From tweet to street: the appeal of out-of-home (OOH) advertising in the social media age

We should admit it - society is full of social media addicts - or, at least avid users of social media. In a society where asking for social media handles instead of a phone number is now the norm, it is no wonder that digital ads dominate the advertising sphere. However, OOH advertising has emerged as a valuable contender, so what is all the fuss about with OOH ads?

What is out-of-home advertising?

Out Of Home (OOH) advertising, also known as simply outdoor advertising, refers to advertising incorporated in the outside environment, which includes forms of advertising such as billboards, posters, and digital ads shown on kiosks or screens, an example of digital OOH or DOOH.

Expenditure for OOH advertising is expected to amount to over $39 billion globally by the end of 2022, and forecasted to reach $45 billion by the end of 2024. This is an improvement from the industry’s setback during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as lockdowns forced people to stay inside, which meant OOH advertising was not profitable during this time.

Now that lockdowns are over and restrictions have been lifted, OOH ads appear to be very promising, despite our reliance on the online space.

OOH advertising in a digital society

Although social media is without a doubt a prominent player in our daily lives, with more than 4.26 billion users on social media in 2021, which is more than half of the world population, the offline world should not be overlooked when it comes to advertising.

Whilst we may have familiarised ourselves with social media during and even before the pandemic, this is not to say that street advertising is obsolete. There is a range of advantages that OOH ads have that advertisers should not ignore.

OOH ads can be placed in areas of high traffic, meaning that these ads will surely be seen by an audience. As a result, OOH ads can reach a diverse and mass audience, from people using public transport to people simply walking down the street.

It is also worth noting that the digital ad space is arguably crowded, with numerous ads competing for audiences’ attention. OOH advertising removes this obstacle by having its own space in the outside world.

With OOH advertising, brands are exposed to audiences on the go which is much harder to dismiss compared for instance, to ads seen on TV within the home - where audiences can switch channels, turn the TV off or even skip the ad if the function is available.

The future of OOH advertising

The average commuter who travels to work every day will probably see the same ad multiple times in a week, which in turn can improve brand recognition and brand awareness. This continuous, but not too obtrusive, exposure is what makes OOH advertising appealing for both audiences and advertisers.

As previously mentioned, digital is also making its way outside through DOOH advertising, showing how OOH advertising has evolved and adapted to the current climate. OOH advertising and its resiliency in overcoming the challenges it faced during the pandemic should be commended - it is still a lucrative advertising avenue, and is now more agile than ever through its fusion with digital tools.