Did you also think that with today’s fast-paced technology and how advertisements are shown in the digital world, we will lose out on old-school outdoor advertising? Yes, it is easy to overlook the OOH ads; however, they still play an integral part when it comes to marketing. Even bigger brands rely on outdoor advertising, as it is not only cost-effective but also catches the attention of the audience.
OOH ads continue to evolve as a powerful marketing tool, and the gap between digital and outdoor ads is mended by the latest technology, which acts as a bridge. In this article, we share several benefits of outdoor advertising and examples of how it blends with the latest technology, captures the heart of the audience, and is also resourceful as a business model for several brands. Some real-life examples as well as case studies will also be shared in this article, which will help in understanding the greater impact of outdoor advertising.
From towering billboards that dominate city skylines to bus stop ads that greet us during our morning commute, outdoor advertising is present everywhere. Its predominance and continued relevance underscore how well a medium engages viewers.
The Versatility of Outdoor Advertising
Broad Audience Reach
Diverse Demographics:
Outdoor advertisements are accessible to all age groups, and factors like age, gender, economic status, and more are not taken into consideration when posting huge billboards, transit ads, or other forms of outdoor advertising to the general public. For example, a bus advertisement can reach pensioners, professionals, and students alike.
Mass Transit Advertising:
Targeting urban commuters with ads on buses, trams, and subways is a great strategy. It is efficient in reaching people during their regular activities, in addition to having a wide audience.
Airport advertising:
The ads that are showcased at airports are widely seen by travellers from all across the world. Be it huge billboards, digital displays, or when taking the shuttle service bus from the terminal to the flights. In fact, ads are also displayed in the food court area, and the ads here easily influence travellers.
Street Furniture Advertising:
In busy metropolitan areas, advertisements on street furniture, like benches, kiosks, and public restrooms, can target foot traffic and locals as well as visitors.
24/7 Visibility
Billboards: Billboards are prime examples of 24/7 visibility, where the audience can see them at any time of the day or night. They stand tall and are illuminated at night, ensuring constant exposure. For instance, a digital billboard along a highway provides non-stop visibility to motorists.
Digital Displays: With digital outdoor ads, businesses can rotate messages and update content in real-time, ensuring fresh and engaging visuals around the clock.
Street-Level Ads: Street-level advertising, like bus shelters and benches, provides daytime and evening visibility, making it an ideal option for businesses looking to capture commuter attention throughout the day.
Localised Targeting
Geo-Fencing: The latest mobile technology allows businesses to use geo-fencing, which helps them target specific areas with precision. They can target any area they want. For example, a local pet shop owner might run an ad campaign in local parks and dog-friendly cafes to attract foot traffic from the location set.
Event Marketing: Outdoor advertising can be localised around events and gatherings, such as sports events or festivals, where a business can attract an audience that matches its target demographics.
Political Campaigns: Political campaigns use localised outdoor advertising extensively, with candidate billboards and yard signs placed strategically in specific neighbourhoods and districts.
Cost-Effective CPM
Billboards: Billboards are renowned for their cost-effectiveness in terms of CPM. Though the initial cost can be high, the number of impressions generated over the life of the ad, often years, can make the CPM exceptionally low.
Bus Advertising: Bus ads are another example of an economical advertising method. With ad space on public transit vehicles, a single ad can reach thousands of people daily.
Subway Advertising: Subway systems offer cost-effective advertising solutions, reaching urban commuters repeatedly with each trip.
Creative Flexibility
Big Format Billboards: Billboards provide an artistic canvas. Companies may create appealing messaging by utilising strong imagery, eye-catching graphics, and catchy slogans.
Advertising using Street Art: Some towns permit the use of beautiful murals and street art for promotional purposes. This method creates a dynamic and imaginative medium by fusing marketing with the arts.
3D billboards: Companies have experimented with making big, realistic constructions that rise out of the billboard frame in order to draw attention.
Brand Uniformity
Recurring Logo Placement: Well-known companies regularly use their logos in their outdoor advertising. For example, every billboard for a luxury automobile manufacturer always prominently features its emblem.
Colour Schemes and Typography: Outdoor advertisements use colour schemes and typography that complement the brand’s identity. Bright colours and whimsical fonts might be used by a fast-food company to represent its brand.
Consistency of Message: Outdoor advertisements stay consistent in their messaging across different forms. The message and promotion of a retail brand will be the same throughout digital displays, billboards, and transit advertisements.
High-Impact Potential
Telling an emotional story has the potential to leave a lasting impression. For example, a billboard-mounted public service announcement could employ powerful images to deter drivers from texting and driving.
Funny Commercials: Comedy is a great way to get people to interact. A clever bus shelter or billboard advertisement has the power to make people laugh and remember it.
Interactive outdoor advertisements: A few of these make use of technology to produce engaging visuals. For instance, a bus shelter advertisement might have a QR code that customers can scan to get more information or a touchscreen game.
Flexibility and Changeable Content
Real-Time Updates: Outdoor advertising with digital screens allows for real-time updates. For instance, the digital billboard of a restaurant can be programmed to advertise breakfast in the morning and dinner in the evening.
