Lead Forensics

5 Reasons Why DOOH is Thriving

19 September 2023

 

New research by VIOOH has revealed that nearly a third of brands plan to increase their programmatic DOOH spend in the next 18 months.

The State of the Nation report – based on a survey of 1,200 advertisers and agencies – found that 33% of brands are redirecting investment to DOOH from other digital channels, while 24% are shaving budget off traditional media.

Though the out-of-home market was hit particularly hard by the pandemic, its recovery has been nothing short of sensational; spend grew by 31.5% in 2022 to reach over £1 billion in revenue, with DOOH the driving force behind the industry’s renaissance.

Let’s take a closer look at the reasons why digital out-of-home is going from strength to strength.

Targeting

Gone are the days when advertisers needed to book out-of-home sites months in advance in areas that only sort of suited their campaign needs. Wastage was once inevitable – but not anymore.

Now, with a deep pool of mobile data at their fingertips, advertisers and agencies can programmatically serve personalised DOOH ads to screens in hyper-targeted locations or to specific audience personas with effortless accuracy.

Want to target a certain post code? Sorted. Only interested in showing at Tube stations during key commuting footfall periods? No problem. Looking to branch out into a selection of cities across the country? Piece of cake. 68% of responders to the VIOOH survey said being able to capitalise on targeting was key to their increased spend.

In essence, DOOH has enabled the industry to evolve beyond location alone and reorient the focus to…

Contextual relevance

Creativity has always been a crucial component of any OOH campaign – but with the rise of DOOH, its power has taken on a whole new dimension.

Advertisers can now develop and serve dynamic creatives to maximise contextual relevance. Take, for example, the onset of a summer heatwave. At most, we’ll usually have a week’s notice of its pending arrival; however, thanks to advancements in programmatic technology and the streamlining of creative processes, a suncream brand can ready personalised ads that reference the weather and the areas they’re being displayed within days.

Similarly, a single advertiser could run multiple ads focused on different products at times of day when they’re most likely to be on a person’s mind. And if certain ads aren’t delivering? You can easily swap them out remotely.

This tactical capability has seen 62% of retail, FMCG and healthcare brands cite DOOH as a cornerstone of their future marketing plans.

And with technology such as sensors, Bluetooth beacons and facial recognition becoming increasingly commonplace, the creativity inherent within DOOH is only going to boost relevance, engagement and conversions further.

Viewability

Viewability has always been one of out-of-home’s strengths. It’s a media channel that reaches 98% of the adult population every week – and what’s more, it can’t be skipped, blocked or muted.

This is a real benefit when it comes to building brand awareness. With the right creative approach, brands can become interesting local landmarks that add intrigue to a person’s typical day. And crucially, the competition you face from other advertisers is drastically reduced when your audience is outside. They’re not being bombarded with banners, pop-ups and ad breaks, giving your fantastic new creative the space to shine.

Indeed, so appealing is DOOH’s propensity for stealing the limelight, 64% and 59% of those surveyed claimed brand awareness and viewability were key attractions.

Flexibility

With the right agency partner by your side, DOOH campaigns can be planned and delivered within a matter of days. Its programmatic framework means inventory can be secured instantly – and once it’s running, changes can be made in real-time to optimise performance.

It really is that that simple. In fact, DOOH’s flexibility allows it to thrive as both a brand building and activation tool. Locations, audiences, dates, times of day, budgets and creatives can be altered with the click of a few icons to ensure you’re always in control –  despite operating in fast-paced, ever-changing environments.

Cross-Channel Impact

All of the strengths outlined above establish digital out-of-home as one heck of a team-player. The sheer breadth of inventory and targeting capabilities now available to brands makes it an invaluable facet of any wider marketing strategy. It boosts reach, reinforces key messages, and delivers effective purchasing triggers.

But don’t just take our word for it. According to the Demand Generation report, out-of-home boosts the performance of TV advertising by 6%, online video & VOD by 8%, social media by 9%, radio by 9%, and print by 11%.

Ultimately, incorporating DOOH into a media campaign enables brands to tap into a touch point few other channels can facilitate. It casts the net wider, reaching lighter media consumers and those with active lifestyles.

Want to find out how digital out-of-home can be harnessed to drive your business forward? Get in touch with our experts.

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