5
minute read
June 20, 2022 | by PATTISON Outdoor Marketing
Summer is around the corner, and with it comes warmer weather and a wave of momentum for out-of-home (OOH) media. The pandemic posed a significant challenge for marketers everywhere, and the past two years have been turbulent to say the least. 1But there’s a change in the wind: over the last quarter industries like travel services, entertainment, and media have upped their OOH ad spend as they prepare for post-pandemic purchasing habits. In 2022, consumers are craving the in-person brand activations they experienced before COVID-19. And what better format to create these experiences than OOH media?
Overall out-of-home trends in Q1 leading into Q2
Following a rocky 2020, OOH ad spend has increased overall in 2021 and into 2022. In the U.S. alone, it is projected to exceed $300 billion this year. And although digital/online media growth slowed in early 2022, out-of-home experienced a strong start to the year, with spend up 19% this past quarter—an impressive number if you consider the format was down 44% in 2021 as a direct result of the pandemic.1 As audiences return to riding public transportation, air travel, and commuting to the office, marketers are ramping up by leveraging OOH formats across multiple channels
Canadians are back to commuting and traveling
Mobility within Canadian cities has increased steadily over the past year as commuters and tourists resume travel. On roadways and highways, traffic congestion is a familiar sight with levels in major cities nearing 2019 peaks (Source: Tom Tom Traffic Congestion Index). Indoor pedestrian commuter walkways are also seeing increases in foot traffic. These pathways in large urban areas, like the PATH in Toronto and Calgary’s +15 Skywalk, are connecting audiences across the country with familiar and new brands alike. And the timing to advertise in Toronto’s PATH proved ideal for Philadelphia Cream Cheese and their engaging, one-of-a-kind OOH activation, “Piano Stairs” in Toronto’s Metro Centre.
Given the ability to reach people in their day-to-day environment, many brands are making use of OOH media to re-establish their presence in the market. This is particularly true with businesses looking to bounce back after COVID-19 budget cuts in ad spend and other marketing activities. Further support that OOH is a go-to and must-have media channel to build awareness broadly and quickly, are brands in entirely new lines of business like iGaming in Ontario. From large format digital screens on busy highways to high impact streetcar murals, this new advertising category bet big on OOH for their brand launches.
Programmatic OOH
Programmatic OOH is revolutionizing the way brands think about out-of-home media. It refers to the automated buying and selling process of media using data-driven, real-time decision making. Gone are the days where marketers treat OOH as an isolated format of advertising; these days, it’s being folded into an omnichannel approach to marketing that includes traditional and non-traditional ad formats.
While the adoption of programmatic OOH had been building in past years, the pandemic really put it into overdrive. Rather than replacing traditional media, marketers are now integrating their brand messaging on OOH with digital channels, often taking a hyper-local approach to target precise audiences. PATTISON’s range of programmatic digital OOH offers vibrant, large format screens to bring your existing campaigns to life. We use data-driven targeting so that you can reach the right audience, at the right time. By adding high impact programmatic displays to your advertising strategy, you’ll reach real-world customers at key touch points throughout their day
Tap into out-of-home media in 2022
When it comes to rebounds, no format is bouncing back like out-of-home media. Ad spend on OOH is growing steadily, with marketers across the board integrating the format as a key facet of their advertising strategy. This year, brands that take advantage of OOH channels will engage their audience in ways digital channels cannot achieve, meaning those that exclude this format will struggle to keep up. For that reason, marketers should keep an eye out for OOH as it continues to adapt to changing consumer behaviours post-pandemic.
To learn about PATTISON’s OOH product offerings and how we can help build your next campaign, contact a sales rep in your area today
Powering Canada’s Out-of-Home advertising with 24,000 Out-of-Home displays across the country and counting,
we connect brands and businesses with Canadians in their local communities, at multiple touchpoints.
Reach out to us to find key Out-of-Home placements for your product or service in markets across Canada.
Powering Canada’s Out-of-Home advertising
with 24,000 Out-of-Home displays across
the country and counting,
we connect brands and businesses with Canadians in their
local communities, at multiple touchpoints.
Reach out to us to find key Out-of-Home placements for
your product or service in markets across Canada.