If you have been to a concert, sporting event, or even walking down the street, you have more than likely come across OOH (Out of Home) advertising. These are giant billboards or those ads that run around sports arenas. You can even see them in shopping areas and the high street. These are usually static advertising, but increasingly, a new media called DOOH (Digital Out of Home) advertising has become popular.
Here is why DOOH marketing is looking increasingly relevant in the 2020s.
What is DOOH?
Unlike traditional OOH advertising, DOOH is designed to use digital screens to display advertising. In the past, it was a person with paste and rolls of paper that used to change the display, now, it can be done in a split second. Companies such as Clear Channel are changing the way they display advertising to meet new demand.
While OOH is still a hugely popular way to advertise, it doesn’t always keep up with the latest trends or changes in people’s lives.
The benefit of DOOH is that it can not only respond in real-time but also take advantage of changes as they happen.
DOOH in the Pandemic
Since 2020, the pandemic has caused a lot of uncertainty in the marketing world. Many companies pulled their advertising campaigns as people went into lockdown.
However, although DOOH was also affected just like OOH, the digital format has been increasingly seen as the ideal solution to an ever-changing way of life for the foreseeable future.
Companies are now seeing the potential for a more direct and responsive system that can allow them to change their direction depending on the current situation.
Adapting to the Surroundings
Consumers are now used to seeing advertising all around them, however, targeted advertising that links to the surroundings in some way can have an effect on customer habits.
With 8.3 billion spent on advertising in 2020, companies want to have a greater impact on the ads they pay for.
Showing a certain type of ad when the weather changes or when there is an event nearby, has shown that it can change the shopping habits of those customers that see it.
Further Changes to DOOH
Although DOOH is responsive, it still needs to be understood from a marketing point of view. More dynamic types of advertising are needed that can be quickly changed when the data shows a move in a certain direction.
This could mean having a display for a restaurant that can adapt to new pandemic restrictions to offer a takeaway option instead of dining-in.
When changes such as these are fully implemented, the power of DOOH advertising will become increasingly effective.
Changes to convey the message of the advertising within the 10-second window when it is displayed also need to be taken on board by marketing companies.
Final Thoughts
Consumers’ attention spans are getting shorter, and their time is increasingly limited. By having advertising that can be tailored to the direct needs of those in the area, you can take advantage of buying behaviour and drive demand at the right time.
