Out of home (OOH) advertising is advertising that reaches consumers outside of their homes. It includes billboards, poster, signs, wall panels, transit advertising, and more.
Out of home advertising generates repeated exposure and the visual impact of these ads are worth more due to consumers being unable to turn them off, scroll past them, or fast forward through them. By putting brands in front of people where they are not constantly being bombarded by other ads, makes it easier for the creative to cut through.
In fact, Out-of-Home reaches over 97% of the UK each week, with digital Out-of-Home delivering 4.8 billion impressions each week.
Types of OOH Advertising
- Billboards: motorway billboards, digital billboards.
- Street Furniture: bus shelters, telephone booths, pavement screens.
- Transit: side of bus or taxi, train carriages, airports.
- Place-based: pubs and bars, shopping centres, events.
Traditional/Static OOH Advertising
Advantages:
• 100% share of voice
• Always on
• Long-term exposure
• Increased creativity, as any billboard companies allow for design and messaging that extend past hard dimensions.
Disadvantages:
• Activations/installations can be time consuming and costly
• Not easy to update or swap out an advertisement
• Over time, ads may lose their novelty or impact
• Static billboards may require maintenance due to environmental changes
Digital OOH Advertising
Advantages:
• Support multiple ad formats, video, motion graphics, dynamic HTML5 content
• Quick, cost-effective turnaround
• Easy to make real-time updates to
• Factors such as weather, new alerts, or traffic patterns can serve as triggers to run specialised ads
Disadvantages:
• Exposure time is shared amongst other advertisers
• Most ads only remain visible for 8-10 seconds
• Can be more expensive to purchase than static billboards
What Are The Benefits of OOH Advertising?
High Volume Impressions/Targeted Placement
The considered placement of OOH screens and billboards targets high-traffic areas specifically. Depending on exact location, you have the opportunity to put your brand in front of millions. OOH advertising locations can be selected to reach specific demographics based on the areas typical foot or vehicle traffic.
Drive Online Activity
The space between online and offline media is getting smaller, with OOH advertising pulling the two together. In fact, OOH advertising is the most effective offline medium in driving online activity and can enhance the effectiveness of other advertising channels by reinforcing messaging seen elsewhere.
Flexibility
With plenty of locations and formats to choose from, programmatic buying options and the ability to schedule and contextualise content, digital OOH advertising provides marketers with the flexibility to build a highly targeted campaign that can be adapted as performance data builds. Thanks to dynamic content delivery systems, its now possible to automatically change and adjust content in response to all kinds of real-time data triggers.
Lower Cost and Effective
OOH advertising is one of the lower-cost forms of advertising with an average ROI of 180% compared to 143% for print ads. While the cost of OOH ads can vary depending on the format, location, and duration of the campaign, they often offer a lower cost per thousand impressions (CPM) than other media.
Additionally, the long dwell times and high frequency of exposure associated with many OOH formats such as billboards.
Easier to Stand Out
Most marketing now takes place online but thanks to ad-blockers and ad-heavy webpages, it’s getting harder to stand out. OOH ads are difficult to avoid and often seen by a large number of people. The creative possibilities, such as the use of eye-catching visuals, bold colours, or innovative designs, can further enhance the impact and memorability of the ads. Visually striking and emotionally resonant ads can leave a lasting impression on consumers and be used to differentiate themselves from competitors.
Out-of-Home Advertising and Integration with Mobile and Social Media
Currently one of the biggest trends with OOH advertising is the integration of mobile and social media into campaigns. This is help to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Some examples of this include:
• QR Codes and Mobile URLs: Allows consumers to easily access additional content or information about the brand or product, such as videos, discount codes, or social media pages.
• Augmented Reality (AR): Brands can create interactive and immersive OOH experiences that allow consumers to engage with the ad in new ways such as trying virtual products or exploring 3D environments.
• Social Media Walls: Displaying user-generated content or social media feeds on digital OOH screens to create a sense of community and engagement around the brand. This will also encourage consumers to share their own experiences and opinions.
• Location-based Targeting: Using mobile location data to target OOH ads to consumers based on their real-time location and behaviour can create more relevant and personalised experiences and drive higher engagement and conversion rates.
The Importance of OOH Advertising
In a world where consumers are bombarded with online ads, OOH advertising offers a unique opportunity to engage with audiences in the real world.
As an advertiser, a mixed-media marketing approach can cover all the bases to improve your reach and attract potential customers and there are few mediums as reliably effective as Out-of-Home.
You should choose OOH advertising if you want flexibility, reliability, and a results-led approach. Get in touch with Dash Agency to find out more about what OOH can do for your business.
Whether you’re looking for marketing expertise or have a specific project in mind, we’re here to assist.