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Ten rules for Digital OOH

November 12, 2010

Out of Home advertising revenues are on track for double digit growth for 2010, driven in no small part by the growth of digital formats and new technology. Continued investment by media owners, together with increased demand, use of flexibility and the creativity of the agencies behind the campaigns, is all contributing to a healthy year for the sector.

Out of Home advertising revenues are on track for double digit growth for 2010, driven in no small part by the growth of digital formats and new technology. Continued investment by media owners, together with increased demand, use of flexibility and the creativity of the agencies behind the campaigns, is all contributing to a healthy year for the sector.

But it is still crucial to remember that despite the considerable boost digital has brought to the industry, it must still be used with relevance and targeting in mind and not simply implemented as standard for every campaign.

Kinetic has identified ten key rules that should be adhered to when planning digital OOH campaigns.

1. Consider your environment, length of exposure, and time of day, and make copy relevant to it.

Arguably the most important benefit of digital or posters is the ability to plan a campaign according to time  of day and the specific environment the panel is in, so take the best possible advantage of that. Being able to tailor a campaign cannot fail to enhance its targeting and so improve the client’s ROI.

2.  Creative should be consumable at a glance.
An audience won’t hang around to read many OOH messages so ensure they don’t have to.

3. Basic animated copy attracts more attention than static ads or full video copy.
A Kinetic research project at London Bridge station showed animated digital sites attracted up to 22% more attention than static poster sites. Meanwhile our digital malls research earlier this year showed animated copy captured 9% more glances than static digital copy.

4. Consider content sponsorship or dynamic and “as live” copy to further engage audience.
Exploit the benefits of the medium by pushing the creative boundaries – it doesn’t just have to be straight ads.

5. Combine digital OOH with mobile mechanisms for interaction and added accountability.
By 2013 mobile internet browsing will exceed fixed internet use but already mobile phones are playing an increasingly important role in people’s lives. The Social Pioneers study carried out by Kinetic and JCDecaux showed youngsters are impatient for the next level of mobile interaction from brands.

6. Consider the inclusion of interactive technologies e.g. gesture recognition, multi touch or augmented reality to move communication from passive to active. Cut through is crucial in today’s fragmented media scene and by including interactive technology in your campaign you will not only attract more attention from consumers but will also position the brand as original and forward thinking.

7. Buy smart: day-part and day-specific campaigns can reduce entry cost.
Tactical campaigns can be attractive to a wide range of advertisers, including those who do not typically spend on traditional OOH; they can maximise targeting and minimise wastage.

8.Where possible, combine digital OOH with standard OOH for maximum reach and cost efficiency. Remember, digital is not the be all and end all. It is a great medium and adds significant value where appropriate but traditional poster sites should not be overlooked. An integrated campaign is the best way to achieve mass coverage cost effectively.  

9. Use Accelerator to control the copy delivery process.
Officially launched in October, Accelerator is an online digital OOH copy formatting and delivery system designed to simplify the delivery of copy to multiple contact points, across a complex and fragmented market. It provides a centralised service that allows digital OOH campaigns to be delivered more efficiently and effectively, from issuing artwork deadlines and specifications, through to copy testing, encoding and copy trafficking.

10. Accountability: ensure compliance/playout guarantees are in place.
Established digital OOH networks are tried and tested, but with new formats and networks ensure that accountability measures are in place.