5 Examples of OOH Advertising Done Right!
As consumers, we interact with ads every single day. The mixture of TV, radio, social media, mobile and out-of-home (OOH) combines to create perceptions of what brands stand for and what products we want. It’s a tangle of stimuli that creates one end result. But today’s advertising industry is still mainly siloed by channels – digital, OOH, search, etc.
According to the WFA (World Federation of Advertisers), out-of-home ad spend was down by 49% for the first half of the year and is 39% down on planned spend for the second half so far. However, OOH is showing positive signs of getting back on its feet for 2021. Even throughout the lockdown, we saw high levels of creativity, with advertisers executing some on-the-nose campaigns. Here’s a look at some stand-out examples of OOH so far this year.
1.Twitter
Twitter tapped into an OOH campaign, in order to remind and urge people to wear masks, Twitter turned a number of its users’ tweets about the topic into billboards, which were displayed in seven US cities including Florida, Chicago, and LA. Messages included “So…is ‘hey nice mask’ the new pick up line?” and “Why do I feel like everyone’s giving me Resting Mask Face?”
2.Outsmart
Back in April, the OOH industry donated media space to the ‘Grateful Britain’ campaign, which amplified the nation’s gratitude to the NHS and other key workers on the frontline. Run by Mother London and initiated by Outsmart, which is the UK OOH trade body, the campaign used lighthearted and colloquial language to highlight the diverse and varied roles that have been so valuable throughout lockdown and beyond.
The fact that key workers were among the only people to see the billboards in April and May heightened the impact of the emotive message.
3.McDonald’s
McDonald’s is one of those brands that doesn’t need to put its logo or name on advertising. It is just that recognizable. This is what the fast-food chain did in September with its ‘Bitten Billboards’ campaign by TBWA\Paris, which looks just like it sounds… billboards with huge “bites” taken out of them.
4.The Guardian
The Guardian recently launched a striking OOH campaign in Dublin and Berlin in a bid to attract more subscribers to Guardian Weekly – its international news magazine.
The Guardian enlisted artist Rafael Alejandro to create three surrealist scenes, related to the three equally surreal global news events of coronavirus, Donald Trump, and the environment. The three designs also include three phrases, “The world is… ‘confusing’, ’absurd’ or ‘in crisis’, next to the campaign tagline: ‘Find clarity’.
5. Knix
Instead of billboards or the side of a building, underwear brand Knix decided to utilize a different medium to display its OOH message this year. For the launch of its new Super Leakproof Underwear, Knix used a New York City dumpster truck to ask women to “stop trashing their periods”, bringing to life its message about feminine hygiene waste.
The campaign gained attention on social media, with people praising its bold message and unique execution – as well as being an example of how to breathe new life into out-of-home advertising during the pandemic
