The Future of Out of Home Advertising in 2025: 10 Bold Predictions

I sat down with Greg Wise, Co-founder of OneScreen, to dive deep into OOH trends for 2025. Here's what he had to say about the industry's future and breaks down his Top 10 predictions for the Out-of-Home (OOH) industry in 2025. Get ready for a deep dive into data, strategy, and what’s next for this rapidly evolving channel.

Charlie Riley: It’s that time of year again—prediction season! Everyone seems to have their take on what’s next. Why do Out-of-Home (OOH) Ads deserve the spotlight in 2025?

Greg Wise: Because OOH is still scratching the surface of its potential. A lot of people think of outdoor ads as a legacy channel, but in reality, OOH is evolving faster than ever. Between advancements in data-driven planning, creative opportunities, and the way it connects the dots in the real world across campaigns, OOH is poised to become the MVP of marketing strategies. If you’re not paying attention now, you’re going to get left behind.

1. The Creative Renaissance

Charlie Riley: You’ve mentioned that creativity is making a comeback in OOH. What’s driving this shift?

Greg Wise: For too long, OOH was stuck in direct-response mode—QR codes, promo codes, and clickbait messaging. That’s fine for short-term results, but brands are realizing it doesn’t build lasting connections.

Now, we’re seeing a return to bold, creative campaigns that prioritize brand-building over quick wins. The best OOH doesn’t just grab your attention; it leaves an impression.

Think about campaigns like Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” or those jaw-dropping mural ads from Nike. They’re not just selling a product—they’re shaping culture.

In 2025, I expect more brands to invest in OOH as their go-to platform for storytelling. It’s a creative playground that’s only getting better.

2. Trustworthy Measurement

Charlie Riley: Measurement has always been a hot topic. What’s changing in 2025?

Greg Wise: The tools for measuring OOH have come a long way—MAID attribution, foot traffic tracking, and even real-world conversion metrics. But here’s the catch: not all data is created equal.

Marketers are asking tougher questions now, like, “Where is this data coming from? Is it reliable? And what does it actually mean for my bottom line?” In 2025, the industry will focus on standardizing measurement practices and aligning on methodologies that brands can trust.

For example, it’s not enough to say, “Your campaign drove a 20% increase in foot traffic.” Brands need to know: Did that traffic convert? How does it compare to benchmarks? What’s the actual ROI? This next year will be about turning raw data into actionable insights that marketers—and CFOs—can get behind.

3. Hyper-Local Targeting

Charlie Riley: Hyper-local campaigns are gaining traction. What’s fueling their rise?

Greg Wise: Data. The amount of audience and movement data we have access to now is staggering. In 2025, hyper-local OOH campaigns will be powered by insights that go beyond just location.

For example, we can now analyze GPS heatmaps, anonymized mobile IDs, and even time-of-day traffic patterns to understand not just where people are but who they are, how they move, and what routines they follow.

We use over 100 data sources to identify the best OOH mix for where prospects live, work, and play, delivering the most impactful number of impressions within budgets.

This means brands can launch campaigns that target incredibly specific audiences. A fitness brand could focus on gym-goers commuting in the early morning, while a fast-casual restaurant might target busy professionals on lunch breaks. It’s no longer about blanket coverage—it’s about pinpoint accuracy.

Instead of blanketing a city with generic ads and guessing, we help brands who, say, want to target young professionals who frequent coworking spaces on weekday mornings or parents who routinely visit soccer fields on weekends with digital out-of-home screens, billboards, transit ads, and more.

With all of the data tools at our disposal that integrate footfall data, time-of-day traffic patterns, and even past purchase behaviors, OOH will enable brands to create localized, ultra-relevant messaging at scale.

4. Speed Will Transform The Industry

Charlie Riley: OOH has been criticized for its slow turnaround times. What’s changing in 2025?

Greg Wise: Speed is the new frontier for OOH, and it’s about time. Historically, the RFP process for booking OOH availability could take weeks—multiple back-and-forths between buyers and sellers, inventory checks, rate negotiations, and approvals. But in 2025, technology will cut that down to days or even hours.

Dynamic mapping tools are one major driver of this change. Imagine a platform where you can view live inventory availability in real time, filter by audience data, and book placements instantly—all in one dashboard. These tools eliminate the manual legwork, making it easier to match the right creative with the right location, at the right time.

On the production side, advancements in digital printing, 3D billboard fabrication, and even faster deployment of DOOH creatives are slashing lead times. Need a vinyl banner up in three days? It’s no longer a pipe dream. Digital screens, in particular, are leading the charge, where new creative can be uploaded and live in minutes.

The industry is also streamlining workflows with better integrations between agencies, media owners, and technology platforms. APIs that connect inventory platforms with buying systems will automate much of the back-and-forth that has traditionally slowed campaigns down.

In short, the entire process—from RFP to execution—is getting faster, smoother, and more efficient. This isn’t just about convenience; it’s a game-changer for brands that want to respond to real-time events or capitalize on cultural moments. OOH in 2025 won’t just keep up with digital—it will compete on speed.

Charlie Riley: So OOH is finally shedding the “slow dinosaur” reputation?

Greg Wise: 100%. Speed is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have. Brands demand agility, and the tools in the pipeline are ready to deliver. This shift will redefine how marketers view and use OOH.

5. OOH and Digital: A Perfect Partnership

Charlie Riley: Let’s talk omnichannel. How does OOH fit into the mix with digital marketing?

Greg Wise: OOH is becoming the glue that ties omnichannel strategies together. It’s the physical touchpoint that reinforces digital campaigns.

