The Impact of Out-Of-Home Advertising When You Take It Online
Let’s Talk About Out of Home (OOH) Advertising.
We’re talking ads on billboards, bus shelters, rink boards, in airports, airport TSA bins, and more. Really any ad that exists in the physical, non-digital, IRL world.
OOH campaigns are not a thing of the past and, if anything, are being renewed with more experiential activations these days (well at least the good ones are). But what exactly makes an OOH campaign good? Like really, really good?
A recent expert interview shared by People Brands and Things on Substack, offered plenty of insight into the world of OOH marketing. The article featured Brian Rappaport, CEO and Founder of Quan Media Group (an OOH agency that’s worked with brands like Skims, Shopify, and Olipop) Tom Shea, CEO & Co-Founder of Adgile Media Group (an OOH company that transforms semis into billboards and has worked with brands like T-Mobile, Namely, and Milk Bar), and Amanda Gordon head of Social Media at OUTFRONT Media (an OOH company that boasts being America’s most visible and versatile OOH media network).
And here’s our takeaways from what they had to say.
A really good OOH ad (or campaign) comes down to three main things: Location, the Creative, and the Experience. What makes OOH campaigns even more impactful these days is that you can break the physical barrier with social media and exponentially increase your impressions.
So, let’s break each of those components down a little.
How do you create a successful OOH ad?
Location, Location, Location
Being strategic about the location in which you place your ad and incorporating contextual messaging into your creative is paramount. Your OOH ad needs to inspire to the viewer while speaking their language. It should feel like whoever made the ad is native to that area.
This means that you need to know the ins and outs of the neighbourhood where your ad will be displayed. What type of people live near it or pass by it? During what part of their day will they see it? What differentiates this area from other neighbourhoods? What events are happening in and around the area? What important or relevant buildings/businesses/landmarks/etc. are around the placement? How can you use any or all of the above to maximize impact?
Strong OOH ads understand the context of their location and make reference to it by acknowledging both the setting and the medium (and how this relates to the customer).
The Detroit Travel Center does a good job playing into the context with this billboard. They could have put up an ad that focused on the sights to see in the area (like many travel centers might have done), but instead they understand the context that most passersby are in and why (let’s be real here) many people actually find themselves in a travel center. The information is simple and quick to digest which is important given the roadside context and it speaks to the target audience’s needs in that moment in a playful, yet still relatable way.
The Creative
Obviously, what’s actually on your ad is a huge component to a successful OOH placement. A really strong creative plays to the strengths of its format, while adhering to their limitations.
For example, a roadside billboard should have clear, concise copy that can be easily read and understood by drivers. Whereas, ads in spaces where people tend to linger more, like inside a bus or in an airport can include more information and complexities.
Ultimately, your goal with the creative is to generate curiosity and be memorable, while still remaining aligned with the brand.
McDonald’s does a great job of getting creative with the information. They could have just said “open 24 hours”, but they took it a step further, ultimately grabbing attention, and even further driving home the message. The interactivity of the digital clock feels more like McDonald’s is up with you, in that moment.
The Experience
Going above and beyond the conventional and the expected to create a memorable experience for your customers is what really puts certain campaigns in the forefront. OOH offers the opportunity to provide real-world, tangible experiences for your customers. The more unique and immersive that experience is, the more memorable and impactful it will be.
Which leads us to…
Taking OOH Beyond The Physical
Make your OOH campaign a moment. With digital media, OOH ads can be amplified beyond their physical location. This can be as simple as sharing your ad placement on social media. Conveying your excitement, inviting people to come check it out. Create hype, make it a destination that your customers want to travel to, or even better, make it a memorable moment à la Charli XCX.
ICYMI: Charli xcx’s big, bright green wall was a masterclass in album promotions leading up to and following the launch of her “brat album”. The wall in New York was an iconic pop culture moment in summer 2024. The wall featured 5 different messages during its time including “brat”, the name of the album, “i’m your fav reference”, a line from the album, and “ok bye !”, before being removed.
Strategic and creative out-of-home ads can drastically increase the impact of your ad spend, capturing the attention of IRL viewers and amplifying the experience online. The ROI for this traditional form of media can be major if you know how to create a great ad.
