With the focus on qualified metrics and the launch of new digital platforms, you might not remember the seemingly ancient practice of promoting your brand outside of the virtual realm. Yeah, brands still do that. In fact, out-of-home (OOH) advertising is a growing multi-million-dollar industry.
Whenever you step outside and look around, marketing and advertising content is everywhere. If you see an ad outside of your home, like a billboard, bus wrap, poster, or anything else that’s not on your mobile device, that’s OOH advertising. Here’s why OOH advertising is like that hipster coffee shop you begrudgingly love—it’s oddly refreshing and strangely effective.
Laying the Groundwork of Artificial Intelligence
Real life exists outside the realm of hashtags, filters, and influencers. OOH advertising allows you to break free from the confines of your screen’s pixels and engage with other human beings in the physical world. It’s another opportunity to be ever present with your audience, particularly when your goal is to develop better “Top of Mind Awareness.” (TOMA)
Stand Out in the Sea of Pixels
With online ads popping up every millisecond, it’s easy for your brand to get lost in the virtual noise. But OOH ads are right there, in everyday places, and they can have a significant impact on consumers due to their size and contrast in the real-world environment.
By placing your brand’s messaging on billboards, at bus stops, and even on the sides of buildings, you can captivate audiences and grab their attention just as well as, or better than, a 3-minute TikTok video.
At the very least, OOH advertising is an effective complement to an existing digital strategy, and helps expand reach. Have you seen the viral digital chatter around Maybelline CGI ads in London?
Join the Real World (Not as Scary as You Think)
Whether they’re commuting to work, shopping, or simply strolling through the city, OOH ads will be right there, and they won’t skip, scroll, or switch to something else. When consumers encounter something in person, it tends to get more thought real estate.
Location, Location, Location
Remember when your realtor told you that location is everything? Well, they were right. (Yes, it really is nice to be less than five minutes away from a grocery store or a public pool.) OOH advertising lets you strategically place your ads in prime locations where your target audience can’t possibly miss them.
With help from technology, advertisers now have access to real-time information on the demographics of consumers in the area. From busy intersections to trendy neighborhoods, you have the power to choose a spot where your brand will shine the brightest.
Unleash Your Creativity
Digital ads offer eye-catching motion and interaction that we all love, and because OOH advertising does not, it challenges brands to make a visual impact that sticks instantly. This not only forces marketers to unleash their creativity, but it often results in a unique and powerful message that is delivered with quick, catchy messaging and visuals. In some instances, OOH advertising can seemingly interact with surroundings, or be more dimensional than a flat ad. It’s a wonderful challenge to develop OOH advertising that stands out. And it’s a miserable failure when it doesn’t/
No Ad Blockers Here
One of the biggest frustrations of online advertising is those pesky ad blockers preventing your message from reaching its intended audience. OOH advertising doesn’t have ad blockers, pop-up blockers, or any other kind of blockers standing in its way—unless of course, if someone is waiting for the bus directly in front of you.
One note of caution: placing OOH requires relying on more than just an ad reps word. If possible, it is important to see where the pavement will be and ensure it is not blocked, is large enough, or in the case of directional ads, pointing in the correct direction!
OOH advertising may seem unconventional today, but it’s actually the perfect counterpart for your digital heroes. Together, OOH traditional and digital advertising methods provide a well-distributed and holistic approach for your brand to reach new and potential customers, wherever they may be.
Embrace the physical realm, get creative, and elevate (literally!) your brand awareness and engagement.
Need fresh ideas on how to get your brand out of the house and into people’s hearts? Let’s make something great together!
