One of the compelling debates to come out of Advertising Week last week is whether it’s better to rely on precise data targeting to reach individual consumers or to use mass marketing to influence consumers more broadly.
The reasoning of precision marketing is compelling and why the digital segment has experienced unprecedented growth over the last several years. Digital allows advertisers to target consumers in almost unlimited ways: by demographic or interest, type of device, or past behaviors.
However, many major brands have started to question if targeting too precisely with a massive digital budget is wasting money. There is no disagreement that smart devices and home computers are incredibly useful tools for finding information, connecting socially, transacting, and more. But, collectively they are not necessarily the best branding medium.
As brands begin to rethink allocations of their media mix budgets, OOH advertising should be a strong consideration. OOH ignites social media and transactions by build awareness which drives people online.
OOH also has something else going for it: creative impact.
More than ever, creative (and now content, too) is the secret weapon that can drive consumer action. Fortunately, the OOH medium is rooted in bold and powerful storytelling. When OOH’s creative impact is combined with the enormous power and potential of data analytics, you have a solution that can reach active consumers with compelling messages, near the point of consideration.
For the OOH industry to thrive, it is inherent on industry practitioners to encourage brands and agencies to embrace the crisp simplicity of classic OOH design. (Not such an easy task for young designers taught to think digitally).
Once a solid OOH approach is approved, a campaign can be augmented with the right tech, be it beacons, geofencing, virtual reality, or more, and overlaid with insights that can inform proper placement of ads. It’s a remarkably efficient and effective approach to communication planning, and only OOH can do it. Only OOH is anchored in the real world where real people go.
With smart device in hand, a consumer can be inspired by an OOH message and then seek to learn more online, in the moment. It’s truly an amazing construct; the OOH and digital convergence.
Linking OOH’s creative impact with contextual relevance makes OOH the ideal media amplifier.
Download the PDF
Modified: 2 years