Have you ever wondered about out-of-home advertising (OOH) and whether it’s an effective way to advertise?

If an ad in a public outdoor setting — for instance, highway billboards or bus stop ads — has ever caught your eye, you’re familiar with OOH.

And even though online ads have taken the place of many traditional forms of advertising like print and radio, there’s still plenty of space outside for all kinds of OOH. Read on to learn more.

What is out-of-home advertising?

Out-of-home advertising is highly versatile. It can be digital, print, or other types of mediums. When used strategically, these types of ads can stand out.

Anyone who has been on a road trip probably has had a moment where they see a sign for a restaurant at the next exit and have had the temptation to pull over.

Companies that lease space for billboard advertising and other types of ads have a unique opportunity to interact with customers directly. One example of this is Apple’s 2015 “Shot on an iPhone” campaign, where they asked people to send in their best photos for large-scale display, which they displayed on large-scale ads.

The global market for all OOH (both digital and standard) is growing. As of 2018, global ad revenue for OOH was $56 billion, according to Business Insider.

A Nielsen study concluded that OOH is more effective than any other offline medium in driving online activity. OOH was shown to deliver more online activity per ad dollar spent compared to TV, radio, or print.

Urban centers are high-traffic areas that can utilize large-scale, dynamic ads as part of a billboard advertising campaign. The most expensive and well-known example would be the considerable ads in New York’s Times Square.

Rural areas provide a less distracting environment to place Out of Home ads which gives the viewer a great opportunity to absorb a strategically placed billboard ad.

Get Creative with Place-Based Out-of-Home Advertising

One of the great things about OOH is that there are so many creative ways to use it — the possibilities are virtually limitless. And it doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive. A simple design in the right place and time can be unforgettable.

Here are some examples of ways to use place-based advertising to truly make a splash.

  • A 3D ad at a bus shelter
  • TV screens at a gas station
  • Billboards that incorporate the natural backdrop
  • A wall diorama at an airport
  • Display racks at a college campus
  • Digital displays at a sports stadium
  • Use it for special events
  • Use a digital display to show and track dynamic data

How can out-of-home advertising benefit your business?

OOH is an effective way to build brand awareness. If you think about people commuting on a highway every weekday, they might pass the same billboard 5 days a week. This repetition is essential when it comes to brand recognition and keep a brand top of mind.

Out-of-home advertising is also cost-effective. The cost of a simple billboard in a non-urban area, for example, might start at only a few hundred dollars a month.

Learn more about the cost of billboard advertising in B.C.

Out-of-Home Advertising into the Future

OOH is undoubtedly here to stay, and this is even the case during times where there is less outdoor traffic than usual. A lot of this is because of the possibilities of digital out-of-home advertising.

With new technology and options for dynamic, interactive ads, digital OOH offers a fresh opportunity to catch people’s eye, especially those consumers immersed in all-things-digital.

Consider a digital billboard if you want:

  • Dynamic content
  • For real-time statistics or other information (e.g., weather conditions)
  • Interactivity — (e.g., with a social media campaign)
  • A carousel or cycle of images
  • If your target demographic is younger or creative

Another reason why digital OOH is popular is that, with traditional digital advertising, privacy concerns can make it a little bit challenging.

With digital OOH, there’s no risk of a privacy breach, and so it’s a friendlier way of reaching a mass audience. They can’t block ads or worry about their data being collected without permission.

In this way, digital out-of-home advertising can establish trust with customers where regular digital advertising doesn’t.

Try Out-of-Home Advertising for Your Next Campaign

All kinds of organizations and businesses can benefit from OOH. It’s flexible, practical, and has the potential to bring in a high return on investment.

We offer affordable packages and flexible leasing for your digital and traditional billboard advertising needs.

To learn more about how OOH can help your business or get a quote, contact us today.

Enjoyed this article? Here are three more to help you:

How Much Is Billboard Advertising Vs. Online Advertising?
What Billboard Design Is The Best For Your Company?
The Benefits Of Digital Billboards Vs. Traditional Outdoor Advertising