Product News | October 11, 2021

Out-of-Home Data Capabilities: A Marketer’s Guide to Measurement, Attribution, and Audience Extension

With out-of-home (OOH) advertising projected to grow 11.5% globally by the end of the year, measuring campaign performance has become more important than ever. Historically perceived as trailing behind digital channels in measurement capabilities, technology advancements are driving significant transformation in the industry. Once limited to estimated impressions and ad plays, campaign analytics have expanded to offer more comprehensive insights into performance. Additionally, enhanced OOH measurement and attribution capabilities enable advertisers to gather privacy-compliant data to extend their reach beyond physical screens to target audiences across multiple platforms.

This guide dives into the evolving metrics and analytics in OOH and digital OOH (DOOH), showcasing how the industry is leveraging technology to achieve more measurable campaign outcomes. We’ll also cover how advertisers can leverage data from OOH campaigns to retarget audiences across digital channels through audience extension.

Why accurate (D)OOH measurement is critical for campaign success

In OOH, audience measurement is generally governed by established industry bodies like the World Out-of-Home Organization (WOO), Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), and Media Rating Council (MRC), which help ensure that measurement is consistent and comparable to other media channels as called for by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s). Industry organizations like Geopath in the US, OMA in Australia, ROUTE in Europe and Out of Home Measurement Council (OHMC) in South Africa implement rigorous data collection and reporting standards for their respective markets. These standards ensure consistent, accurate measurement across campaigns, geographies, and media owners.

Before the adoption of programmatic DOOH, advertisers had to analyze campaign performance across different venue types and media owners by requesting individual reports from each publisher. Programmatic DOOH streamlines this process by providing centralized, real-time data and automated reporting, simplifying evaluation and saving time and resources. This approach offers a comprehensive view of brand KPIs and campaign effectiveness, enabling more strategic decision-making. Additionally, it allows for real-time adjustments and optimization of ongoing campaigns based on factors like location, time, format, and ad creative, enhancing overall performance.

OOH measurement and attribution also support audience and campaign extension by providing detailed data on audience demographics and behaviour, which can be used to retarget audiences via other channels. 

Understanding measurement & attribution in digital out-of-home

(D)OOH offers a range of data capabilities that can provide valuable insights into campaign performance. Understanding which specific metrics you want to track and measure ahead of time will make it easier to design and evaluate the campaign’s overall success. Let’s dive into the data capabilities within OOH.

Measurement

Measurement in out-of-home advertising involves gathering and analyzing data to assess the audience profile, impressions, reach, frequency, and optimized media mix to ensure the effective delivery of campaigns. This process provides valuable insights that enable advertisers to optimize their strategies and maximize return on investment (ROI), often without needing an additional data partner. Key metrics include:

  • Impressions: Measured by a research company or industry organization, impressions are the number of times an ad is viewed by individuals around a (D)OOH display.
  • Ad plays: The number of times a specific advertisement is displayed or shown on a screen within a given period.
  • Reach: The total number of unique people who see the ad.
  • Frequency: The average number of times a person sees the ad.
  • Engagement: This includes both direct interactions, like scanning QR codes, and passive methods like targeted mobile surveys to measure attribution, brand perception, and audience interest in sharing or learning more about the ad they encountered.

Since out-of-home is a one-to-many medium, the impression multiplier acts as a DOOH-specific multiplication index applied to each play on every screen, giving advertisers an idea of how many impressions are delivered in a single ad play.

Attribution

In digital out-of-home, attribution goes beyond measurement by linking exposure to specific consumer actions, like visiting a website, making a purchase, or downloading an app. It aims to identify the impact of OOH ads on the customer journey. 

Attribution also helps advertisers understand how OOH contributes to broader marketing goals and how it interacts with other media to drive conversions and sales. A DOOH expert can help you execute any of these attribution analyses by providing access to third-party measurement partners. Types of attribution include Brand Lift, Foot Traffic, Web/App Lift, and Sales Lift.

Brand Lift

Brand lift studies measure a DOOH campaign’s impact on overall brand metrics and KPIs like ad recall, attribution, awareness, perception, brand familiarity, ad clarity, consideration, and intent. Brand lift studies are served to audiences exposed to a campaign based on their proximity to the OOH screens. These audiences are then invited to take a brief online survey that measures the ad’s performance. These studies are beneficial for advertisers as they provide concrete data on the effectiveness of their campaigns, allowing for data-driven adjustments and optimizations to enhance future marketing efforts.

Brand lift study partners, like Happydemics and MFour, start by identifying survey broadcast zones based on the geo-locations of digital OOH screens. GDPR-compliant methods are used to collect survey answers through in-app and mobile ads targeting consumers in these areas. The uplift is then measured by comparing responses from those who recall the ad (exposed group) to those who do not (control group), with both groups matched for age and gender.

Brand Lift Study In-Action: How Sea-Doo Leveraged Digital OOH to Drive a 144% Lift in Purchase Consideration

Sea-Doo, a brand of personal watercraft and boats manufactured by Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), wanted to boost awareness, purchase consideration, and share of voice in Florida. To reach its core audience of personal watercraft, pontoon, and fishing enthusiasts, the brand turned to programmatic DOOH to activate ads across outdoor and indoor place-based venues. A brand lift study was conducted in partnership with Broadsign and Happydemics, measuring the campaign’s impact on metrics like brand image and consideration. The results? A 130% uplift in positive brand image and a 144% uplift in purchase consideration. Read the case study.

