A battle of the best? Digital VS Out of Home Advertising

In the advertising industry, opinions and spaces are fast moving. What may work today, probably did not work before or will not work in the future. No matter how companies do it, advertising remains one of the most important aspects of business. Although Out of Home advertising has leveraged its historical significance, the new age internet world is too juicy for companies to ignore.

Opening new frontiers for marketing, digital media has widened the scope for brands. Given that people today devote a large chunk of their time online, platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have managed to catch advertisers eyeballs. While, digital advertising is a booming industry, brands are still making OOH news with exceptional campaigns.

Hence the golden question arises. Does OOH advertising still work?

While most companies are swiftly transitioning from traditional advertising to digital advertising as a brand you might want to reassess your strategy. While most companies have shifted parties into the digital spectrum of things, OOH advertising can still bring merit to some companies.

There is a rising percentage of people that spend time on the roads. With the accelerating rate at which the public transport sector is widening in major cities, the opportunities of OOH advertising also increase.

The impact of large format visuals as apposed to visual on screen is very high. In a sense it is difficult to switch off OOH advertising. Big billboards and vehicles wrapped in ads provides visibility to a large audience.

Building trust between brand and consumers is an essential for any form of advertising. In a survey conducted by Nielsen, there is a larger possibility of consumers taking action after seeing an outdoor ad. Our most attractive audience, the millennial generation, who also think that traditional advertising is more trustworthy. This is specifically because they are already exposed to a deluge of advertisements which can be pushed by anyone for a significantly lower cost.

Outdoor has a wow factor since it exists in physical state and has been the primary domain for national and international brands that come along with a level of trust. With outdoor advertising there is a greater opportunity to see, where non-viewership and brand safety issues afflicting the internet are not a concerning issue.

But then why do people switch to digital so easily?

One of the biggest things that digital advertising has under its belt is its ability to provide micro targeted content. You can monitor and control the viewership according to your needs and the need of your brand.

Digital advertising is also the most conducive way to initiate word of mouth marketing. This creates engagement which is not an avenue that outdoor media offers. Engagement will allow your campaigns to be more insightful.

Digital media has also surpassed TV in terms of time spent usage. Digital media is a good starting position to invest your promotional budget. The average adult spends about two hours on the internet.

Finding a balance

What would work for most brands would be finding a seamless blend between outdoor and digital. Adjusting your campaign strategies to fit in both platforms. This will allow you to leverage the benefits of digital being able to reach the right target audience at the right time. In an integrated marketing strategy, Out of Home and social media marketing can be well entwined together to create credibility and brand awareness all in one.