Why digital out-of-home advertising is summer 2024’s marketing powerhouse

Summer is a time to get out of the house and maybe on the road. It’s filled with activities like long-distance vacations, trips to the beach and farmers’ markets. Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising’s dynamic content and precision targeting capabilities make it perfect for reaching audiences at this time of year. Here’s why DOOH is the ticket to this summer’s marketing success.

Summer’s longer daylight hours and better weather mean more foot traffic and digital screens staying visible for extended periods. The bright and vibrant displays of DOOH screens stand out even more against the backdrop of sunny days, this increased visibility can lead to higher recall rates and a greater impact on advertising campaigns.

Targeting precision and flexibility 

DOOH’s precision targeting capabilities enable brands to reach specific demographics with tailored messages. Data like location-based insights and consumer behavior patterns ensure ads get to the right audience.

Unlike traditional static billboards, DOOH’s digital screens can be updated in real-time. This lets brands tailor their messages to the specific time of day, location or even current events. This also means it can adapt to real-time weather conditions, delivering hyper-relevant content that aligns with consumer needs moment-to-moment. Beverage brands have campaigns set to activate only when temperatures are above a certain point. This connection with consumers’ desire for refreshment lets brands tailor messages to the immediate environment, creating urgency and driving engagement.

Dig deeper: Programmatic’s ad targeting and optimization come to digital out-of-home

Dynamic and interactive creatives

Today’s billboards feature touch screens, motion sensors and real-time content updates. This can produce both distinctively personal one-to-one retail interactions and attention-grabbing one-to-many experiences. Coca-Cola captured the attention of late-night urban crowds with a Playable Billboard in Times Square. A basic pong-like game tapped into nostalgia trends on an unprecedented scale. The interactivity draws attention and encourages social media sharing.

Dig deeper: Pepsi, McDonald’s and the latest in digital out-of-home

Programmatic benefits for evolving times

Every marketing strategy must balance privacy concerns and efficient value. Fortunately, digital out-of-home advertising’s contextual targeting and accurate measurement make this simple to do.

DOOH provides the precision of programmatic targeting without third-party cookies for data collection or audience targeting, avoiding major privacy concerns. As a one-to-many medium, user-level targeting is replaced by reaching groups of consumers in the real-life context of their lives. 

Advertisers can match ads to the context in which they are viewed, ensuring that the right message reaches the right audience based on location, time and situation. Raincoat ads can be displayed at bus stops during a rainy day, or restaurant promotions can appear near office areas at lunchtime. This method respects user privacy and enhances ad relevance, improving engagement and conversion rates.

Digital out-of-home is built on programmatic buying platforms that offer increasingly trustworthy measurement solutions. Accurate full-funnel attribution is crucial for brand marketers in an economic climate that demands efficiency. With programmatic DOOH, advertisers can access real-time data and analytics, enabling them to monitor campaign effectiveness and optimize their strategies dynamically. 

For example, brands using programmatic DOOH can measure the impact of their ads on in-store visits and sales lift through integrations with mobile location data providers. Partnerships between programmatic DOOH suppliers and third-party verification technologies will continue to bring accuracy to tracking and confidence in the value delivered.

Dig deeper: Digital out-of-home branches out with programmatic

Redefining summer marketing with DOOH campaigns

Digital out-of-home advertising continues to evolve, offering innovative ways to connect with consumers, particularly during the summer when outdoor activity peaks. By capitalizing on increased foot traffic, leveraging real-time data and precision targeting and embracing dynamic creatives, you can craft efficient DOOH campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive quantifiable results without compromising user privacy.