Foot Traffic Attribution

Foot traffic studies offer immediate attribution by mapping audience travel patterns before and after exposure to specific screens or points of interest. Brands with physical locations commonly use this type of measurement to evaluate the increase in in-store visits following DOOH exposure. By understanding foot traffic, advertisers can assess the real-world effectiveness of OOH campaigns in driving actual visits to their locations, establishing a direct link between the advertisement and physical store visits.

Tracking foot traffic also analyzes optimal conversion paths, helping to determine which (D)OOH inventory converts to in-store visits. This insight allows marketers to tailor and optimize campaigns for maximum impact and effectiveness. With a comprehensive view of a campaign’s impact, advertisers can refine their strategies based on data about which locations or creative elements drive the most visits, leading to more effective future campaigns.

Foot traffic measurement partners like Spotzi, Accretive, and Arrivalist, use location-based data from mobile devices, which tracks movement patterns before and after ad exposure. This data is then analyzed to measure changes in visits to specific locations, indicating the effectiveness of the advertising campaign.

Foot Traffic Study In-Action: Digital Out-of-Home Campaign Drove 400,000 store visits for Holt Renfrew 

Holt Renfrew, Canada’s largest fashion and lifestyle retailer, wanted to drive consumers to its stores in major cities nationwide. With measurement partner Spotzi, over 200 screens were selected in target locations. An exposure radius was applied to collect a sample of mobile devices exposed to the DOOH ads that subsequently appeared in a Holt Renfrew retail location. The campaign resulted in a 7% weekly rate of consumers who visited the retailer post-ad exposure and yielded nearly 400,000 total store visits. Read the case study.

Web & App Lift

Measuring web and app lift involves tracking and analyzing various metrics to understand the impact of OOH campaigns on digital interactions, like visiting a website or downloading an app. This helps advertisers better understand cross-channel behaviour and optimize campaign effectiveness. 

Vendors like Accretive, Outcomes, and Mira deploy tracking pixels on a website or software development kit (SDK) of a mobile app. These pixels collect privacy-compliant data on user interactions, like visits and downloads, before, during, and after the campaign. By comparing this data, the brand can quantify the increase in online interactions directly attributed to the DOOH ads, determining the web and app lift.

Sales Lift

A sales lift study in digital out-of-home measures a campaign’s impact on actual sales performance. By comparing sales data from areas exposed to the OOH ads with data from similar areas that were not exposed, advertisers can determine the effectiveness of their campaign in driving sales.

For example, if a snack brand runs an OOH campaign across several city locations, the brand would track sales in stores within the advertised areas versus in non-advertised areas over the same period. By analyzing the difference in sales growth between these two groups, the brand can determine the incremental sales attributed to the DOOH campaign.

Expanding campaign reach with audience extension

Audience extension expands the reach of campaigns by using data from OOH campaigns to retarget audiences across digital channels. It allows advertisers to continue engaging with people who have seen their OOH ads, reinforcing the message and increasing the chances of conversion. Types include:

QR Code Extension

QR codes on DOOH ads offer an interactive and accurate way to measure engagement by tracking the number of codes scanned and sequential offers delivered based on interactions. They also allow for A/B performance testing and help measure converted sales that can be directly attributed to each campaign, providing real-time data on audience interest and behaviours. 

Through providers like ACTV8me, brands and advertisers can create interactive experiences by incorporating dynamic sequential QR codes into creatives. When viewers scan a participating QR code with their mobile device’s camera, they’re redirected to a microsite where they can immediately redeem offers or save them to mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Once saved, users receive reminders and notifications when promotions are about to expire or near an activated point of interest, such as a store or restaurant. Engagement data is then collected, saved, and delivered to the advertiser for analysis. This increases engagement while adding a layer of attribution measurement that helps evaluate OOH ad performance with real-time consumer data.

Here’s an example of QR code activation in OOH: A popular fast-food chain launched a QR code activation campaign to promote its new menu items. The campaign was displayed on 10,000 digital screens at bus stops and train stations in major cities for three months, resulting in over 20 million impressions per month. When commuters scanned the QR codes, they were directed to a microsite offering exclusive discounts on the new menu items. The campaign’s measurable data showed a 15% increase in app downloads and a 20% boost in sales for the new items, demonstrating the effectiveness of the QR code activation.

Omnichannel Retargeting via Mobile Ad ID

Omnichannel retargeting via Mobile Ad ID (MAID) involves collecting mobile devices detected near OOH ads to gather data on those users, which is then used to retarget them with personalized ads on their mobile devices and other digital platforms. This method ensures continuous engagement by reinforcing the initial OOH message through multiple digital touchpoints, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Data partners like NativeTouch capture data from mobile devices that come into proximity with OOH ads, including mobile ad IDs, enabling the quick retargeting of audiences while the DOOH campaign is still in flight. 

