OOH or Out of home is the last bastion of traditional media that is seeing ad spending growth right now. And for a good reason. OOH remains relevant with good returns on optics in spite of massive developments in digital media and the advent of the smart phone It remains relevant despite continued development and deployment of new media that have drawn eyeballs away from newspapers, magazines and linear television.
Global ad spend
That has led a lot of advertisers to want to explore this promising format. But what trends in OOH should they be following to ensure their ads get noticed and gain traction? Here are five things to watch for in 2018 and beyond.
1. Digitization of hoardings
Digital billboards have not yet exploded on the scene in India, but the day is not far when we may see a lot more of digital mainstream hoardings. But that’s only part of the picture, and Digitalization has made a entry in other forms of OOH media. Digital networks are increasingly common in malls, airports, subways and bus shelters. So generally there is a trend of moving towards digital across all offerings. At Captions, we are studying this trend and plan to introduce digital as and when the oppourtunity presents itself.
2. Integration of mobile into outdoor ads
Mobile phones allow OOH ads to communicate directly with you and deliver more pertinent messages. For instance, a billboard might allow you to opt-in with a text to receive a digital coupon or send offers to customers with a certain type of phone. Great advances have been made in targeting, too, which means more agencies and vendors will deploy those techniques.
3. Increasing interest from tech and social brands
Brands like Amazon, Facebook and Netflix have also advertised heavily in outdoor media. These companies are tech giants but have chosen to invest heavily in outdoor media. Even OOH in Pune reflects this trend. Tells a story!
4. Creative bench marking
Over the past few years, OOH advertising has really set new bench marks when it comes to creativity. There are a lot of campaigns which have touched a cord with consumers leading to long term recall and traction. There’s no doubt that technology will drive many of the newer trends in OOH in the future, but is there really a substitute for a great idea or concept? Remember, ideas don’t cost much! Grabbing eyeballs and attention remains central to OOH strategy no matter how you look at it! At Captions we try our best in providing the best possible support for implementing creative ideas and concepts.