Using OOH to Stand Out and Differentiate Your Brand

How do brands stand out when the competition gets tough? They get creative. They look around for new ways to reach, impress and interact with their target audiences. That's certainly the case now that brands and consumers alike are dealing with digital fatigue.

Increasing consumer avoidance of online ads is giving marketers heartburn. After all, over the past decade digital advertising has become the go-to resource. And during the pandemic, it was virtually the only way to reach audiences who were stuck at home and dependent on the internet to connect with the outside world.

Now, along with consumer discontent, marketers are feeling the pinch of rising costs and decreasing return on digital ad investment. In a national survey, 77% of marketers said it is tougher than ever to compete against big brands for SEO and coveted ad positions.

We have reached the nexus of digital fatigue and diminishing returns.  

97% of marketers are testing other channels

Brands cannot afford to lose contact with existing and prospective customers, nor can they simply give in to better-funded competitors. So marketers are actively looking for fresh choices to revitalize consumer interest and inspire them to engage once again with the brand.

They are checking out:

• Owned social media (58%)
• Owned content (45%)
• TV advertising (38%)
• Radio (35%)
• PR (34%)
• Podcast advertising (33%)

And a third are focusing on OOH.

They say out-of-home provides the “perfect counterbalance” to digital channels that now generate yawns and growls of annoyance from consumers. Indeed, marketers already familiar with OOH’s ability to increase reach and lift describe the channel as essential.

Out-of-home stands out, so you can, too

OOH has the power and versatility to keep up with audiences as they move away from at-home digital screens into the real world. It enables brands to speak to consumers wherever they are. There are dozens of inventory and placement options that fit every type of business, targeting need and campaign goal.

OOH enables brands to stand out because it is highly engaging.

Ever-evolving technology enables ever-more captivating and personalized OOH and DOOH content. That can serve to personalize the brand itself, in ways other channels cannot. For example, some companies are differentiating themselves by using OOH ads to promote their corporate responsibility efforts, something that resonates with younger generations in particular.

OOH is not only engages the eye, it is increasingly Interactive. Hands-on engagement makes ads more appealing and it elevates experience, making the ad more shareworthy as well as more memorable.

QR codes have transformed eye-level static OOH media from one-way, informative billboards into actionable invitations. Viewers can connect right away while their interest is high, and brands can keep the engagement going with re-targeting.

Even back in 2016, the vast majority of respondents to a Content Marketing Institute survey said interactive content performed best to:

• Educate consumers
• Grab attention
• Enhance messaging recall
• Differentiate their brand from competitors

OOH accentuates each of these benefits, giving further advantage to brands that choose to explore and adopt these options.

And OOH works

It works so well it can help level the playing field, allowing smaller brands to clearly differentiate themselves and compete with even the biggest names for attention.

A survey just released by OAAA reveals:

• OOH generates results much more efficiently TV, video, radio, banner or print ads
• OOH performs 4.8x to 6.9x greater than expected, based on OOH’s share of ad spend

OOH goes out of town to help brands stand out

People aren't just leaving the house to shop, work and socialize around town. They're traveling – over the road and through the air, for business and for leisure. AAA Travel now says that "summer travel isn't just heating up, it's on fire."

Airport and roadside ads reach audiences on the go.

Tier 2 and tier 3 cities are getting more attention now from brands looking for greater affordability and greater opportunities to stand out. Times Square may be the epitome of spectacular OOH advertising, and the largest urban centers have seen the most OOH growth in recent years. But many less densely populated areas have been able to open up faster.

The relative lack of OOH advertising in these areas means brands can stand out more dramatically. 

The real world is filled with opportunities to advertise. Brands that embrace those opportunities with flair and ingenuity will find themselves standing apart from – and well ahead of – the competition.