Over the last thirteen decades, billboards, or as it is known now, Out of Home (OOH) advertising has played a huge role in the advertising landscape. They were relatively cheap, highly effective, and was a ubiquitous part of the landscape in most countries. Now, in the digital age, we have progressed to Digital Out of Home (DOOH) advertising, which incorporates the use of digital technology, which enables the targeting of specific demographic groups during the most effective time of day. Digital videos can be displayed, and advertising on the same billboard can be shared by multiple clients. All of this makes DOOH the future of billboard advertising.

Now, furthering the digital age of advertising, programming advertising has been included, because static and standard advertising has become less effective. But what is this? And how does it work? Here follows a short explanation:

Static billboards (OOH) enabled brands to target audiences in a standard way. Now, with new digital developments, DOOH enables the brand to target multiple audiences on the same billboard. People in the digital age with short attention spans now require more to gain their attention. Movement, relativity, location, and personalised experiences are now the order of the day.

Programmatic advertising includes a variety of technologies that allows the client to automate the visibility, purchase, and positioning of adverts in real-time. The main goal is to substitute human interaction with digital interaction, thus allowing advertisers more accurate targeting of specific audiences at particular times of the day. Metadata is used to gain information on target markets, demographics, purchase patterns, behaviour, routines, and geographical locations. This provides the advertiser with the most accurate pinpoints of their audience, which leads to more effective advertising.

When using programmatic advertising, information is recorded about customers and potential customers all the time. Every time a purchase is made, or a web page is launched, an algorithm harnesses data, and this can be used to find out which users are the best targets for specific brands. This has brought about a new revolution of billboard advertising because it has altered the billboard space forever. It has now become the new norm for DOOH and is highly effective. All advertisers’ greatest desire is to predict human behaviour, and DOOH programming technology allows them to find a starting point on purchasing patterns, locations and interests that provide a more personalised experience for the client.

If you want to know more about DOOH programmatic technology, contact our team at Face First Technology, and we will be happy to help! We have various well-positioned billboards across the country that will enable clients to target specific audiences and boost the bottom line.

Even though DOOH (Digital Out of Home) advertising has been around for some time, it took some effort to hone in on the most effective ways to employ it. What has become noticeably clear, is that DOOH is here to stay, and it just gets more sophisticated as time goes on and new technologies develop. A report by UpBeat has recently confirmed that the DOOH market will take a large chunk from advertising budgets, hitting around $8,3bn (just in the USA) by 2023. As a result, new trends are introduced all the time by innovative tech companies, and these innovations help advertisers not only stream relevant content to their potential clients but also to gather information from them.

Here are some of the new trends emerging on the DOOH market that helps users to make their advertising strategies a lot more effective:

• Omnichannel: Mobile advertising is having a huge impact on users, but this technology has now been extended to billboards. Online advertising via mobile phones, computers, email and social media can seamlessly be integrated for optimum results! It is also possible to combine several campaigns on the same platforms – which provides much better ROI.
• Dynamic creation: When it comes to other digital marketing strategies, DOOH still falls behind on the engagement ratio. This is because a lot of brands are still choosing to use OOH with static images instead of progressing to DOOH which can be integrated with other platforms. Relevant DOOH can increase awareness of a brand by 18%, according to Virtuo City in the UK. Severe creativity is needed to enhance these campaigns, and here are some ideas about how to do this, using new trends in DOOH.
• Geo-targeting: Locating relevant messaging via DOOH can draw people to local events and outlets. For instance, where there are a lot of truck drives passing, put a billboard pointing them to a restaurant or truck stop nearby. During evening hours in the city, use DOOH to draw people to your pub and advertise your happy hour! You can even use this example to direct students outside of a university or college to drive them to a retail store or shopping mall.
• Weather: What? Weather? Yes, weather! DOOH can be used to measure temperature and direct accordingly. For instance, on an ice-cold day, users can be directed to the nearest store selling heaters, warm clothing or electric blankets. On a hot day, they can be directed towards the nearest ice cream store! Weather plays a big part in behaviour, so why not use this to your advantage.
• Commuters: While billboards have been pointing towards commuters for decades, it is now possible to create a more captive audience. City people spend a lot of hours per year commuting – via it is by train, underground or vehicle. Ads can now be generated to respond to specific traffic conditions by providing geo-targeted options for commuters.

As marketers, it is continuously crucial to come up with new, creative and innovative strategies to reach audiences. DOOH is still one of the most cost-effective ways to do this, and its popularity is only increasing. Call our team at Face First Media to find out more about this.

unmissable, especially when they are placed in the correct demographic areas. They are unblockable, highly visible, and attract attention. OOH is the perfect medium to send out large messages to those who matter most to your brand.