MAID/ Device ID Passback

Including mobile retargeting in your omnichannel strategy is one of the best ways to amplify your campaign. Data experts specializing in device ID passback capture device IDs when audiences enter defined location boundaries. This data is then analyzed and translated into qualified audience profiles, which can later be retargeted with mobile ads via your DSP. Capturing exposed device IDs can enable additional measurement of how your DOOH campaign impacted other media channels.

Data experts like Spotzi and Connected Interactive gather mobile devices detected within a geofenced area where consumers have an opportunity to see the campaign. Those exposed mobile ad IDs (MAIDs) are collected and passed along to the client’s retargeting partner of choice. The captured mobile device IDs are then analyzed to create detailed audience profiles, enabling advertisers to retarget consumers exposed to the campaign and further extend their reach among their target audience segments with their preferred provider.

Let’s take an example of a smartphone brand launching a new model: The brand places digital OOH billboards in high-traffic areas like shopping malls and city centers. When potential customers pass these billboards, their mobile device IDs are captured. The data partner then analyzes this data to create detailed audience profiles, identifying individuals who frequently visit these areas and are likely interested in the latest technology. Using this information, the smartphone brand targets these individuals with personalized ads on their mobile devices, highlighting features of the new smartphone model and offering special promotions. 

Out-of-home measurement, attribution, and extension have advanced significantly over the years. From traditional metrics to sophisticated digital tracking methods, today’s OOH campaigns can provide detailed insights into audience engagement and campaign effectiveness. Techniques like QR code activations, foot traffic analysis, sales lift studies, and omnichannel retargeting have revolutionized how advertisers connect with and understand their audiences. As technology continues to evolve, the potential for OOH advertising to deliver highly targeted and measurable results will only grow, offering advertisers even greater opportunities to optimize their strategies and maximize their return on investment.

Want to learn more about leveraging industry-standard solutions to report on DOOH campaigns and gain key audience insights? Register for our upcoming webinar Attribution for DOOH Advertising!

Product News | October 11, 2021

How Elevision enhanced its sales strategy and media operations with the Broadsign Platform

With the ability to easily reach large audiences in unique and impactful ways, out-of-home (OOH) advertising has been widely adopted in the United Arab Emirates. Regularly included in major media plans, ad spending for OOH in the region is projected to reach AED 1.6 billion (USD 435 million) in 2024. 

Static out-of-home advertising remains the dominant format, providing unparalleled visibility in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, characterized by active highways, high-traffic streets, and vibrant commercial zones. That said, digital out-of-home (DOOH) is rapidly gaining traction in the region. This shift is fuelled by technological advancements that meet advertisers’ demands for more dynamic and eye-catching formats and the increased use of data and analytics to deliver more targeted and contextually relevant ads to intended audiences.

With DOOH ad spending expected to grow annually at a rate of 9.5% by 2028, media owners who digitize their networks early stand to gain a competitive edge. One company leading the digitization of OOH in the UAE is Elevision. Founded in 2011, the DOOH native media owner’s network includes both elevator and large-format screens, totalling 1920 screens across 575 locations. Its combined network provides advertisers with over 850,000 daily viewers, totalling 14.5 million daily impressions.

Advertisers choose Elevision for their premium audiences and locations

Initially, Elevision’s network consisted of elevator screens in high-end residential and commercial buildings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Over the last four years, large-format DOOH screens have been added to its network and expanded into premium business districts, including the Dubai International Financial Centre and the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Having built its network across premium areas, Elevision provides advertisers access to affluent demographics, audience segments and profiles. Moreover, the elevator environment offers meaningful targeting at scale. In addition to easily reaching over 500,000 people daily, DOOH elevator screens are a high dwell-time and high-frequency format, efficiently providing high ad recall rates. The ability to combine precise audience targeting with extensive reach has made Elevision the go-to network for connecting with audiences. 

Elevision’s elevator screens
Elevision’s elevator screens

Another significant benefit of working with Elevision is the detailed reporting of DOOH campaigns through its custom reporting platform. Launched last year, the platform gives clients access to real-time data to monitor their campaigns’ performance, including ad plays, reach, and impression volume. These real-time insights enable advertisers to remain agile by adjusting their strategies while campaigns are in flight, ensuring business objectives are met.

How Broadsign Guaranteed Campaigns helped optimize their sales strategy and media operations

Before partnering with Broadsign, Elevision had worked with two other digital signage software providers. However, as its network expanded and its content strategy became more complex to meet advertisers’ needs, its existing solution struggled to scale with its growing business. Having found that Broadsign offered a more robust technology stack with advanced features, the company decided to onboard its network onto the Broadsign Platform. 

With Broadsign’s CMS, which follows a rule-based approach rather than a playlist-based one, Elevision only requires two administrators to keep its network of over 1,900 screens up and running. One feature it particularly relies on is Broadsign Live, which allows administrators to take real-time action at a distance. With on-demand player polling, they no longer need to wait for the poll period for changes to take effect. The administrators can also capture what’s displayed on their screens in real-time through the player monitoring centre, allowing them to verify that updates or dynamic content are rendered properly.

