Out-of-home (OOH) advertising is one of the oldest and most well-established forms of advertising in the world. When many people think of this kind of advertising, they will immediately picture the iconic billboards in Times Square — this is a classic example of out-of-home advertising.
The rise of online advertising has led many people to perceive OOH advertising as being a less attractive option in today’s market. Many businesses assume that other options offer better ROI, better reach, and more effective ways to advertise — but this simply isn’t true.
The OOH advertising industry continues to grow, offering new and creative ways to target consumers with visually-appealing and impactful messages. The resurgence of OOH is driven by technology — just as much as digital ads — and the reduced popularity of OOH offers huge potential to businesses who can leverage it properly.
- What is Out-of-Home Advertising?
- What are the Advantages of Out-of-Home Advertising?
- Video Screens: The New Option for Out-of-Home Advertising
What is Out-of-Home Advertising?
When many people think about out-of-home (OOH) advertising, the first example that jumps to mind are billboards. While billboards are one great example of OOH advertising, there are many other forms of OOH advertising today — and the list only continues to grow.
Understanding what falls into the ‘outdoor’ or ‘out of home’ advertising bucket and what doesn’t can be tricky. In some ways, it is helpful to understand the category by reviewing a few of the things that do NOT count as OOH advertising, such as:
- Online/digital marketing
- TV ads
- Radio ads
- Direct mail
- Print ads
What’s left is a wide range of advertising methods, typically visual in character, that can help businesses and brands connect with people while they’re out in the community. Some of the most popular examples of OOH advertising include:
- Billboards
- Posters
- Wallscapes
- Bus sides and bus stops
- Digital signage
- Video screens
- And more
These types of advertisements help connect with consumers in a wide range of settings, including cinemas, grocery stores, fitness centres, sporting arenas, airports, and public transit. They can be everything from a poster that you might pass to a video loop playing in your favourite restaurant.
What are the Advantages of Out-of-Home Advertising?
Here are five major advantages of out-of-home (OOH) advertising:
1. Affordable Brand Awareness
One of the best reasons to invest in OOH advertising is that it is an incredibly affordable way to reach a wide audience and build brand awareness.
When you compare the Cost Per Impression (CPM) of OOH advertising to online brand awareness campaigns, radio ads, or other types of brand awareness, there is no question that OOH is one of the most affordable options.
While some types of OOH may be expensive (i.e. billboards), this type of advertising offers huge potential value to businesses if it is leveraged correctly. Just think about how many times you pass outdoor ads over the course of the week — and consider what a smart, targeted message could accomplish for your business.
The sheer amount of visibility that OOH ads receive make them a great opportunity if you are looking to get your name out there for a low investment.
2. Broad Reach
When it comes to size of reach, there is no question that OOH advertising is the top choice. A study from Nielsen shows that almost 80% of people will notice OOH advertising on a weekly basis.
The decline of radio and cable TV in many households, along with the widespread use of ad blockers, means that almost every other advertising platform will miss certain demographics. If your aim is to connect with the public on a broad basis, then OOH advertising should always be a serious consideration.
3. Driver of Engagement
Another advantage of OOH advertising is that it is a key driver of consumer engagement, which means that it works well in combination with digital campaigns to drive conversion.
Studies have shown that people are more likely to click on an online ad if they have previously been exposed to OOH advertising from the same business.
OOH can also be used to direct people to your website, a particular landing page, or to use a specific hashtag on social media.
Make sure that your OOH advertising campaign is leveraging the power of engagement to enhance your other marketing efforts — instead of working in isolation.
“You should not underestimate the value of brand awareness, when paired with other marketing initiatives.
A recent success story comes from our client Huber Window Cleaning. Jay Huber chose to invest his marketing in brand awareness — with both OOH advertising and online advertising.
One of their biggest clients called them after they saw our TV video ad in a hairdresser, then saw one of their trucks with its branded wraps, and finally saw one of their ads online. When he called them, the first thing he said was, “I’ve been seeing your name everywhere.”
The initial brand awareness from OOH ads generated the initial engagement, then worked in combination with online ads to drive a conversion and establish a valuable new relationship for the business.”
4. Design Impact
Do you have a business with visually appealing products or services? Do you want to get a strong message about your business across to your customers with a video or images?
OOH advertising works well for businesses or brands that are looking to make an impact on their potential customers with strong designs or visuals. Beautifully-shot videos of your products or careful storytelling that illustrates your solution can be the difference maker in connecting with consumers.
If you know that design will be a key way to reach your target audience, then using OOH advertising can help you achieve impact on a large scale.
5. Targeted Audiences
When it comes to targeting a specific audience, everyone tends to think of digital as the best solution. However, the truth is that OOH advertising can offer equally rewarding opportunities for targeting a specific group of people — especially on a local level.
OOH advertising gives you the option to select TV screens in business locations that will align with your ideal customers. For example, a fitness centre is a great location to advertise a new protein shake product. Similarly, medical centres are good places to do OOH advertising if you are looking to reach seniors.
With all of the options available for OOH advertising today, it is simply a matter of understanding your audience and finding the right opportunity to reach them.
Video Screens: The New Option for Out-of-Home Advertising
One of the top options for out-of-home (OOH) advertising are video screens. Commonly found in local businesses, video screens offer the ability to target consumers with short, looped messages about your business or your brand.
Video screens grab your attention and offer all of the benefits that you would expect from OOH advertising. While there are many video networks available today, our TV Network offers certain advantages that you won’t find with other networks:
Change Your Ad Online
While most video networks have content uploaded locally, one of the biggest advantages or our TV Network is that it is entirely powered online. With our network, you have the power to change your ad whenever you want — we make it easy for you to highlight new products, services, or specials.
Reach Different Audiences
Another feature of our TV Network is that it offers access to different audiences than most networks, including medical centres, hospitals, government offices, and more. It also offers hyperlocal targeting for specific communities — which is perfect for regional businesses looking to expand into specific areas.
If you are looking to expand your OOH advertising reach, then our TV Network offers an affordable, effective, and targeted way to improve your brand awareness. Our team can help you find a way to target the right people in the right communities and spread your message in Ontario.
Want to learn more about our TV Network? Contact us today for additional information.