With new technology, digital components can be introduced to capture specific markets at specific times, but this does not take away from the ubiquitous presence of the static billboard. Studies performed by Ocean NeuroScience confirmed that OOH is much more likely to drive around 48% of consumers to a particular website or venue after being exposed to OOH advertising (as opposed to online advertising). In addition to this, studies performed by Nielsen and the OAAA in the USA shows that 46% of their test groups had been motivated to explore an online site after being exposed to an OOH advert. This means that even though OOH is one of the most ancient forms of advertising, that it is still very much a contender when it comes to advertising spend and effect.

Why Is OOH Suddenly Popular Again?

One of the main drivers that empower outdoor advertisers, is the introduction of digital technology. Billboards no longer have to be static. They can be programmed to display particular ads at specific times of day, depending on the audience. For instance, having a billboard in a commuter drive can entice them to purchase breakfast at a local outlet, but once schools finish for the day, the same board can be used to drive traffic to the local clothing outlets, skateparks, or malls that cater for students.

Not only is this more effective at reaching correct target markets, but a billboard can be shared by various brands, which means lower costs for the marketer. With this comes the security that the target market is being exposed to the ads at the correct time of day when they are most likely to invest in the brand. Digital technology also introduces creativity, brighter colours, movement that attracts the eye, and entertaining content.

Television and print media is static and limited, and display only to an audience that watches television or reads magazines!

Call our team at Face First Media to find out more about how we can help you to optimise your advertising budget!

• OOH is cheaper: Obtaining digital technologies require a significant outlay from the advertisers, and as a result, these expenses are brought over to the client. Static billboards are already in place, and they are cheaper and easier to manage.
• No sharing: Because OOH displays a static image, there is no need to share your billboard advertising with other advertisers. This means that your billboard image remains in the same place and visible at all hours of the day until the term is up, and that you can ensure that your target market experiences only your advertising every time they drive past the billboard.
• Effective reach: Because static billboards remain the same, they capture attention for longer, and are visible repeatedly to a well-honed target market. This means that the messages come through stronger and are retained longer.
• Impact power: External billboards have a space in peoples’ lives and are often referred to as landmarks. Digital advertisement can also be irritating, and as a result, many people use advertising blockers on their phones and computers. Having a static billboard is not affected by this and can convey a message constantly.
• Efficiency: Billboards are great for the distribution of information to certain segments. Caution must be exercised here though to ensure that the best locations and advertisements are chosen for maximum impact.

While DOOH also offers many benefits, there is clearly still space for static billboards in the OOH market, and when honed properly, can yield great results! So, whether you are interested in OOH or DOOH, our team at Face First Media are always at your disposal to help put together a highly subjective campaign that will hit your target markets in the correct positions and provide great results. Contact us today to find out more!

Outdoor advertising may be seen by some as a separate world from digital advertising, but this is not the case as it has become a social channel.

Digital advertising has grown exponentially over the last decade causing a shift in attention and budget allocation from outdoor advertising. It however soon became clear that consumers’ attention isn’t focused on one form of advertising.

Marketing Is Entering A New Era

Social media has taken advertising by storm and everybody wants a piece of the cake.

Advertising has evolved so much over the past decades and the Internet opened new frontiers for advertising.

Social media ensures that people spend a huge amount of their time online. Advertising on social media also has its challenges. This includes:

• Facebook algorithm changes
• Rising ad costs
• Getting noticed in overcrowded feeds
• Too many trends to keep up with
• Authentic connection with the audience
• A dramatic drop in organic reach
• Tracking results

Marketers get unique insights on how to reach consumers if they know where consumers are going, what they pay attention to, what they need, and where they shop.

Using Outdoor Advertising as A Social Channel

Billboards have become more eye-catching seeing that people spend so much time in front of screens and have become pros in ignoring or blocking pop-up ads and banners. Outdoor advertising can, however, be greatly amplified when consumers share ads on social media.

A photo of an eye-catching billboard on social media can travel the globe in an instant. Marketers are in the position to effectively create advertising campaigns that complement themselves across different platforms.

If an advertisement is creative and eye-catching enough consumers will amplify the product or service on behalf of advertisers. Research has shown that consumers are posting photos of interesting outdoor advertisements on social media platforms such as Instagram which leads to a specific advertisement being seen by three times as many people.

With social media in the mix outdoor advertising has become more about creating a culture and less about creating ads. Another study has shown that consumers are more likely to buy, engage with a brand on social media or download an app after seeing an outdoor advertisement.

Seeing that the use of social media occurs primarily on mobile devices consumers always have their devices on the ready when they are out and about. This means that campaigns that can integrate both can influence the impact of both mediums.

DOOH indicates a shift to Digitised Out of Home advertising, and new technology has brought along a whole new era of outdoor advertising for commercial purposes. These “billboards” display electronic images that can move (much like television or online advertising), and it is possible to interact with users on digital platforms. Advertisers can also share these boards, which means that messages on DOOH can be displayed at different times by different advertisers to hone in on their target markets. For instance, in the morning commute, messages can be displayed that advertise products to high-income commuters, while during mid-morning other advertising media can be displayed that may appeal to homemakers and stay at home parents. During lunchtimes, advertising for restaurants and special food promotions can be displayed. This flexibility in advertising allows the same board, on the same location, to capture different markets at different times of the day.