Elevision also chose Broadsign for its campaign planning and management capabilities, accessible through the Guaranteed Campaigns module, as it’s the only solution on the market to offer real-time inventory visibility, flexible campaign types and an optimization engine all in one platform. With Broadsign’s Enterprise plan, Elevision’s sales team can now view real-time inventory availability and fill rates, as well as projected impressions and CPMs simultaneously when selecting screens. Previously, when the sales team needed to schedule upcoming campaigns, the media operations team would have to manually search screen availability for specific locations within a given timeframe through a spreadsheet.

“The ability to see inventory availability in real-time through Broadsign Guaranteed Campaigns has reshaped the sales team’s pricing activities,” said Eamon Sallam, Chief Operating Officer at Elevision. “They can now see when screens are at 90% fill rate versus 30%, giving them more confidence in how they apply their pricing and discounts. Scheduling features within Guaranteed Campaigns have also provided the sales team with valuable tools to build more tactical proposals to better meet the needs of clients.”

Furthermore, access to flexible campaign types, including share of voice and goal-based (impression, plays, budget) campaigns, has opened inventory to a new set of buyers: programmatic advertisers looking to buy guaranteed impression-based OOH campaigns. With the impression goal campaign type, advertisers can decide how many people they’d like to see their ad. Broadsign’s optimization engine enables campaigns to be dynamically reallocated across the selected inventory, ensuring delivery goals are met despite inventory availability or demand changes.

The Guaranteed Campaigns module has also helped Elevision automate much of its manual campaign management process. Using one platform for campaign planning and management has made the handoff of campaigns between sales and media operations seamless. Once the sales team has booked the campaign, the media operations team can make any necessary changes to the campaigns directly in the platform, like locations, flight dates, and creatives. 

Another capability that Elevision relies on is Broadsign’s APIs to feed its custom reporting platform. Broadsign has over 100 active API integrations and is considered the most open platform in the industry, with just about every feature accessible. Using the API integrations from Broadsign’s CMS and Guaranteed Campaigns, Elevision is able to provide advertisers with comprehensive data on campaign performance. 

More recently, Elevision worked on enhancing its reporting capabilities for programmatic OOH campaigns as that subset of advertisers had much higher expectations of reporting coming from online environments. Now, the media owner’s reporting dashboard not only shows ad plays, impressions and gross spend for programmatic campaigns but also audience reach and demographic segmentations, providing the same granular reporting as its directly sold campaigns. 

What we can expect from Elevision in the coming years

What’s next for Elevision? The company intends to double its network in the next three years. In the UAE, it plans to add more large-format and elevator DOOH screens in another premium business district. It also plans to continue global expansion, having already installed over 100 elevator DOOH screens in a newly built luxury residential community in London. 

While still ahead of the curve with real-time reporting, Elevision’s next goal is to close the gap of attribution in OOH. In collaboration with some of its advertisers, the company has begun running case studies to demonstrate how the results from OOH campaigns contribute to campaign objectives. 

Want to grow your out-of-home network? Schedule a live demo to see how we can help make that happen!

Product News | October 11, 2021

How much does a billboard cost?

Despite out-of-home (OOH) advertising increasing by 6.8% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the previous year, one of the first questions we’re often asked by media buyers remains: “How much does outdoor advertising cost?” and, more specifically, “How much does it cost to get my ad on a billboard?”

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t straightforward, as billboard advertising costs vary and depend on several factors, including location, circulation, size, format, and audience demographics. Traditional (i.e., static) billboards, however, can run from $1,000 to $2,000 a month for campaigns in rural areas, $1,500-$5,000 in small to midsize cities, and $14,000 and up in larger markets. Digital billboards, on the other hand, which often feature four or five adverts that alternate during a single, 60-second period, can cost anywhere from $770 per month to over $10,000 a day, depending on the billboard’s location, ad duration, and frequency.

Looking for a specific city? Explore popular billboard locations here.

In this comprehensive guide, we unravel the key determinants shaping billboard advertising cost, demystifying concepts like CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions) and exploring approaches and tactics to help businesses maximize their return on investment. We’ve also divided this blog into sections so you can easily find the information you’re looking for.

Benefits of billboard advertising

Billboard advertising is a popular form of OOH advertising that can effectively reach a wide audience. Some of the notable advantages of billboard advertising include:

High visibility: Billboards are large and visually striking (see our favourite OOH and billboard ads), making them difficult to ignore. They can capture the attention of drivers, pedestrians, and public transit users. According to the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), 81% of U.S. travelers have noticed a billboard in the past month and 80% have noticed OOH ads in the past week.

Wide reach: Billboards located in high-traffic areas like highways, city centers, and busy streets can reach a broad audience, including people from various demographics. This includes people who might not be reachable through online advertising. As a result, billboards can be a powerful, cost-effective way to create brand awareness and reinforce brand recognition over time.

Unskippable and ad-block-proof: The tangible nature of billboards means they can’t be easily dismissed like a pop-up or banner ad on a screen. This physical presence makes them a more persistent and memorable form of advertising. According to Solomon Partners’ 2023 benchmark report, OOH produces the highest levels of consumer recall compared to other media channels — surpassing traditional mediums like print, podcasts/radio, and television, as well as online executions via desktop and mobile. 

