable user information like weather or news updates while advertising a product.
AN EMPHASIS ON TAILORED CONTENT
Today’s consumer wants value. Ad trends show people are struggling with traditional advertisements and are no longer responding as well due to ad fatigue. In a 2016 survey conducted by The Neilsen Group, 71% of digital billboard viewers found that digital OOH ads stood out more than online ads. Whether it be through information or entertainment, designing ads that engage the consumer will outperform static ads and have a greater impact. Engaging content could take the form of news, weather or transit updates, fun facts, or local event information. This type of information sharing draws consumer attention and provides unique advertising opportunities outside of the flooded digital space.
Because content plays an important role in DOOH advertising, it is important to treat DOOH as you would any other digital campaign. Develop your target audience, find what channels reach the majority of that audience, and create content that will result in conversions.
FUTURE TRENDS
With the OOH landscape evolving at a rapid pace, we anticipate the following trends will gain momentum over the coming years.
MOBILE INTEGRATION
OOH is starting to incorporate omni-channel campaigns through mobile GPS tracking. Mobile ads can be tied to certain, pre-defined, geo-located pinpoints based on where DOOH advertisements are placed. In short, when a user enters a pre-determined radius of a given DOOH campaign, it can trigger specific mobile ads that tie to the DOOH content in the area. This dynamic style of advertising has the potential to reduce ad spend by limiting ad delivery to only the most relevant areas and enhancing the impact of the campaign by showing a single user multiple variations of the ad in an area relevant to the brand or company.
DATA DRIVEN
Advancements in data along with the recent decrease in data prices are making digital ads more accessible to smaller businesses with lower budgets. OOH advertising data will provide opportunities for smaller-scale businesses to reach more people while targeting specific audiences.
SOFTWARE ADVANCEMENT
Outdoor advertising outlet owners are integrating marketing automation software to better track ad engagement and quickly change creative on OOH mediums. Gone are the days of waiting for billboard wraps to be printed and installed. This software will allow companies to offer up assets and publish to market faster and provide more opportunities to evaluate and perfect their DOOH strategy.
It might be easy to get caught up in OOH advancements, but one strategy will remain crucial in effective OOH marketing – always concentrate on value. Today’s consumer wants and expects it. Proving value should always be at the forefront of every marketing strategy you develop. For more information on integrating value-based marketing to your advertising initiatives, check out a few of our articles related to the subject:
Instagram Stories For Businesses
Content Marketing: What it is and Why Use it
Connecting Online and Offline Branding for a Seamless Brand Experience
Quick Facts For Marketing To Each Generation: Breaking Down Generational Marketing
If you are interested in creating an OOH or DOOH campaign, but are unsure where to start, contact us! We can create a marketing strategy filled with valuable content to grow your brand and reach your target audience.
About Us
Ocreative is a Milwaukee marketing agency, with expertise and broad experience in developing digital marketing strategies, and growing their online presence, for their clients. The company’s core values include offering the highest level of customer service, award-worthy quality, and performance that surpasses client expectations. Ocreative is located just outside Milwaukee, and works with clients locally, nationally, and globally. Their clients have access to some of the most fun and knowledgeable professionals around – ones who inspire, educate, and problem solve. The agency provides marketing and brand strategy, advertising and design, website design and social media, and video expertise to their clients, fulfilling their desire for business growth, and their aspiration to make a mark on their industry.