Making News

(May 17, 2007)

OUT-OF-HOME ADVERTISING COMES OUT ON TOP

Managing brands today requires a creative portfolio that goes beyond the traditional one page ad in a magazine or 30-second spot on television. While outlets such as the Internet have been booming in recent years…for some products nothing has quite the same impact on consumers as non-traditional contact that impacts an audience on the move. With spending in this segment at an all time high, use of traditional advertising messaging slowing, and an ever increasing cluttered market, out-of-home advertising is taking on the marketplace.

According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), in 2006 advertisers spent nearly 7 billion dollars on outdoor advertising and this figure is on track to grow by eight percent this year. The medium works for local attractions and sites, regional and national brands. Mainly designed to impact regular travelers on certain routes and in certain areas, a campaign that employs simple messaging and visual impact that evoke emotion and get people talking works the best.

While out-of-home advertising continues to grow, network TV, radio and newspaper advertising is expected to remain flat. Also reported by the OAAA, some of the top outdoor spenders for 2006 were, McDonalds, Cingular, Verizon Long Distance, and General Motors. It is evident that even the big players know the importance and power of reaching people in motion.

Non-traditional advertising options include a whole host of options to get the attention of consumers. These include billboards, posters and wall murals, along with placements in or on arenas, stadiums, planes, buses, store fronts, subways, and even on the beach.

Making great use of their advertising resources, Starbucks, in conjunction with Clear Channel Taxi Media fitted 100 signature coffee cups with magnets and placed them on top of Boston taxi cabs. As the cab drove away from the curb on-lookers would yell and point at the seemingly forgotten cup riding on the roof. Following along this creative avenue was a truck repair shop. Owner Cliff Wilkins placed an upside down eight-ton semi at mile 211 of Oklahoma’s Interstate 35. Even though Wilkins can’t quantify its impact on his sales, he gets about half a dozen inquiries about the advertising “vehicle” every week.

Campaigns like these get people talking and bring awareness to brands in a way that traditional advertising just can’t match. As consumers become harder to reach, advertisers must think outside of the usual outlets. Out-of-home advertising is one way to do that and make a daily impact.

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