Contextual relevance: Billboards can be strategically placed in specific locations to target local audiences effectively or leverage proximity to relevant locations, like placing a restaurant ad near a highway exit leading to the restaurant. This is especially impactful considering that over two-thirds (68%) of U.S. shoppers notice OOH ads while en route to retailers or right outside a store.

Drives real-world action: Nearly 80% of consumers have engaged with an OOH ad in the past 60 days, according to an OAAA and Morning Consult survey. Over three-quarters (76%) used a mobile device to learn more about a product featured in an OOH ad, just over half (51%) used their mobile device to search for more information about an advertiser, and 43% made an online purchase.

Traditional (static) billboards vs digital billboards

Physical billboards offer several advantages over digital billboards. For one, physical billboards are often easier to set up since the infrastructure has been in place for decades in the US. Additionally, printed advertisements are not susceptible to glitches or power outages, unlike their digital counterparts.

However, digital billboards have their own set of benefits. They are more dynamic, often animated, and can be more attention-grabbing. Digital billboards can also be targeted based on the time of day and other factors, making them more effective in some cases. Moreover, digital ads provide affordable billboard options for small businesses with limited budgets since you’re splitting the cost with other advertisers for a shared display.

Let’s take a look at the characteristics of each type:

Static billboards

  • High-visibility, especially in high-traffic areas
  • Broad, mass audience reach
  • Long-term exposure
  • Localized geographic targeting
  • Low content flexibility, static content
  • Low ad fraud and ad blocker vulnerability
  • Typically has a lower CPM

Digital billboards

  • High-visibility, especially in high-traffic areas
  • Broad, mass audience reach
  • Long-term exposure, but ads can change frequently
  • Localized, specific locations OR highly precise audience- and location-based targeting
  • High content flexibility
  • Low ad fraud and ad blocker vulnerability
  • Cost is variable depending on location and ad duration

Understanding CPM for billboards

In the world of billboard advertising, CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions) plays a vital role in determining the cost-effectiveness and reach of an outdoor campaign. It’s a widely used metric that calculates an advertiser’s cost for every one thousand impressions received on a billboard. 

Impressions represent the number of times an ad is potentially viewed by people passing by. Essentially, one impression is meant to correspond to one person viewing the billboard one time, making CPM a critical measure of an ad’s efficiency in capturing the attention of its target audience. 

To calculate CPM rates for billboards in out-of-home (OOH) advertising, advertisers need to divide the total cost of the billboard campaign by the number of impressions it generates (in thousands). For example, if a billboard campaign costs $5,000 and generates 300,000 impressions, the CPM would be calculated as follows:

CPM = (Total Cost of Campaign / Impressions) x 1000

CPM = ($5,000 / 300) x 1000

CPM = $16.67

Though this is a good illustrative example, in reality, the average CPM for billboards tends to be much lower, especially in comparison to other media. According to Solomon Partners’ 2023 Media Trends Report, in the U.S., you can expect to pay an average of USD$2-9 per thousand impressions for an OOH bulletin, poster, transit shelter, or digital place-based ad. This variability in pricing means it’s important to understand just where and when you want to reach people with an OOH campaign before you set a budget. OOH inventory is found in cities, roadside, and malls – they’re a part of our daily landscape and provide a level of visibility not available to other types of media. 

A busy New York City street with various billboards around. One looks like a giant Tweet with the words "Is this thing on?"
Billboard ad pricing is often based in part on the number of people expected to see an ad while it appears

Want to dig into OOH metrics a little deeper? Check out this blog post.

Factors affecting billboard costs

There are a number of variables that impact the CPM for billboards, including the location of the billboard, its size, traffic volume in the area, and the type of audience it attracts. By comprehending the factors influencing CPM and optimizing their campaigns accordingly, advertisers can strike the right balance between cost and reach, ultimately enhancing their ROI on billboard advertising.

Billboard location

It should come as no surprise that one of the major elements that determine the price of a billboard is its location. After all, a prominent and highly visible location constitutes a decisive benefit for your business – the right spot means your messaging can reach thousands.

If a billboard is located in a premium area like an urban center, it’ll likely cost more than it would in other locations. Similarly, a placement installed along a major roadway will affect pricing, too. Also, the side of the road your OOH signage is located on will also have an impact, as the signage will either be directly visible to oncoming traffic or not. Additionally, market saturation might lead to more competitive pricing in areas with a high concentration of billboards as advertisers vie for limited premium spaces.

The “right” location for an ad is going to depend heavily on what is being advertised. While a fast-fashion ad will feel right at home in the heart of Times Square, you wouldn’t likely be purchasing space for the same product along a rural highway. 

Billboard sizes

Billboard size matters significantly in pricing. Larger billboards offer more prominent displays and greater visual impact, leading to higher costs compared to smaller ones. Advertisers must strike a balance between size, location, and budget to find the most effective combination for their marketing objectives.

Billboards come in many different shapes and dimensions, but we’ll break them down into basic categories to give you an idea of what to expect:

Spectaculars

These spectacularly large billboards are specially designed to grab attention in high-traffic areas like Times Square. 

Common sizes include:

  • 20’ h x 60’ w
  • 16’ h x 60’ w

Because they’re typically used by large national brands with equally spectacular advertising budgets, they can have custom dimensions and often use special effects to guarantee people will stop and take notice.

