Out-of-home advertising (OOH) has existed as an advertising channel for many years. They usually took the form of ads on the side of buildings, and they continue to be one of the most impactful ways to reach a wide audience in a short amount of time. With the advent of technology, these ads have gradually transformed into a more digital format and have seen proven success in the marketing field. In fact, digital out-of-home (DOOH) ads are one of the fastest-growing and most influential channels in advertising today. 

What is OOH advertising?   

As its name suggests, OOH advertising refers to any form of advertising media based outside the home. Popular examples that come to mind include large billboard displays, but there are many more formats. As people go about their daily activities, they are exposed to a variety of screens and ads, both big and small. 

What is DOOH advertising?

Traditionally speaking, OOH advertising usually made use of visual static images such as posters or printed billboard displays. However, as technology has evolved rapidly, the world has become more digitised. As such, this has given rise to the use of digital formats alongside static print ads in OOH campaigns, otherwise known as digital out-of-home (DOOH). This shift, alongside the use of programmatic technology, has opened the door for businesses and marketers to take advantage of advanced targeting and measurement tools that were never possible before. 

Benefits of DOOH advertising

To keep up with a rapidly changing global market, advertisers and marketers need to be more flexible than ever before. Programmatic DOOH provides unparalleled flexibility for media owners, marketers, and advertisers. This is because its data-driven approach to buying enables marketers to optimise the potential of their marketing budget. With much of the buying process being done by these platforms, buyers can dedicate more time to improving their campaign strategy instead.

Another key strength of DOOH is its ability to pair messaging with a geographical location to increase contextual relevance to its audience. Because of its digital nature, it can use its data-driven capabilities to transform the medium from one-to-many targeting to a one-to-select-many approach. Parameters for targeting can be set around factors such as audience concentration, geofenced areas, or proximity to a point of interest. This helps to create maximum impact on audiences, while also ensuring budgets are spent as efficiently as possible. Activation can also be tied to environmental factors, such as time of day, weather, pollen count, traffic density, and other events.  

Digital out-of-home advertising is also more cost effective, as it is comparatively cheaper to implement due to bypassing any printing needs. Furthermore, marketers can rotate different banners on the same device, meaning businesses do not have to be limited to a single ad banner.  

Types of DOOH venues

Large formats

Large-format DOOH ads can take the form of billboards alongside a highway, to bus shelters on a city sidewalk. These digital formats are generally best viewed by street-level traffic and pedestrians. By using DOOH ads, marketers are in a perfect place to reach more consumers as they go about their daily routines. This happens from the moment a person leaves their home to when they finally come back in the evening.  

Point-of-purchase

Point-of-purchase screens typically fall in the place-based media category. However, what makes them different is that they specifically are placed within stores where a particular brand’s products are being sold. This includes big box retailers, casual dining and quick service restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, liquor stores, and even pharmacies.  

When it comes to leveraging point-of-purchase screens, its potential return on investment (ROI) is said to be even greater for reaching on-the-go consumers. Point-of-purchase ads can also be used to influence last-minute purchasing decisions. For instance, products such as cold medicine or beer tend to be bought with little planning or thought in mind, so it is vital that these brands remain at the top of their customer’s minds when they are about to make a purchase.  

Place-based marketing

Place-based media often centres around environments related to the ad. Relevant locations include office buildings, gas stations, malls, gyms, bars, restaurants, universities, and more. To execute a campaign that will target a specific audience, advertisers can take advantage of the relevance and attention that place-based screens command.

For example, if a protein shake brand is looking to reach relevant consumers, it could potentially target gym-goers – both the gym itself and other locations gym-goes often visit, such as certain grocery stores, doctor’s offices, or shops.  

MediaGroup’s recommendation

MediaGroup recommends businesses add DOOH to their mix of digital campaign channels because it can reach a wide range of audiences at different times of the day. For instance, audiences can get into contact with it during their commute, on public transport, or participating in entertainment activities. DOOH also has a serious advantage over traditional OOH campaigns. As such, MediaGroup encourages clients to utilise DOOH as they will have a greater reach and can make use of the best 21st-century digital ads that are also outside the home. 

How to measure the success of DOOH campaigns?

There are two ways to do so. Traditionally, the way to measure the success of OOH campaigns was based on the Share of voice (SOV). SOV refers to a brand’s share of control and reach in a sector when compared to its competitors, meaning a larger SOV suggests a brand has more engagement and influence. In DOOH, this refers to the time an ad is on display, and based on the number of people who pass the screen, marketers can estimate a campaign’s impact. MediaGroup has experience in using this form of measurement.  

The second way is based on the Opportunity to See (OTS). This is a basic measure of media content exposure. Information can be gathered from mobile phone locations, credit card details, and other third-party data. This data is used to track where people are, and how many people the ads have impacted. MediaGroup’s specialists are experts at both ways of measurement to maximise the results of the DOOH campaigns.  

Case study

MediaGroup recently implemented a DOOH campaign for their client Carl Hansen & Søn, a renowned family-owned Danish future brand. Our main goals were to increase awareness about Carl Hansen & Søn as well as its products and to drive customers to any physical stores nearby.  

To achieve these goals, MediaGroup used the DSP Sage+Archer platform alongside the direct deal media buying method to manage this DOOH campaign. In locations such as the Netherlands, MediaGroup chose 10 screens based in Tier 1 Amsterdam locations that were close to the Carl Hansen & Søn flagship store. On the other hand, in Denmark, where DOOH is still in its development stage, MediaGroup had to use a mix of different screens based in Tier 1 malls in Copenhagen, as there were no appropriate screens close to Carl Hansen & Søn’s flagship store.

As a result, Carl Hansen & Søn’s DOOH campaign managed to generate over 2.8 million impressions and more than 560,000 plays, with the campaign value being 18.3% higher than the actual cost.

Summary  

According to statistics, the DOOH market is expected to grow by 10.35% (source: Research and Markets).

With digital mediums rising in popularity, this has exposed a wide array of opportunities for marketers to take advantage of. DOOH is slated to remain at the forefront of innovative, creative, and dynamic campaigns, proving its continued pervasiveness in the future.  

If you are looking to implement a DOOH campaign, be sure to get in touch with MediaGroup Worldwide at https://mediagroupww.com/en/contact/.