OOH Trends
New Trends In Digital Out Of Home Advertising
By Mike Njeru
The past few years post the Covid-19 pandemic have seen many brands change tact from using Static billboards to Digital Out Of Home in their omni channel marketing strategy .
Digital OOH infuses some three critical benefits over static OOH namely ; dynamism , creativity in terms of short very captivating MP4 videos that are able to take advantage of consumers short dwell time whilst consuming media and its repetitive nature thereby increasing top of mind awareness and Call to Action campaigns .
This has seen many brands embrace datadriven creative strategies as well as adopt programmatic technology .
All these assets provide a solution to brand marketers who face the challenge of standing out against numerous competitors as well as trying to gain the consumers attention within a very short dwell time .
The net effect has been that many brands have embraced an omni channel approach and integrated DOOH into their Above- The-Line media mix hence connecting with their target audience in a more effective way both online and offline . Here-under are some of the trends to expect going forward .
Digital Transformation
We shall continue witnessing more digital displays coming up as industry players either convert their current high traffic static sights to be outdoor Digital LED screens as well as erect new sites . Nairobi being the main hub has witnessed proliferation of screens on high traffic areas such as busy highways and intersections . These include Uhuru Highway , various major malls across the City , within the
CBD , as well as small vertical LCD screens in various commercial , residential buildings , and also scattered at strategic point of sale areas within major retail outlets in the city . We are likely to see more inventory being added by current and new players as they leverage on their assets .
A key barrier to entry for many players remains the high monthly energy costs ( electricity ) associated especially with running of the large outdoor screens . The adoption of renewable energy sources , LED lighting and solar powered displays remains very key in ensuring environmental sustainability .
Programatic DOOH Growth
In 2023 , there was a well thought out and deliberate attempt by several DOOH agencies to have industry players integrate and comply with programatic DOOH requirements . This will continue to be a key trend as it allows advertisers to automate the process of ad buying as well as accurately target specific audiences with real time data . The net result is a more powerful impact with each ad placement and added advantage of inventory owners to sell at near rate card prices . Programmatic advertising saves both time and money and ensures that ad placement purchases are made instantly via real time data driven methodology .
Creativity
To increase the effectiveness of the brand messaging to the desired demographic , brand custodians will resort to more tactical campaigns with proper Call to Action ( CTA ) in order to achieve optimal results .
For brands pushing specific discounts during annual sales or annual anniversaries , they can have their teams create artworks pushing the specific discounts which can then be changed on a daily basis throughout the campaign . This is one of the very key advantages that DOOH has over static OOH .
For tactical campaigns that target consumers at the point of sale , brands can consider vertical screens strategically placed at various residential or commercial buildings as well as within the various retail outlets . In all these it is imperative that brand custodians ensure that the messaging has captivating designs and leaves a lasting impression in the consumers mind given the short “ dwell ” time that DOOH portends .
Simple yet impactful ads are key in ensuring that potential clients are engaged without the danger of overwhelming them . To make the most of DOOH , brands should ensure the artworks incorporate eye catching graphics , striking colors with memorable taglines . The content must equally convey relevant messaging that resonates with the Target Audience .
Conclusion
We will continue witnessing DOOH as one of the fastest growing and rapidly developing areas of modern advertising . Brands can use this strategy to effectively and meaningfully reach their desired target audience . It is expected that DOOH will continue evolving to be more personalized , interactive , data driven and integrated in the omni channel strategy of most brands going forward .
Mike Njeru is a Communication Consultant and a DOOH practitioner . You can commune with him via mail at : Mike . Admotion @ gmail . com
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