While these are, as advertised, spectacularly huge, they can also be spectacularly expensive. Luckily, most businesses probably don’t need something quite this huge to achieve their campaign goals.

Time Square’s spectacular billboards

Bulletins

The most popular billboard size (and likely the type most people picture when they hear the word “billboard”), bulletins are best suited for large roads and busy highways. 

Though not quite as big as a spectacular, they’re still very large and eye-catching—and are available to rent in many more locations around the country.

Standard bulletin sizes:

  • 14’ h x 48’ w
  • 10’ h x 40’ w
  • 10’6” h x 36’ w

Average CPM (according to the OAAA):

  • Static: $3-6
  • Digital: up to $8

When renting a bulletin, there are considerations beyond size and location—for example, longevity. Bulletins are also large enough that, like spectaculars, they can be customized in eye-catching ways. Just keep in mind that any kind of customization = more time and added installation and design costs.

Chick-fil-A’s Cow Campaign bulletin

Posters

If your goal is more targeted advertising, a poster (also called a 30 sheet) or a junior poster (also called an 8 sheet) are both options that are a bit smaller than a bulletin and better suited for smaller spaces and local roads. 

While these placements may not be seen by as many people, by being more targeted they can prove more effective in helping you achieve certain campaign goals.

Standard poster sizes:

  • 12’3” x 24’6” w
  • 6” x 12’ w (junior)

Average CPM (according to the OAAA):

  • Static: $2-6
  • Digital: up to $7
Carlsberg Advertising Campaign: Probably The Best Poster In The World

Billboard traffic count

Another consideration in the pricing of billboard advertising is circulation, since the volume of traffic passing by a billboard (i.e., its traffic count) directly affects its value. This metric tracks the number of passersby exposed to a billboard or out-of-home signage in a specific region or market. Higher traffic counts translate to more impressions and potential customer exposure, making billboards in heavily travelled areas more expensive. 

Media owners work with local municipalities and transportation authorities to count the number of cars going by, tracking the circulation rate while considering certain elements. For example, if the vehicle is moving past the billboard in the morning, it’s typically presumed that the driver is alone in the car as they are likely commuting to work. That means it’s a single view. Many of the newer, more technologically advanced digital billboards also include in-screen data sensors that can help provide a more accurate traffic count and aid in measuring the number of delivered impressions.

Within the industry, innovation and first-party data integration have led to improved measurement and understanding of these metrics, with a growing number of companies and third-party software providers increasingly performing deep analyses to accurately assess any particular billboard’s traffic count and circulation.

Takeaway: Higher traffic counts = more potential customer exposure and typically higher pricing.

Circulation is yet another factor that plays into the pricing of billboard advertising.

Audience demographics

As is the case with many different advertising formats, demographics are going to play a part in the pricing of your signage.

Demographics determine the breakdown of age, gender, purchasing habits and income bracket for potential consumers. Pooling and analyzing these metrics can help advertisers recognize who is more likely to see their ad.

An example of when audience demographics come into play is when you have a billboard that’s positioned near an affluent part of town or in an environment in which a lot of affluent people work. These billboards will be more likely to cost a little more, given that the neighbourhood’s residents probably have higher disposable income.

Takeaway: Attributes of a billboard’s audience demographics that can increase OOH ad pricing include:

  • Affluence/higher disposable income
  • Strategically positioned to target a specific demographic group
  • Demand for proximate audience types

Seasonal demand

The seasonal demand for certain billboards can also influence pricing. For instance, billboards near popular vacation spots might experience increased rates during peak tourist seasons. On the other hand, some advertisers may opt for off-peak periods to secure more cost-effective campaigns.

Additional expenses and considerations

Beyond the base cost of billboard advertising, there are several additional expenses and crucial considerations that advertisers must take into account to execute successful OOH campaigns. 

Billboard design plays a pivotal role in catching the attention of passersby, and investing in captivating visuals and compelling messaging is essential. However, this incurs its own costs, ranging from graphic design fees to high-quality printing expenses. It is vital to allocate a portion of the budget for a professional, eye-catching billboard design that effectively conveys the intended message.

If you decide to go with a static billboard, then production and installation costs are other critical factors to consider when planning your campaign. Crafting a durable billboard that can withstand various weather conditions is crucial for ensuring its longevity and message retention. The production process may involve weatherproofing materials and additional construction expenses to ensure the billboard remains in optimal condition throughout the campaign’s duration.

Additionally, advertisers must carefully review the contract details with the billboard owner or operator, as hidden or unforeseen fees might arise, impacting the overall campaign budget. 

Streamline campaign creation & activation to optimize ROI

Maximizing the return on investment is the ultimate goal for any advertising campaign, and billboard advertising offers a powerful avenue to achieve just that. But in the rapidly evolving OOH landscape, mastering the art of campaign creation and activation is crucial to unlocking optimal ROI.

Campaign planning & asset creation

To optimize ROI with OOH billboards, businesses must begin with strategic planning. Thoroughly researching target audience demographics, traffic patterns, and competitor insights will help advertisers identify prime billboard locations that guarantee maximum visibility and engagement. 

