Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief
The Out of Home Advertising Association (OAAA), the premier trade group representing the entire out of home (OOH) advertising industry, this week released compelling findings from a survey conducted by The Harris Poll on the efficacy of digital out of home (DOOH) advertising, showcasing its unparalleled ability to engage consumers. The study found a staggering 73% of consumers view DOOH ads favorably. Most notably, consumers ranked DOOH as the medium that would most drive them to take action, as 76% of recent DOOH ad viewers noted they had taken action because of a DOOH ad.
“Digital out of home not only captures consumers’ attention but also drives meaningful actions making it an indispensable tool for marketers seeking to engage and influence consumers,” said Anna Bager, President & CEO, OAAA. “Marketers are increasingly seeing the value of DOOH, and it is reflected in the growth DOOH is seeing. In fact, one-third of all OOH spend in 2023 was directed to DOOH and it is projected to grow another 10% this year alone. These survey results underscore the power of DOOH, which should keep it in the forefront of the marketing mix.”
Consumers Prefer and Take Action From DOOH
The study found that DOOH has emerged as the favored and most motivating medium for advertising when compared to competitive media, particularly among younger generations and urban dwellers, as well as those utilizing transit.
“Our findings show DOOH is a highly effective advertising medium that can be both striking and shareable,” says John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll. “DOOH’s ability to drive consumers to take action is apparent, but when DOOH ad concepts are executed well, it can have a second life on social platforms as shareable content.”
An overwhelming 73% of consumers expressed a favorable view of DOOH ads, significantly surpassing other forms of ad media, such as television/video (50%), social media (48%), online (37%), audio (32%), and print (31%). In addition, the study found that 80% of consumers are likely to take action after seeing DOOH ad content they deem entertaining (creative, clever, or humorous) or visually appealing (vibrant or bold). Similarly, 71% reported a likelihood to share DOOH ads that feature their favorite products or brands.
Notably, DOOH demonstrated its potency in driving consumer action, with 76% of respondents indicating that DOOH ads had recently prompted them to take action. The most frequent actions generated by DOOH ads included: watching video programming (38%), restaurant visitation (36%), in-store purchasing (30%), word-of-mouth conversations (30%), and store visitation (29%).
Furthermore, the study illuminated the symbiotic relationship between DOOH and mobile. It found that an astounding 74% of mobile device users reported taking action on their mobile devices following recent exposure to DOOH ads, with actions ranging from online searches about advertisers (44%) to direct visits to advertiser websites (38%) and social media platforms (30%).
DOOH Increases Store Traffic and Impacts Purchasing Decisions
As businesses seek innovative ways to stand out in a competitive marketplace, The Harris Poll study found that directional DOOH advertising offers a clear pathway to increased foot traffic, heightened brand visibility, enhanced customer engagement, and increased sales.
The study found that 30% of consumers have recently noticed such ads providing directions to businesses, and a significant 51% of those who noticed directional DOOH ads subsequently visited the advertised business. More strikingly, of those who visited the business after noticing a directional DOOH ad, an overwhelming 93% completed a purchase, highlighting the tangible business outcomes generated by DOOH ads.
An Overwhelming Majority of Consumers Find Contextual DOOH Useful
The study uncovered that dynamic ad content featuring product deals or offers, such as those tailored to current weather conditions or time-specific discounts, are instrumental in capturing consumer attention and spurring action.
A remarkable 86% of consumers rate ads with special deals on groceries as useful, while 84% of consumers deem the same for ads featuring special deals at restaurants. Weather-responsive advertising also emerges as a game-changer, with 81% of respondents finding ads with product offers related to current weather conditions, like temperature or precipitation, highly relevant and useful.
Furthermore, time-sensitive promotions resonate strongly with consumers, with 80% rating ads featuring time-specific offers on food menus and beverages, or special deals on clothing, shoes, or accessories, as useful.
“Dynamic DOOH advertising represents a paradigm shift in the way brands connect with consumers, offering unparalleled flexibility and relevance,” said Bager. “By delivering hyper-targeted contextual messaging that aligns with consumers’ interests and needs, advertisers can create immersive experiences that resonate deeply and drive tangible results, all while leveraging the power of location to enhance engagement and deliver messages in precisely the right place at the right time.”
The research was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of OAAA from April 2-9, 2024, among 1,023 U.S. adults ages 18-64 years old. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence interval. Data is weighted to reflect the U.S. general public across age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, income, household size, and employment. “The Effectiveness of Digital OOH Advertising” study was sponsored by The Foundation for Out of Home Advertising Research and Education (FOARE), a 501 (c) (3) not for profit, charitable organization.
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