The paradigm leap of DOOH: pushing the boundaries with creative, customised ads

As target audiences evolve and the need to give an experiential experience to each consumer becomes important, brands and media buyers are rethinking their approach and budget spends.

The digital outdoor advertising sector has been transformed by technological innovations over the past few years and it is safe to say that advertisers and marketers are now looking at its impact in 2018.

The industry is also well equipped to push the boundaries with creative, customised advertisements supported by accurate data. Imagine, while promoting an upcoming marathon, the objective is to encourage commuters to participate by playing ads in the morning as they are using an elevator to reach the station or looking at their phones while traveling through the metro.

Now imagine these same commuters looking at a beautifully shot video that transforms your formal shoes into running shoes or mobile into a fitness tracker with the message “Why wait? Start running now”. This video can be altered, depending on the gender of the person who’s viewing it and their location. This customisation is now only possible due to the immense technological innovations that have been made. This is the future of advertising.

Increase in ad spend 

Dentsu Aegis Network’s Global Ad Spend Forecast 2018 Report highlights that ad spends in India will grow at 12.5 percent in the year 2018 and digital media channels will continue to power the ad spend growth. Similarly, an Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) study by Les Binet and Peter Field on Marketing Effectiveness in the Digital Era also mentions that campaigns that used digital outdoor were much more effective than those relying on traditional posters. These reports are a great indication of what we can expect in the digital advertising space.

Whilst earlier media buyers and brands were both sceptical about the growth of the digital outdoor sector or its measurability, we have noticed a great shift in adoption as well.

As our target audiences have evolved and the need to give an experiential experience to each consumer becomes all important to engage effectively, brands and media buyers are rethinking their approach and budget spends.

Medium expansion and integration

What makes a brand successful? It is not only about a great product, but about the conversation you create with your end user.

Every brand focuses on creating influencers and brand custodians, but the trick is to engage with your buyers and potential customers on a regular basis. Constant conversations with the customer base will create brand recall, leading to better visibility and building customer loyalty, which is then matched with the physical availability of the product.

Digital outdoor advertising is the perfect option for brands to have a long-term discussion with their customer base whilst creating conversations through other channels.

Social media provides engagement and DOOH provides phenomenal reach. Both mediums have the ability to deliver rich content based on the context. Hence this is a natural integration, which will only strengthen the effect of any campaign.

For example, user-generated content is at the centre stage for any social media campaign. The power of the use of images, videos, and texts uploaded by audience members at a high-scale event or any event for that matter cannot be underestimated. These posts can be showcased on our screens on a real-time basis, thus leading to much larger reach and creating a constant brand recall.

Data is king

Data is and will prove to be an important aspect in ensuring advertisers are more strategic in their customer engagement approach and targeting. By using real-time information, we are now able to create ultra-personalized and hyper-localised content that is targeted towards the right audience.

The medium has the ability to automate, deliver, and prioritise advertisements, which match pre-set conditions like prime-time slots based on the number of people at a particular location at any given time, weather conditions, and customer behaviour.

Data collected can now transform any brand’s approach to how they are reaching out to their customers. With the necessary tools to tap into consumer behaviour, the DOOH industry has taken a march in understanding audiences. This understanding has led to brands providing their target customers with enriching and greater personalised experiences.

The dynamism, flexibility and sophistication of digital outdoor advertising perfectly mirrors the intelligent capabilities of any personalised service.

The combination of cutting-edge technology and data will create an array of personal and relevant user experiences in an impactful way.

It is great to cite the creative and technological evolution of the medium that matches the expectations and creative palette of consumers. The need to be different and innovative when targeting prospective customers is now mandatory. Digital OOH is truly reaching its defining moment.

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)