It may seem that digital is the latest and greatest – but OOH is a force to be reckoned with. It is the only traditional advertising media to have stood the test of time and today, 90% of residents over the age of 16 have noticed an out of home message in the past one month. It is important to note that simply running a billboard and hoping that your business will grow is not enough. Every ad campaign needs to be well-planned so that it reaches its full potential. Here are some of the best practices you need to understand before beginning an OOH ad campaign.
The Placement
OOH messages are meant to help you reach out to audiences in and around the location of your billboard ad. Selecting the geographic area that aligns with your target audience is essential. Understanding the nature of the market in which you are trying to reach out is the first steps towards a successful campaign. The inventory in the market also plays an important role. Check what billboards are available. The next thing to consider is the budget for the location – high demand and high cost options usually are in locations that are crowded and got more eyes on them. While you consider location, also check out what fits your budget. It’s also useful to identify the behavioural tendencies and travel patterns of your core audience. Their daily journeys and mode of transport will help you place your ads and its messaging more effectively.
The Timing
When to advertise is the second most important question. When exactly should you reach out to your audience? Well, reaching out to the audience in the consideration phase requires a visibility driven campaign. Big – recognizable branding and imagery along with simple, memorable messaging works better. Also, reaching customers with a purchase intent requires more specific – instructional level messaging. Identifying when your customers will make a transition from a consideration phase to purchase intent is important for your campaign.
The Format
OOH comes with a number of unique formats – each offering its own benefits. Static format offers 100 % share of voice in the space for the duration of time that your brand is running the campaign. Digital OOH offers greater opportunities for messaging but many times shares space with other campaigns. DOOH medium is more flexible, interactive and has audio/video capabilities – eliminating production and installation costs of physical materials. They have quicker implementation too.
The Message
81 % of those who engage with a billboard – engage with the messaging. OOH is the means to cut through the noise and get your audience to pay attention. So, get your messaging right and position your brand such that consumers relate to it. Straight forward, clear and concise messages tend to work best.
The Creative
One overriding principle of creativity is simplicity. Out of home is its own media channel. You cannot simply repurpose media from other channels. The size and format of OOH offers immense opportunities for creativity. Make a good balance of imagery, copy and white space – remember that 7 words are one too many.
Well, it’s essential to remember that OOH should not be an isolated channel for your marketing efforts. It’s an integrated part of a greater brand strategy. Mix it up with digital and mobile campaigns- it will be more powerful than you could imagine!