Here’s how it works: You see a targeted digital ad on your phone, and later that day, you spot a billboard for the same brand or product on your commute home from work or on the way to a store. That physical presence makes the message more memorable and builds trust, even if it's subconscious exposure.

With programmatic OOH, brands can now sync their physical ads with online campaigns in real time. That means more cohesive storytelling across every channel, from social media to the street. The lines between “online” and “offline” are blurring, and OOH is at the center of it all.

6. Education Will Be Key to Growth

Charlie Riley: You’ve said there’s a big knowledge gap in OOH. Why is education so critical in 2025?

Greg Wise: The reality is that for every marketer who knows how to leverage OOH, there are ten more who don’t even know what the acronym stands for or where to begin when starting to plan an OOH campaign.  That’s a huge problem—and an even bigger opportunity.

Here’s the thing: OOH isn’t as “plug-and-play” as digital channels like Facebook Ads or Google. It requires understanding the different inventory types, the data that goes into targeting capabilities, how OOH can be measured, and the creative best practices that differ from digital ads. Marketers coming from digital backgrounds often feel overwhelmed or assume OOH is too complicated. That’s where education comes in.

In 2025, the industry needs to step up to demystify OOH for newcomers, especially those from DTC, B2B, and digital-first agencies. Education shouldn’t just be a one-time onboarding—it has to be ongoing, accessible, and actionable. This means:

• Simplified resources: How-to guides, webinars, and case studies that show real-world examples of OOH driving results.
• Tech-enabled learning: Platforms that make it easy to experiment with OOH, like dynamic inventory maps or audience-targeting simulators, so marketers can see the impact before committing.
• Metrics made simple: Clear, no-jargon explanations of how OOH is measured, from foot traffic to brand lift. Marketers need to see how it aligns with the KPIs they’re already tracking.

Charlie Riley: So it’s about speaking to the next generation of marketers, not just the legacy brands?

Greg Wise: Exactly. The enterprise companies already know the value of OOH. The real growth will come from educating the performance and brand marketers, digital-first brands, and B2B companies who are dipping their toes into the space for the first time.

By lowering the barrier to entry and showing how OOH fits seamlessly into existing strategies, we’ll unlock a wave of new participants who would have otherwise stayed on the sidelines. It’s not just about selling billboards; it’s about creating OOH advocates who see OOH as a complement to their digital marketing.

Charlie Riley: Sounds like the industry has some homework to do.

Greg Wise: It does. But the payoff will be worth it. Every new marketer who understands OOH is another step toward the channel reaching its full potential. Education isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s how we grow.

7. New Participants Will Flood The Market

Charlie Riley: Who’s entering the space?

Greg Wise: We’re already seeing B2B and digitally native brands add OOH to their marketing mix, and 2025 will be the year they dive in headfirst. These brands have traditionally stayed in the performance marketing sandbox, but they’re starting to see the value of OOH in building credibility and brand awareness.

This influx will bring fresh perspectives and innovation, especially as these brands push for tighter integrations between brand-building and performance.

8. Brand and Performance Teams Will Merge

Charlie Riley: You’ve talked about breaking down silos. What does that look like?

Greg Wise: Historically, brand teams owned channels like OOH and TV, while performance teams stuck to paid search and social. But in 2025, those walls will come down.

We’re already seeing marketing organizations unify under one umbrella, and this will accelerate. These teams will need to figure out how to blend brand-building efforts with performance metrics. For OOH, that means balancing long-term awareness with immediate conversions. The days of siloed marketing are over.

9. The Rise of Experiential OOH Advertising

Charlie Riley: OOH doesn't just mean billboards. Experiential marketing seems to be everywhere. Experiential marketing may be considered a PR play to many marketers, but how does that fit under the OOH umbrella?

Greg Wise: Experiential IS OOH. In 2025, we’ll see more brands invest in short-term activations like branded food trucks, decked-out Airstreams, and pop-up street teams.

Experiential OOH campaigns are highly visual and shareable while creating real-world touchpoints that extend into social media shares and digital marketing. OOH will serve as the anchor for these activations, amplifying their reach and impact.

10. The Surge in Short-Term, Tactical Campaigns

Charlie Riley: Let’s talk about campaign strategy. What’s changing in how brands approach OOH in 2025?

Greg Wise: Flexibility is becoming a top priority. In 2025, we’ll see a major increase in short-term, tactical OOH campaigns designed to drive immediate impact. These aren’t your typical six-month billboard buys; we’re talking about highly targeted, time-sensitive activations that align with rebrands, product launches, events, or cultural moments.

For example, a brand might deploy OOH to amplify a flash sale by wrapping transit stations for just one week or launching digital OOH ads that adapt messaging in real-time based on weather or traffic patterns. Another might run a quick-hit campaign around a specific cultural event—think Super Bowl week or a major festival.

What’s enabling this shift is technology. Faster campaign setups, streamlined production, and the flexibility of digital screens make it easier than ever to launch and manage these short-term initiatives. Brands are realizing that OOH isn’t just for long-term awareness; it’s also a powerful tool for creating urgency and driving immediate action.

Charlie Riley: So OOH is a more agile advertising channel than marketers think?

Greg Wise: Exactly. Short-term campaigns allow brands to be opportunistic and nimble, tapping into OOH for moments where speed and relevance matter most. It’s a whole new dimension of what this channel can do, and I think we’re just scratching the surface.

Final Thoughts

Charlie Riley: You shared a lot of potential for OOH in 2025, Greg. Is there anything else you want to add?

Greg Wise: OOH is evolving in ways that most people don’t expect. It’s smarter, faster, and more creative than ever. If you’re not already investing in OOH, 2025 is the year to start. Trust me, it’s going to be a wild ride.