Outdoor advertising (OOH) has become much more sophisticated over the last five to ten years. What was once just a medium used by marketers to spotlight their brands via large advertising formats has evolved into a full-fledged and in-demand communication channel.

However, as the medium itself has changed – and our understanding of out-of-home has moved far beyond simple billboards – the strategies that rely on the medium have also had to evolve. With the advent of programmatic and data-driven approaches to digital out-of-home (DOOH and pDOOH respectively), there are now several effective ways for advertisers to plan, execute, measure and learn from their (D)OOH campaigns.

As with any other marketing channel, the strategy used to deploy an OOH advertising campaign must be clearly aligned with the specific marketing objectives. If the goal is to create a big brand impact, increase conversion rates both in-store and online, or reach new customers in previously untapped markets, different strategies must be used to achieve these goals.

In the following we present some possible approaches for the use of (D)OOH, which do not claim to be complete or guarantee effectiveness. 

Strategy No. 1: Off the slopes

Reach new customers as efficiently as possible by using (D)OOH in low-demand regions and thus take advantage of the lower costs for your customer approach. 

Whether you want to boost new customer acquisition or get more value out of every advertising dollar spent, looking beyond the top 10 OOH areas can open up new opportunities. 

Of course, every brand wants to be seen in the densely populated regions of Zurich, Bern and Basel. However, it is not always clear whether the target group actually lives there. This could also mean spending money unnecessarily in less relevant places and missing out on target customers in other, more relevant places.

Since CPMs are significantly lower in areas that are not in the top 10, marketing budgets can be used more wisely by either providing broader coverage across several smaller areas (breadth) or by fully covering one or two cities where the brand or product has not been advertised before (dominance). 

This is a particularly good strategy for smaller brands or niche businesses with limited marketing budgets (e.g. less than Fr 20,000.

Even if it takes “courage” to take a different path, we can support this step. 

On our online booking tool or with personal advice from our sales staff, we can help make your brand or product present to the right customers, regardless of the region in which they live and work.

Strategy #2: Share the (brand) love

Striking brand staging through dominant presence at premium locations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6KEq5x-17o&feature=emb_imp_woyt
Chanel – Glamour for the pre-Christmas season at Zurich Bellevue

This is a proven OOH advertising strategy that well-known brands have loved for years. And why? Because it has the “wow effect”. Eye-catching staging on large billboards, branding on 2s or 3s billboards, construction walls or with 100% share of time on digital sites give a brand guaranteed attention. These strategies are not necessarily designed to create an immediate Call 2 Action, but to simply tell consumers, “We exist and you should get to know and love us because we are the best of the best.”

Of course, this is not a successful strategy for all brands and certainly not for those with limited marketing budgets. But if the resources are there to run brand-centric campaigns on a large scale, this is a great way to become top of mind with a brand. 

Do you already know our screens on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich, the “most expensive shopping mile in the world”? Centred or amplified, they offer unparalleled creative possibilities. Or would you prefer branding on the building walls in Zurich’s city centre with a view of the lake? At www.Plakat.ch or with personal advice from our sales teams, you will find the best solution.

Strategy #3: With a clear goal

Have an immediate impact on the customer journey by using point-of-interest targeting to drive footfall into your shop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L_hIAlcwvA&feature=emb_imp_woyt

OOH advertising today is more performance-oriented than ever. This is partly due to the location-based strategies and point-of-interest (POI) targeting that are driving out-of-home as a performance marketing channel. This OOH advertising strategy is particularly useful for brick-and-mortar businesses such as restaurants and retailers that want to increase customer traffic in their shops by strategically placing ads at key points along the shopping journey.

As these ads are purely location-based, they do not necessarily reach a large number of consumers. However, they do reach local consumers who are much more likely to act.

Strategy #4: Tailor-made and not off the peg

Target groups precisely with increased relevance by means of data and context-based creation through the use of situational, positional or tactical targeting. Address your customers when they have the greatest affinity for your product.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz_ied7n-8g&feature=emb_imp_woyt
Situational use of dynamic content of the Nivea Sun product

Digital screens are particularly suitable for customised campaigns. Based on certain criteria relevant to you or your product, such as weather, your spot can be broadcast depending on the situation. In addition, or even without an operator, different motifs can be assigned to different locations/screens. The motifs can also be changed at short notice if a specific event requires this. And especially exciting for retailers is the possibility of reactively placing advertisements based on linked data, such as inventory.

With the data available to us today, your campaign can be easily implemented on our digital screens. Best effect and effectiveness are guaranteed. Let us inspire you here inspierieren or contact your competent contact person directly.