Weather-Triggered Ads: Certain digital billboards display pertinent advertisements based on meteorological data. An ice cream advertisement could appear on an outdoor billboard on a hot day.
Timers and Countdowns: To generate a sense of urgency, businesses use digital displays to countdown to sales promotions or special events.
These in-depth considerations underline the immense flexibility of outdoor advertising and how it can be tailored to suit a business’s specific needs, audience, and marketing objectives. From creating compelling visuals to engaging emotions and innovating with technology, outdoor advertising is a versatile tool with multifaceted applications.
Out-of-home (OOH) or outdoor advertising is a wonderfully adaptable marketing channel that can effectively reach a variety of consumers and convey messages. Its wide audience appeal cuts across all demographics and is a constant in people’s daily lives, whether they are urban commuters or passengers at airports. The constant exposure that outdoor advertisements, especially billboards, provide is guaranteed. Its relevance is further increased by its versatility in localised targeting via geo-fencing and event-based placements. Generally speaking, outdoor advertising is quite affordable, with billboards providing a cheap cost per impression (CPM). Its creative versatility makes for visually appealing designs, and message coherence is guaranteed by brand consistency. Viewers connect with the high-impact potential that is fueled by humour, engagement, and emotional storytelling. Digital displays with dynamic content allow for countdowns, weather-triggered advertisements, and real-time updates. To put it simply, outdoor advertising is a flexible and long-lasting marketing technique that can be used to express originality and creativity with results that last.
Real-Life Success Stories
1. Coca-Cola’s Iconic Billboards
One of the best examples of how OOH advertising can be effectively incorporated into a larger marketing strategy is the Coca-Cola “Share a Coke” campaign. Some of the popular names were printed on Coca-Cola cans and bottles that were used for the campaign. This resulted in the names being featured on posters, billboards, and even transit advertising. Customers were urged to locate bottles with their names and split a Coke with companions. Social media users took to the campaign, demonstrating how online engagement can be increased via out-of-home advertising.
2. Apple’s Minimalistic Approach
The “Shot on iPhone” campaign by Apple demonstrated the effectiveness of user-generated material when combined with out-of-home (OOH) advertising. The business gathered beautiful images that iPhone users had taken and used them to decorate billboards and posters all around the world. This showcased the iPhone camera’s quality while also honouring the inventiveness of its users. People enthusiastically participated in the campaign by submitting their own images, which made it a truly interactive out-of-home advertisement. It was a huge success.
3. The Times Square Experience
Times Square in New York City is a testament to the impact of outdoor advertising. The dazzling displays and neon signs from global brands like Coca-Cola, Samsung, and McDonald’s captivate millions of tourists and locals daily. It’s a prime example of how strategic placement and high-impact visuals can create an unforgettable brand experience.
4. The Travel Oregon Campaign
In 2019, Travel Oregon launched the “Only Slightly Exaggerated” campaign, featuring stunning and fantastical illustrations of the state’s natural beauty. These outdoor ads transformed Oregon’s landscapes into enchanting, storybook-like scenes. This campaign not only increased tourism but also garnered numerous awards for its creativity and effectiveness.
Case Studies
McDonald’s “Golden Arches” Billboards
The Golden Arches from McDonald’s gained quite a bit of popularity. Golden Arches is recognised globally, and the brand saw a massive increase in foot traffic to its stores when it used it strategically on billboards to guide customers to nearby locations.
The Dove Real Beauty Campaign
Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign is an exemplary case of using outdoor advertising to promote a powerful message. This campaign features billboards with several women with their natural beauty on them and expresses the message of embracing natural beauty. Not only did the target audience resonate with this campaign, but it also gained attention from global media. A positive message explaining how natural beauty is celebrated
The Absolut Vodka Bottle
Absolut Vodka took an innovative approach to outdoor advertising with its iconic “Absolut Bottle” campaign. Bringing in transit ads and billboards and configuring them into Absolut Bottles into several objects The brand not only showcased creativity but also left a message that the brand is quite versatile and adapts to different occasions quite neatly.
Heineken’s “Cities of the World”
Remember the Cities of the World campaign by Heineken? Well, the most popular billboards had curative designs, and the special part was that the designs were made entirely from Heineken bottles. To showcase the global connection of the brand, each billboard celebrated the culture and identity of the respective city. This campaign demonstrated the creative flexibility and power of local targeting in outdoor advertising.
Conclusion
In an era dominated by digital marketing, OOH ads continue to dominate and evolve with the latest technology. The amount of sheer hard work that goes into building content, the unhindered creativity, the ability to reach a larger audience, and, all in all, being cost-effective, outdoor advertising is here to stay.
Outdoor advertising is more than just a traditional medium, and several big brands count on bringing ads that are not only engaging to the audience but also have social values. The brands simply use OOH ads to convey the brand message, raise brand awareness, and share powerful messages.
Be it local businesses or big brands, outdoor advertising is changing for the better, and with the latest technology, it is thriving every single day. It leaves a lasting impression and captivates the target audience. Outdoor advertising is not just a part of our urban landscape; it’s a dynamic and essential component of modern marketing, here to stay and evolve.
