Why Outdoor Advertising?
Outdoor advertising (or out-of-home (OOH) advertising) is any type of advertising that reaches the viewers outside of their homes. It consists of any visual advertising media such as static ads like billboard, ads on bus shelters, trains and train stations, or even digital outdoor media ads in stadiums and cinemas. Outdoor advertising is a marketing format that even big companies like McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Apple and more still use in their campaigns to this modern age of digital media.
Despite the rise in most businesses’ preference on using digital media platforms as a marketing channel because of it’s cost-effectiveness and reach, online advertisements are often lost in the sea of other online campaigns by many other businesses. Most online users nowadays scroll through a barrage of online ads that it is difficult to get noticed as an advertiser. Additionally, Ad blockers are used by many people which filters out most paid ads run by businesses. In outdoor advertising, there is no shortage of visibility as the bold and colourful messages that the brands are trying to get out are plastered on billboards, signs and digital screens. Moreover, research shows that outdoor advertisements prompt online searches for the brand and other digital media activity. Outdoor advertisers have seen a rise in engagements on their digital media platforms after investing in OOH advertising.
There are several types of outdoor advertising which include billboard advertising, street furniture advertising and transit advertising. Billboard advertising is the most common form of advertising where brands’ messages are plastered in billboards in high-traffic areas such as highways and even the roads in rural areas. This form of outdoor advertising is efficient and cost-effective considering the number of drivers and passersby that see the ads on a daily basis. It is effective in communicating information that is timely and relevant to the area such as the nearest restaurants, hotels or shopping centres. Another type of outdoor advertising is street furniture advertising which includes the ads displayed on bus shelters, park benches and telephone kiosks. Digital outdoor advertising is one of the latest innovations in out-of-home advertising. Also known as digital signage, digital outdoor advertising uses electronic devices in displaying different brands and messages on rotation on the screen of digital billboards. This reduces the advertising expenditure for businesses as there is no shipping, printing and distribution costs and gives them the flexibility to change, adjust or update the ads immediately. It can also display videos and some advanced digital billboards are interactive which is more attention-grabbing. Moreover, it can display dynamic content and deliver real-time information such as weather updates, news headlines, stock quotes and interest rates. Another form of outdoor advertising is transit advertising where ads are displayed on the sides of buses, trains, taxis or delivery vehicles and cars. These kinds of ads can reach 30,000-70,000 impressions per day especially in crowded cities.
Outdoor advertising is an effective way for brands to communicate information and messages to people on the go. Through outdoor advertising, businesses can launch their brands, build and maintain brand awareness, reach a mass audience and make an impact, and convert brand awareness into consumer purchase behaviour. Outdoor advertising also has the ability to achieve sustained awareness in comparison to television ads, radio ads or newspaper ads. This is due to the fact that outdoor advertising can gain impressions 24/7 for a lesser cost and does not need to compete with a plethora of other digital media ads.
If you have a business that you want to advertise, contact us today and get started on building your brand!
Sources:
https://broadsign.com/blog/out-of-home-advertising/
https://www.shopify.com/encyclopedia/outdoor-advertising
http://www.billboardsaustralia.com.au/formats/digital-billboards
http://www.billboardsaustralia.com.au/why–outdoor/why-outdoor