OOH remains relevant and is overall cheaper than DOOH. It also delivers a constant message over time which increases retention and consumer loyalty. DOOH is more expensive but can be highly versatile, as it can be combined with various online platforms during a single advertising campaign. They can also be interactive and prompt people to respond online to a question, breaking news, a booking, or a promotion, or even to leave feedback on the advertisement displayed.

DOOH advertising, as a result, can provide feedback on the target market and the types of users it attracts through its campaigns. It is dynamic and flexible, and interesting to watch. Often cameras or CCTV are also built into these dynamic billboards to measure consumer behaviour and to gauge audience numbers. It can therefore provide a more accurate reflection on the ultimate success of the campaign and user numbers.

If you are keen to find out which advertising media would be best suited to your campaign or company, speak to our customer service consultants at Face First Media as soon as possible, and we will ensure that you get the best value for your money!

A significant software and hardware revolution has occurred in the Out Of Home and Digital advertising landscape.  Campaigns are more creative, better aligned with target markets, increasingly eye-catching, and worthy of holding attention in a multi-screen generation. Fresh possibilities are bursting from the OOH environment and electrifying prospects are abound. OOH remains one of the most cost-effective advertising media around, and there is no stopping it now that digital technologies have had an opportunity to develop.

To impress with your DOOH display campaign, keep the following in mind:

1. Keep abreast of new technology: While this may sound redundant, digital technology is tremendously fast-paced and nobody can afford to fall behind new developments 

and product offerings. It is vital to pay considerable attention to all new OOH and DOOH technologies, to know how they operate and to know how to apply them efficiently for maximum impact. DOOH campaigns must be energetic, direct, collaborative and pragmatic to snatch attention away from cell phones and other media.

1. Integrate! Modern DOOH can interact with several digital platforms, and campaigns can be synchronised across various streaming media, creating a multi-layered approach. It can galvanise the audience into delivering feedback and stimulate online discussion to gain traction.
2. Scale properly: Utilise data to comprehend the audience and scale campaigns accordingly. This does not necessarily mean that a DOOH campaign must be localised. There have been some examples of worldwide campaigns being rolled out simultaneously by companies such as Warner Bros and Xbox. Drive scale larger by using DOOH networks across many territories from a central hub.
3. Focus on context: DOOH has a high-level impact and a presence that provides an ever-evolving, creative, and dynamic approach with which the audience can identify. This can change mindsets. Data again is crucial, and it is vital to understand market needs, preferences, associations with certain brands and use of social platforms. Results can be targeted directly in real-time to diverse locations, and a call to action at the appropriate time can yield terrific results.
4. Remain ahead of the curve: No campaign stands motionless. It should be continuously enhanced, and this can only be achieved through a continuous cycle of testing, evaluation, and optimisation.

Over the next year, the entire landscape of DOOH is going to change, and this will help advertisers to stay ahead of their competitors!

In any type of advertising, certain components just cannot be ignored. Omitting to focus on certain components can mean the difference between a wildly successful billboard campaign and a total waste of a marketing budget. Here are some of the vital components that must be considered when putting together a billboard campaign:

1. Brand positioning: It must be clear what the image of the brand and its target customer should be. The positioning is used to influence how the audience views or feels about a brand. It must represent the character of the brand and advertise in a manner that appeals to specific demographics.

1. Execution of the campaign: The advertisement must deliver a message that is memorable and persuasive, and it has to say something profound about the brand. The approach should be quick, clear, and penetrating to gain the attention of passers-by or motorists because they only have a few seconds to observe the billboard. The ad should be different from others to stand out above the competition.
2. Drama: Billboard advertising does not always need to be dramatic, but if drama is used it can be enormously effective. The drama of the product or service can display why people should invest in the brand. Ideally, the drama should be presented in a realistic and welcoming manner to appeal to a target audience.
3. Emotion: The billboard should evoke emotion in the audience. It should tell a story about the brand that makes the audience feel attracted to the product or service being displayed. Hard-hitting advertisements are memorable and endear people to the brand, and therefore they will be more invested in the brand. Emotions such as disgust, pleasure, accomplishment, relief and many others are all used very effectively to market brands.
4. Entertainment: People love to be entertained, especially during a boring commute. Offering them something entertaining to look at can have a huge impact, and if the billboard is entertaining enough, they will even tell others about the brand or the story or share it on social media, and thereby acting as social marketers of the brand.
5. Sentimentality: This includes mainly the “mom & pop” store, historic or small-town warmth in the advertising campaign. Typically, people view these types of environments as warm and welcoming, and it associates it with family and love. It also brings back old school sentimentality which makes the advertisement more memorable.

All these elements should be kept in mind during the design of visual and textual elements of the billboard. For more information about important components that should feature in your billboard campaign, contact our specialists at Face First Media.