Crafting compelling and memorable creative content is equally crucial, as it can captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression. By aligning the billboard’s message with the brand’s identity and campaign objectives, businesses can foster stronger connections with potential customers, ultimately enhancing ROI.

Leveraging data to track & maximize impact

Measuring campaign effectiveness is another critical step in optimizing ROI for OOH billboard advertising. Employing tools like unique URLs or dedicated QR codes in the billboard design can help track the response and impact of the campaign. Regularly analyzing campaign performance and adjusting strategies based on the collected data can help fine-tune billboard placements, creative elements and overall messaging to deliver better results.

Additionally, leveraging digital billboards that allow dynamic content changes based on time of day or audience demographics enables advertisers to adapt their messages for maximum relevance, further boosting ROI. And while it’s not, strictly speaking, a prerequisite for running dynamic ads on digital out-of-home billboards, programmatic enablement (pDOOH) gives advertisers additional opportunities to launch dynamic and interactive DOOH campaigns. 

READ ALSO: Dynamic digital OOH: Powering compelling advertising experiences through context, not cookies

Activate campaigns at scale with dedicated OOH tools & software

Programmatic digital OOH offers streamlined campaign management and seamless integration into broader campaigns through omnichannel or specific demand-side platforms (DSPs). These user-friendly tools enable advertisers to quickly move from idea to execution, ensuring an easy and cost-effective turnaround.

Technology is also helping to simplify and streamline the turnaround for static billboards, which continue to depend on labour-intensive buying processes and typically involve a lot of back-and-forth emails and phone calls. With the introduction of dedicated static campaign management software, media owners now have access to things like real-time inventory availability and streamlined scheduling tools, allowing them to create and deliver static billboard campaigns faster, which can also help you save money on overall turnaround costs. 

By continuously refining their approach and making data-driven decisions, and by choosing a media partner or DSP that’s equipped to handle any kind of billboard campaign request, businesses can unlock the full potential of OOH billboard advertising to achieve remarkable ROI and make a significant impact in the market.

Ready to get started with OOH? Explore popular billboard locations and inventory packages here!

Product News | October 11, 2021

White Claw’s programmatic digital out-of-home campaign drives 74% lift in purchase consideration for vodka launch

Following its major growth after entering the hard seltzer market in 2016, global alcohol brand White Claw now holds over 50% U.S. market share in the category. 

Created and manufactured under the Mark Anthony Group, the brand’s popularity surged with the release of White Claw Original, quickly becoming a favourite among millennials and young adults. It later expanded its offerings to include various hard seltzer and hard iced tea products like White Claw Surf™, White Claw Surge™, and White Claw Iced Tea™. 

With a strong identity and loyal customer base, the brand sought to raise awareness for the launch of White Claw Spirits™ Premium Vodka, its first product in the spirits category. To do this, White Claw worked with agency partner Haworth Marketing + Media to run a programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH) campaign through Broadsign’s supply-side platform (SSP).

Objective & Strategy

Looking to drive impressions and sales, the DOOH campaign featured high-impact, high-energy ads starring actor and comedian JB Smoove. Made up of static and digital inventory, it was executed as part of the brand’s ‘Smooove Thoughts’ omnichannel campaign alongside other channels like online video, connected TV, paid social, and display.

The ads ran across major U.S. markets like NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami, Tampa, Dallas, Austin,  Atlanta, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, and Indianapolis. To reach legal drinking-age adults, especially Gen Z, Millennials, and Young Professionals aged 25-44, the brand strategically activated ads in key locations and venue types frequented by its target demographic.

Employing contextual targeting, ads were placed in entertainment venues like bars and casual dining spots, as well as in office buildings, residential apartments, rideshare vehicles including in-car screens and toppers, and on outdoor billboards and urban panels. Additionally, screens with the highest concentration of audiences aged 25 and above were specifically chosen.

Point of interest locations were also included, with White Claw placing ads in a certain radius around bars and liquor stores that carry its vodka line. Ad creative featured eye-catching visuals with JB Smoove delivering the tagline “White Claw™ Vodka Ain’t Smooth. It’s Smooove”, cleverly reflecting the vodka’s smooth finish. 

Technology Partners

Broadsign leveraged its DOOH expertise to create detailed campaign proposals alongside Haworth, identifying audiences, locations, and other campaign parameters that were then uploaded and executed via an omnichannel DSP.

With the campaign set to run across multiple markets, the proposal included a comprehensive inventory list from several OOH media owners that aligned with the targeting specifications for each geographic area. Since each inventory line included screens from several media owners, operators at the DSP could select and upload curated packages of different environments and venue types, simplifying the campaign setup and cutting down the time it took to activate this complex campaign.

Device IDs exposed to programmatic OOH during the campaign were used as a retargeting audience for programmatic OLV/CTV tactics.

Results

Two brand lift studies were conducted in collaboration with Broadsign and Happydemics to measure the impact of the ads on recall, brand image, and intent. The first campaign flight ran during a four-week period in the summer, from July 12th through August 13th, 2023. The second flight was during the winter campaign from November 20th through December 17th, 2023.

