Why brands are tapping into the potential of out of home advertising
Driven by innovations, data-tracking and sustainability, the world of outdoor advertising has limitless potential. Here, Open Media's CEO, Mike Smith, looks at why 2024 is going to be game changer for OOH.
Out of home (OOH) is in a renaissance right now.
We are in this incredible space that brings together creativity and technology. One that allows us to elevate brand experiences in the tangible world. It’s visually exciting, it’s innovative and it’s future focused. There’s no better time to harness that potential.
According to the Advertising Association and Warc, outdoor advertising expenditure in the UK is projected to reach £1.44bn by 2024.
Thanks to the increase in budgets together with the innovation we’re seeing of high-definition displays, 3D visuals, interactivity, and targeted messaging, OOH has the ability to take things to whole new level.
Unforgettable experiences
When Nike launched an OOH campaign to congratulate LFC on their double win, they purposefully used the Liverpool skyline as the backdrop for when the team bus was cruising by a sea of people. It was an emotional moment and something that will stay with people forever.
It’s that emotional bond that brands are looking for. OOH has the power to tell stories which will captivate and immerse consumers wherever they are. It can run campaigns that reflect their identity and values while telling powerful narratives that truly resonate with audiences.
How OOH is setting itself apart
Sky Bet's 3D campaign during the Championship Play Off Final in 2023 is a great example. They positioned themselves within the football action, becoming part of the conversation surrounding the games. They targeted transport environments to give them a real-time narrative that joined football fans on their journey to the match, the final touchpoint being Open Perspectives' Boxpark Wembley screen. The campaign saw a +16% uplift in attention time telling us that viewers were actively involved with and absorbed by the content.
Whether it's through touch-sensitive screens, QR codes or augmented reality features, OOH campaigns are creating interactive moments that forge a deeper connection with the audience.
The growth we’re seeing isn’t just about creative innovation, it’s about us adapting to diverse audiences through technology and data driven insights. Being smart about choosing the right screen locations for their campaigns.
Targeted messaging and real-time connections are the reason why OOH has this remarkable ability to connect with around 80% of the UK public. It’s why we’re seeing consistent year-on-year revenue growth, and why there’s a notable shift from brands to channel more resources into OOH advertising than ever before.
Navigating real-time success
The significance of detailed data in OOH space sales, alongside standard route data is key when thinking about how budgets might increase in the marketing mix. Programmatically booked campaigns are giving brands the opportunity to reach an audience in real-time unlike any other advertising medium we can create meaningful connections and be more transparent about ROIs.
AdMoblilize can now provide data on select sites as well as cellular data from DataJam. This allows brands to understand audience viewership in much more detail.
When you break that down, it all comes back to getting in front of the correct audience at the right time. Ensuring the strategic placement of campaigns on screens with high visibility – those in high growth towns and cities and young populations for example. That placement will offer a sweet spot for most brands and offer campaigns have more impact.
Like the 'Double Standards' campaign for International Women's Day 2023 from CPB London and Goodstuff resonated so well because of where it was placed. The idea was to highlight the disparity in how women and men are portrayed. They chose a screen that ensured it was seen by a predominantly male audience - outside Boxpark Wembley during a football match.
Eco-innovations
We’re in a world where high-definition displays are lighting up the streets, 3D visuals are jumping, and immersive experiences are grabbing people’s attention. These are all game-changing innovations that adds a dynamic and unforgettable dimension to the OOH experience.
But I think biggest game changer in this space right now is sustainability. There is a recent shift towards innovative technology that allows us to track and offset carbon emissions.
Last year Open Media partnered with UniLed to launch the first campaign to track and offset carbon emissions for banking brand, Starling.
Being able of offer end-to-end carbon emissions tracking, allows us and the brands we work with to get a full picture of the behind-the-scenes costs of DOOH, everything from the production of the components of the screens to the construction of the sites themselves and the transportation of the materials.
It means that we as an industry can now look help bring brands to life with engaging, sustainable and responsible ways.
It's not just about billboards or digital displays; it’s about elevating our industry's standing and carving a more significant space in the marketing space.
OOH's tomorrow: Innovations, impressions, brilliance
These unique selling propositions (USPs) of OOH are fostering a new and deeper understanding of the capabilities we have as an industry. And the potential of this space is huge.
As the first B Corp certified outdoor media owner in the UK and Europe, Open Media we’re working together to ensure a sustainable, innovative, and impactful future.
This year won’t just be about elevating brand experiences, it will be about doing our bit for the planet.
Exciting times ahead.