By Jonathan Baker One medium clearly positioned for continued growth is out-of-home (OOH) advertising. Recent large-scale events across the Tristate area, combined with encouraging industry projections, suggest that OOH deserves a larger place in marketers’ media plans, especially as brands seek greater visibility among consumers. Tristate’s Blockbuster Summer FIFA World Cup Last June, the FIFA World Cup held a series of matches at MetLife Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey. Findings from WUNC News concluded that high-impact transit networks like Penn Station accommodated 100,000 extra riders on dates of these matches. Meanwhile, pedestrian traffic that passed through retail and transit pathways went beyond projected figures by over 80 percent, according to WRNJ Radio, which means more residents and visitors had the opportunity to see outdoor advertising from a wide variety of brands. For advertisers, these figures represent something that’s increasingly difficult to secure through many digital channels; specifically, a large, engaged audience gathered in a shared physical environment. Sail4th Celebration The momentum of the FIFA World Cup continued during Sail4th, the Port Authority’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. With approximately 6 million attendees spread across 15 miles of waterfront, the event created yet another high-traffic environment where OOH advertising benefited from exceptional reach and visibility. These large-scale events also highlight another trend shaping the industry: the growing prominence of digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH). Dynamic Returns for Digital Out of Home Advertising (DOOH) Recent statistics posted by EMARKETER project that digital formats will account for nearly half of all global OOH revenue by year-end, reaching approximately $28 billion. Much of that growth reflects advertisers’ increasing interest in formats that combine broad visibility with modern targeting and measurement capabilities. At the same time, consumers are growing more selective about the content they engage with on personal devices. EMARKETER reports that 47 percent of consumers have deleted certain apps because of stress, anxiety, or ad fatigue. As audiences become more resistant to crowded digital environments, marketers may find greater value in reaching consumers through highly visible OOH placements that do not interrupt the viewing experience. So, those ads that once dominated smartphones and tablets (and were subject to blockers, not to mention third-party cookie deprecation) may now be seen in the big and bold format of OOH; a format that consumers won’t consider as intrusive. Results suggest the strategy is working. DOOH = Strong ROI A report from marketing research company Mordor Intelligence detailed how current measurement frameworks can connect in-store visits from consumers with content they see (and remember) via DOOH. By connecting consumer exposure to real-world actions, marketers can more effectively demonstrate return on investment (ROI). As a result, many brands are adopting this medium. These measurement capabilities help address one of the longstanding challenges associated with out-of-home advertising. Instead of relying only on estimated impressions, brands can increasingly connect campaigns to real-world outcomes, such as store visits and consumer engagement. This has helped DOOH evolve from an awareness-driven tactic into a channel capable of demonstrating measurable business results. Closing Thoughts Taken together, the opportunities to attract wide audiences presented by major events and the growing measurement capabilities of DOOH suggest that out-of-home advertising is no longer a channel for simple experimentation. As noted in EMARKETER, OOH and DOOH have evolved into media investments worthy of consideration as core spending categories. Have you ever wondered if your brand could benefit from this kind of far-reaching exposure? Contact EGC Group to learn how we can help you see the genuine “big picture” of OOH and/or DOOH possibilities.
