Political ad spend seems to have no anchor in recent years, and last year was no exception. In 2022, political advertising topped the $10 billion mark – a billion more than projected and a midterm elections record. OOH has been a beneficiary of this growth, posting an upward trajectory over the past decade, and reaching almost $30 million last year.
Recent research from The Harris Poll reveals why campaigns and organizations are turning to OOH more than ever before to reach voters. Their survey showed adults who are planning to vote are the most likely to engage with OOH ads, and over half recall seeing OOH political ads within the last month.
As OAAA members focus on political ad dollars for the remainder of 2023 and into next year’s presidential elections, here are key points for consideration:
- 66% of OOH political ad spend was placed in the third and fourth quarters from 2013 – 2022, including 41% in the fourth quarter alone.
- Over ninety percent (91%) of all OOH political ad spend is from local and state campaigns.
- In 2023, key gubernatorial races will take place in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Other states experiencing heightened spending will be Ohio (abortion rights) and Virginia (state legislature).
- Looking ahead to 2024, key states for US Senate races are AZ, MI, NV, MT, OH, PA, and WV. Competitive US House races are distributed across a much wider number of states. The combination of spend for these federal government offices will put pressure on local TV and radio inventory, creating even more opportunity for OOH both within and outside of the political category.
- OOH over indexes with high propensity voters (educated and more affluent), as well as target audiences that historically have had lower voting propensity, but deemed critical by most campaigns today (younger, multicultural).
To assist members in increasing their success with this unique category, OAAA publishes an OOH Political Primer, and the 2023 version is available here. The contents cover:
- How Political is Different from General Market Advertising
- Top OOH Proof Points for Political & Advocacy Advertising
- 2023 – 2024 Preview and OOH Political Ad Spend Opportunities
- OOH Political Case Studies
- OOH Political and Advocacy Campaign Ad Examples
As the OOH industry works to build even greater political ad spend success, it’s imperative to understand the category’s uniqueness. OAAA’s Political Primer and additional resources, including the list of political media agencies and organizations, are highly useful tools to help members in their efforts to educate campaigns on the viability of OOH as part of their political media strategies.
SOURCE: The Harris Poll, Vivvix
Published: August 29, 2023