These days good old “traditional” advertising models are often given short shrift. After all, how can communication channels, which have been around for decades, compete with shiny new digital options? Outdoor advertising or out of home (OOH), certainly one of the oldest offline media, continues to evolve and reach some of your best prospects. Read on to learn why outdoor advertising remains vital to any media plan.
Why You Need Outdoor Advertising
Outdoor advertising offers a wide array of benefits for brands in all sectors. It increases ad recall, meaning your message is more likely to stick. Today’s active young consumers are likely to be out and about, in just the right places to see your ads. Research shows that adding out of home advertising to your mix can result in a lower cost per acquisition.
Outdoor Advertising by the Numbers
Outdoor advertising is associated with higher engagement. According to Nielsen’s 2017 study on Poster Advertising, 51% of participants said that they looked at outdoor advertising collateral like posters or billboards as they went along their days. Many people consider billboards a part of the landscape, yet will notice and discuss what they see there.
Outdoor advertising is a boon to ad recall. According to an Edison Research study released in February, approximately two-thirds of Americans (65%) say that they recall seeing an out-of-home digital video display in the last month. Nielsen’s study revealed that nearly half of poster viewers in the campaign’s market remembered encountering a specific ad.
Plus, it gives you a boost with highly desirable demographics. In the same Nielsen study, poster viewership was highest among people between the ages of 25 and 34. Among that group, 71% noticed a poster in the past month.
Most importantly, outdoor advertising spurs action. According to the same Nielsen study, 40% of consumers visited a business after seeing their poster. Nearly a quarter made a purchase. Forty percent discussed the ads that they saw with friends or family and 13% recommended a business based on seeing their outdoor ads.
Traditional Advertising, Modern Tech
How has OOH advertising remained so vital well into the digital age? The answer is that new technology hasn’t supplanted out of home advertising. It has enhanced its reach and its effects.
In a 2017 study by OAAA, they discovered that mobile searches for advertised brands were even higher than anticipated when those brands used outdoor advertising as part of their media planning. In fact, activities that included search, Facebook, Instagram and other social media engagement were four times the anticipated rate.
OOH advertising spurred a number of online actions when it was viewed. Fourteen percent downloaded coupons to mobile devices. Twelve percent loaded new apps. And, another 14% snapped pictures of the outdoor media they saw and shared their images with friends.
Awesome… #TheQueenIsDead #TheSmiths pic.twitter.com/vH9j4ECkIz
— Francisco Mendoza (@Francisco_Moz) October 29, 2017
OOH’s new adoption of technology that includes 5G is allowing advertisers to deliver ads more dynamically. And with data-driven targeting options becoming more available programmatically, this number is only expected to increase between now and 2022. In turn, marketers are already allocating more of their ad budgets to OOH than before, rising from eight to 10 percent of traditional advertising spend this past year.
How Can You Incorporate Outdoor Advertising Today?
If you really think about it, the term “out of home” once was reserved for billboards, posters, and transit but you could argue it now includes Cinema, Mobile, Radio/Podcasting and out of home TV viewing.
Outdoor offers many opportunities to reach consumers where they are in a cost effective manner and we can certainly help you navigate the best options for your brand or promotion and make this a powerful advertising channel. Visit our Media Services page to learn more.
Related:
- Best Creative Practices For Outdoor Advertising
- Driving Streams With Global Outdoor Campaign
- For Your Consideration
Let’s Get Started On Your Campaign!
FAQs
What is outdoor advertising?
Outdoor advertising, also known as out-of-home advertising (OOH), refers to promotional messages displayed in outdoor locations such as billboards, transit shelters, street furniture, digital screens, and more.
Why is outdoor advertising effective?
Outdoor advertising is effective because it reaches a wide audience, offers high visibility in public spaces, provides constant exposure, enhances brand awareness, and can be strategically placed to target specific demographics or locations.
What are the advantages of outdoor advertising?
Advantages of outdoor advertising include its ability to reach a large and diverse audience, create memorable brand impressions, generate local awareness, reinforce other advertising channels, and deliver messages 24/7.
How does outdoor advertising increase brand awareness?
Outdoor advertising increases brand awareness by placing advertisements in high-traffic areas where they can be seen by a large number of people, creating repeated exposure and familiarity with the brand.
Can outdoor advertising be targeted to specific demographics?
Yes, outdoor advertising can be strategically placed to target specific demographics by selecting locations frequented by the desired audience, such as shopping districts, sports venues, or college campuses.
What types of outdoor advertising formats are available?
Outdoor advertising formats include billboards, transit ads on buses, trains, and taxis, street furniture ads on bus shelters and benches, digital signage, wraps on vehicles, and experiential marketing activations in outdoor spaces.
Is outdoor advertising cost-effective?
Outdoor advertising can be cost-effective because it offers broad reach and long exposure periods, allowing brands to maximize their investment and generate impressions over an extended period of time.
How does outdoor advertising integrate with digital media?
Outdoor advertising can integrate with digital media through the use of digital billboards, interactive displays, QR codes, NFC technology, and location-based targeting, providing a seamless connection between offline and online advertising channels.
What role does creativity play in outdoor advertising?
Creativity plays a crucial role in outdoor advertising as eye-catching and innovative designs can capture attention, spark curiosity, and leave a lasting impression on viewers, enhancing the effectiveness of the campaign.
Can outdoor advertising be measured for effectiveness?
While outdoor advertising metrics can be more challenging to measure compared to digital media, methods such as traffic counts, surveys, geolocation data, and tracking online engagement can provide insights into the effectiveness of outdoor advertising campaigns.
