by Printipy

Importance of Out of Home Advertising for corporate branding

For over centuries in advertising history, OOH advertising has maintained its relevance in the marketing media mix. There are many explanations as to why this is so, one of which is the fact that you can not undervalue the level of intrigue and engagement that brands are able to create with this media channel when used creatively to communicate brand messages. 

Talk about Spotify’s “Hearing You” OOH campaign. 

The copies were great. The idea of juxtaposing feelings and opposing actions was totally brilliant and the visual direction – was simple, yet flawless. However, the strategic outdoor placement remains the icing on the cake that throws in the awe element, makes the ad more engaging, and leaves you with an indelible memory regardless of if you gazed or merely glanced at it.

Here’s another great example of an OOH ad that’s burnt in my memory and will very likely be burned in yours from here on out. 

Say hello to “Smart Cities” by IBM

In this brilliant ad, IBM is able to create a whole experience for their audience. They created brand assets that potential targets can engage with while the brand communicates a strong message that’s capable of provoking their audience to respond to their clear call to action. 

Now let’s address the elephant in the room: the question that still lingers after the proofs of OOH advertising excellence and results that I’ve provided thus far. Why is OOH advertising still relevant in this digital age where millions of people can be reached online. Why has OOH not been replaced by digital advertising? 

I’d love to get into it, but first, let’s lay some foundations around the concept of OOH. 

What is OOH

OOH Meaning “Out of Home” is a type of advertising that is set up outside of a consumer’s home. Yes, you probably guessed that right. Contrary to some opinions, out of home is not just a substitute name for billboard advertising. OOH covers the entire gamut of outdoor ad placement including, billboards, bus shelters, lamposts, benches, walls, and everything in between.  

OOH, advertising helps brands connect with their target audience in a wide variety of outdoor scenarios. For a lot of creative agencies, it’s an interesting channel to explore. A whole world of advertising all by itself. 

OOH, advertising is visual in nature. It could include static creative content deployed on a series of available options or it could be deployed as motion graphics on different outdoor channels. However, the major types of OOH include; 

Types of OOH

1. Billboards (traditional or LED) 
2. Street furniture
3. Lampost 
4. Bus  shelter 
5. Kiosk 
6. Posters 
7. Wallscapes, and more. 

All of these platforms have been used by several brands are still being used to interact with consumers in very interesting ways. 

Now, back to our elephant in the room. 

Why has OOH not been replaced by digital advertising? 

Digital advertising has become the rave of the age. Many CEOs are coercing their marketing leads into pumping their entire marketing budget into the development and execution of digital marketing strategies like SEO, social media marketing, and more.  Nevertheless, some marketing professionals have continued to explore outdoor channels creatively and are still recording great results. 

From a global perspective, KFC’s award-winning coronavirus campaign against finger lickin’ leveraged  OOH advertising to a high degree even during the lockdown. 

And in one of African’s leading economies, Nigeria, MTN – a telecommunication agency – largely leveraged outdoor advertising for its “Wear it for me” COVID 19 campaign which went viral. 

These examples underline the relevance and effectiveness of OOH advertising until this day. 

Contrary to popular expectations, OOH advertising and Digital advertising are not designed to be mutually exclusive. Both advertising channels can play complementary functions during campaigns. The resurgence of OOH advertising is driven by technology and with its advancements, marketing, and advertising professionals have been given a wider range of opportunities to explore creativity. 

Why is OOH Advertising important for corporate branding

Advertising plays a major role in corporate branding. Here are some of the reasons why it is esteemed important. 

1. Broad Reach 

OOH, advertising is almost inevitable, especially when placed strategically and deployed creatively, just like some of the examples above. 

With thousands of people commuting daily, OOH has the potential of reaching a very broad audience. The audience can be very specific when reaching residents and it can also be very dynamic when reaching travelers, visitors, and other groups. 

2. Increase Brand Recognitions/ TOMA (Top of mind awareness)

With OOH advertisement being almost inevitable, it is able to drive awareness and recognition among a specific group of audience. Brand messages and elements like logos can be displayed prominently to consumers. 

3. Affordability 

When executing awareness campaigns with major objectives identified as reaching as many eyeballs as possible, OOH advertising could guarantee the highest ROI. Think about how many times you’ve seen that FMCG Brand ad in the past month and imagine its impact on many more people especially if it was a really creative ad that communicated a strong and clear message. There. Now you have an idea of how impactful and yet comparatively affordable OOH ad deployments can be.

4. Drive Engagement 

Ads like Spotify’s “Hearing You” or IBM’s “Smart Cities”  are sure to garner engagement from their target audience and even propel word-of-mouth advertising. OOH also supports online marketing efforts by helping to drive brand or campaign recall which in turn could increase consumers’ likelihood of following the call to action. 

5.  Boost sales
   Create continuous advertising for current and prospective customers and increase sales opportunities.  User behavior has shown that people who tend to see a brand’s ad repeatedly are more likely to buy the brand’s product. On another hand, out-of-home advertising helps to pique the interest of new customers who can get intrigued by the ads showcasing products services a brand. 

Conclusion

Creating exciting experiences for existing and potential customers is an integral part of marketing and advertising although many brands still blatantly ignore its importance.  Although sad, it puts you at an advantage if you are ready to commit to exploring its possibilities. 

Printipy at Printipyagency.com  is helping many brands create such experiences. You can be the next. We’d love to meet you. Say hello, let’s start the journey from there.