Billboards on fire, hoardings painted pink and creatives popping out – these are not scenes from an animation movie but the latest in the OOH world. The advent of AI and opportunities like in the case of ‘Barbenhiemer’ just gave the advertising world a new push to experiment and innovate with the out of home medium.
On capitalizing this medium, Sandeep Anand, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer, Domino’s Pizza India, says, “The objective of this activation was to captivate our audience and highlight the exhilarating sensation of enjoying a spicy Domino's pizza, This innovative event allowed us to visually embody the excitement and passion infused into every bite of our new spicy range. The buzz and overwhelming response it has generated have exceeded our expectations."
The sudden rise in popularity of the OOH advertising channel among brands can be attributed to several factors, says Prakash Bhadarkar, VP Media & Publisher Partnerships, Schbang. “OOH advertising offers a tangible and real-world presence, which creates a sense of authenticity and trust. It is also less intrusive compared to digital advertising, as it doesn't interrupt online activities. Furthermore, OOH provides creative opportunities with eye-catching displays and innovative placements, making it more engaging and memorable for the audience. The integration of digital technologies in OOH has also contributed to its appeal in the digital age. In my view, these factors have led to a significant increase in brands favouring OOH as an effective advertising channel.”
As for Aabhaas Shreshtha, Creative and Founding Member at Talented, “Outdoor is perhaps the most traditional medium, but it owes its resurgence to the way in which its role has been reimagined to drive internet conversations. Our own work at Talented, from ‘Why Is This A Swiggy Ad’ - an outdoor campaign that became the most searched question on Google, and bagged a Lion under the Social and PR category.”
Shreshtha also spoke about the agency’s work for Myntra’s End of Reason Sale, which borrowed the Aadarsh Balak Meme format and sparked a social conversation potential for outdoor. “Recently, our work for Britannia allowed us to authentically celebrate Milk Bikis’ long-standing love affair with Tamil Nadu, with a 70+ billboard campaign that represents different dialects that vary every few km, built to be shared on the internet. Internationally, Uncommon’s Grand Prix winning campaign for British Airways demonstrates how every media - no matter how traditional - reaches its truest potential when it ends up on the internet.”
Internet and OOH
Zonamto and Blinkit showed new ways to capture consumer attention both on the roads and online. The recent Flipkart gimmick has also become a part of the pop culture. The witty text on billboards said: ‘There are 7 ads around us, Har ad mei jo dikhta hai, vo Flipkart pe milta hai!!’
A strategically placed outdoor has a much higher chance of reaching the desired audience or even getting the desired reaction and that’s primarily because we don’t consume an outdoor only when we are outdoors, says Shreshtha. “When done well, it ends up on our Twitter timeline, our Instagram feed and on our family groups on WhatsApp. Quantum and carpet bombing is not always the key. Great work on social isn’t necessarily created on social, but what ends up being talked about on social.”
On how curiosity on the internet acts as a catalyst into driving communication, Mangesh Shinde, Co-Founder of OSMO Advertising, said OOH acts as one of the impactful pulling mediums. “It has the capability to hook the audience generating curiosity, which makes people on the move to take action that pushes them down the funnel on the digital platform. This is resonated by the fact that upwards of 20% spends in OOH are contributed by brands that thrive on the digital economy (OTT, eCommerce).”
Asked about the benefits of OOH advertising over digital ads, Atul Shrivastava, CEO, Laqshya Media Group, said: “Out of Home advertising has an upper hand over digital advertising. Digital ads can lose efficacy due to ad fatigue, as they are constantly on websites and social media platforms. This saturation can lead to reduced effectiveness of digital ads. In contrast, OOH advertising offers a physically present and unskippable platform that catches consumers' attention when they are outside their homes. This contextually relevant advertising can leave a lasting impression on the audience, making it a highly effective marketing strategy. Moreover, OOH is highly versatile and allows for creative and eye-catching campaigns that capitalize on the physical environment.”
The future
OOH measurement is still a discussion in progress. With brands asking for data and analytics to make their communication better, the industry has started working towards a framework. “While data and numbers are not as abundant as in digital advertising, several methods can be used like - estimating impressions based on location and foot traffic data; conducting audience surveys before and after the campaign to measure changes in brand awareness, perception, and purchase intent; using tracking URLs or QR codes on OOH ads to monitor digital engagement, and monitoring social media for mentions and user-generated content related to the OOH campaign,” Bhadarka said.
On a similar note, Shinde of OSMO Advertising says measuring OOH advertising is possible now. “With the increase in mobility data and people movement surveys, LOC8, our OOH planning platform, provides stunning insights that impact brand KPIs at scale. Incremental reach, density maps and volumetrics at square kilometre grid helps in optimizing OOH plan and provide tangible measurement grid.”
Asked about the future of OOH advertising, Shrivastava of Laqshya Media Group, said, “Personalization and context-based advertising will become more prevalent, allowing brands to deliver tailored messages to specific audiences at the right time and place. With the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, we can expect to see OOH ads that dynamically adjust their content based on real-time data, weather conditions, or even the emotional state of passersby soon.”
