Political marketers typically think “billboards” if they are considering out-of-home advertising. But going digital opens the door to an entirely new realm of possibilities. DOOH:
- Assures round-the-clock visibility, outdoors or inside, no matter the light level
- Allows you to run static rotating messages with simple text or dynamic ads featuring images and even video
- Enables place-based contextual targeting as well as demographic and location-based targeting
Digital screens are ubiquitous, so DOOH has the power to reach voters literally everywhere:
- On connected TVs in sports bars, fitness centers, salons, etc. that offer live streaming
- Via dedicated screens in restaurants, retail stores, the supermarket, at the gas station, in malls, lobbies, waiting areas and so many other locations where your ad can appear along with contextual site-specific programming
- Roadside and wall-mounted digital billboards
- Bus shelters and kiosks
- Mobile LED trucks and taxi toppers
Programmatic DOOH advertising is automated, so it can:
- Display your ads to the right voters at the right time based on the parameters you set
- Go live quickly and instantly update content to change your message or deliver real-time alerts when there is breaking news about your campaign
- Count down the days or hours until a key event
- Remind your supporters to send in their ballot or head to the polling place when the time comes
DOOH provides flexibility, immediacy and relevance, all without any production costs.
That makes DOOH ideal to build your brand, keep voters informed and actively engage them.
Choose a flight length that fits the goal of your ad – short term for the lead-up to a big event, longer runs for position-based messaging or ongoing fundraising.
The perfect pairing
DOOH augments your social media marketing, making that all-important connection between the real world and your online presence. How?
Your ad delivers a message, but it can also provide a way for voters to follow up right now while your message is top-of-mind. For example, including a QR code lets them to immediately engage with your campaign’s website, a follow-up message, a short video or some other online link.
Digital advertising not only delivers information, it gathers data.
Once a voter connects with you online after seeing your ad, you know their contact data so you can re-target them — continuing to engage in multi-channel ways to tell more of your story and build a relationship.
This re-targeting opportunity underscores the fact that DOOH advertising is not only an affordable way to reach a broad spectrum of voters, it is a powerful channel for convincing voters to pick you on Election Day.
In addition, DOOH data tracking also gives you real-time insight into how well your ads are working. You can make changes on the fly and see just how much DOOH is lifting results of your online ads. (You’ll be impressed.)
Audio OOH: voters can hear you now
Before the 2020 elections, Nielsen reported that 63% of active local voters were listening to radio online. And podcasts are hotter than ever now.
What does this move to digital listening mean to your political campaign? Audio OOH, of course!
Why add AOOH?
Recent statistics reveal that audio ads:
- Produce 2x more lift for purchasing and for information intent (think donations and web traffic)
- Are 28% more likely than traditional display ads to be seen as informative
- Generate a 24% higher recall rate than traditional display ads.
You can reach voters on any connected device, whenever and wherever they’re listening — at the supermarket, in their car, at the mall, in retail stores.
Like visual out-of-home, audio ads cannot be deleted, blocked or skipped over.
AOOH ads offer contextual programmatic targeting based on the location. They can build awareness and sell voters on your candidacy or issue.
Your AOOH ads can also reach listeners on popular audio channels such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, SiriusXM, YouTube Music and across multiple podcast publishers including NPR and ESPN. (Spotify no longer allows political ads.)
Speak directly to voters
You can deliver messages in your own voice, with prepared copy or sound bites from personal appearances and campaign videos. Keep them short and on-point just like your visual OOH so listeners will remember what you said. And don’t forget to tell them how to follow up!
You can reach voters wherever they are in the real world when they can’t see your advertising. Or even when they can. Imagine your target voter driving or walking by your billboard, during or after hearing your AOOH ad. Talk about a memorable experience.
AOOH functions like place-based digital OOH, with programmable automation and detailed attribution and response measurement based on the location. That means you benefit from detailed targeting. You can also control timing and frequency of ads or even run a series of ads in sequence that end with your call to action.
Amplify AOOH reach with podcast ads
Your campaign probably creates its own podcasts, but you can advertise via this channel, too. War Room says 18% of adults have upped their podcast listening since the pandemic and 60% have made a purchase after hearing an audio ad.
Something like 80 million Americans now listen to podcasts weekly.
Dynamically inserted ads work best for political campaigns because they enable geographic, demographic and programmatic targeting and you can control the timeframe.
Have an upcoming political campaign that you are looking to enhance with OOH? Download Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of our new political playbook series to help keep you ahead of your competition.