Big impact on brand preference

Being a new product at the beginning of the campaign, White Claw™ Vodka entered the market with a lower brand preference rating among consumers. Following the first campaign flight, the brand saw a +800% lift in preference, where nearly 10% of ad recallers said they preferred White Claw™ Vodka compared to just 1% of non-ad recallers. The upward trend continued during its winter campaign, with the product ranking as the second most preferred vodka amongst ad-recallers.

Strong ad recall rates

Repeated exposure drove a lasting impression among ad recallers, enhancing campaign effectiveness. The media mix included billboards and urban panels that resonated with the metropolitan crowd, resulting in over 84% of impressions. Other venue types, like office buildings, bars, and apartment buildings, rounded out the DOOH media, leading to 57% of survey respondents saying they saw the ads at least once.

Clear campaign attribution

Broadsign conducted two waves of research with Happydemics to track attribution. The brand’s summer campaign experienced a +33% uplift in attribution, where 44% of recallers could correctly identify the ads as referring to White Claw™ Vodka. With strong and clear messaging, the creative positioned the new product as a standout in the market, surpassing competitors by a considerable margin. The continuity of creative messaging across both summer and winter campaigns resulted in impressive outcomes for the new product launch.

Major boost in brand image and purchase consideration 

More than an awareness channel, White Claw’s campaign demonstrated that OOH advertising positively influences brand image and purchase consideration. The summer flight resulted in a +144% lift in positive brand image, while the winter delivery elevated positive impressions with a +100% lift, proving audiences didn’t just remember the campaign – they liked what they saw. 

The brand was highly successful when it came to driving purchase consideration for White Claw™ Vodka: 1 in 3 ad recallers said they would ‘absolutely’ try its new spirit following the summer campaign. Overall, there was a +74% lift in consideration, where over half of ad recallers said they would consider trying the product compared to 31% of non-ad recallers. 

The winter campaign also moved the needle. Turning skeptics into potential buyers, results showed a 32% decrease in the ‘Not at All’ likely to consider category and a 13% decrease in the ‘Maybes,’ nudging fence-sitters and building momentum to try the new vodka product. The staggering 119% increase in the ‘Absolutely’ category proved OOH’s success in creating solid, committed White Claw™ Vodka enthusiasts.

Overall, White Claw’s campaign resulted in a bold OOH delivery that made a statement and caught audiences’ attention – a ‘smooove’ win for the brand. 

Want the campaign highlights? Download the case study below.

Download case study

Product News | October 11, 2021

Transit Advertising: How to reach audiences on the move with out-of-home

When we think of out-of-home (OOH) advertising, massive roadside billboards or eye-catching posters often come to mind. However, one form of OOH experiencing a significant resurgence is transit advertising.

After a pandemic-induced decline, transit ridership is now experiencing substantial growth, recovering to nearly 80% of pre-pandemic levels, according to The American Public Transportation Association (APTA). The same report found that transit riders took 7.1 billion trips on public transportation in 2023, a 16% increase over 2022, despite office occupancy remaining stagnant.

This revival is closely linked to the increasing number of consumers opting for public transportation, which presents advertisers with a prime opportunity to engage with a diverse and dynamic audience. In this blog, we’ll explore why transit OOH remains a smart choice for marketers and how it can effectively reach and impact audiences.

Why transit OOH still captivates audiences

Transit advertising refers to the placement of ads on or within public transportation vehicles, like buses, trains, subways, and taxis, as well as in transit stations and terminals. This form of advertising leverages the high visibility and daily foot traffic of public transit systems to reach a large and diverse audience effectively.

While the medium might seem old-fashioned to some modern marketers, it remains effective and seamlessly integrates into consumers’ daily lives. In fact, the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) found that transit ad spend was the fastest-growing OOH category early this year, growing 18.8% in the first quarter of 2024.

Whether through bus ads that traverse cities, subway ads that reach a captive audience, or in-car and on-platform messaging targeting rail commuters, transit advertising connects brands with communities. With 62% of jobs in the U.S. located within 0.5 miles of a transit stop, transit ads are perfectly positioned to reach a large, engaged audience. And as cities continue to recover and rebuild post-pandemic, OOH advertising, particularly transit OOH, plays a vital role in reviving major urban areas.

Types of transit advertising

Transit advertising effectively reaches a large and diverse audience, especially in cities like New York, where public transportation is the primary mode of travel for many residents. Reflecting the diversity of public transit users, the types of transit OOH advertising are equally varied and expansive. Here are some key types of transit OOH advertising:

  • Airports: Airports offer high dwell time and often attract an affluent audience, making them a prime location for impactful ads. Examples include displays in arrival and departure areas, backlit posters along walkways, branded installations in baggage claim areas, ads on shuttle buses, interactive kiosks, and sponsorship of airport amenities like lounges or charging stations. 
  • Buses: Bus advertising can include full wraps, posters, and interior cards. Buses are particularly effective due to their long dwell time, with commutes ranging from minutes to hours. Their constant travel around communities ensures that ads are seen by riders, pedestrians, and other drivers, significantly expanding their reach.
  • Subways and Trains: Advertising in or on subways and trains can include posters, wraps, interior cards or screens, and branded cars. Operating in high-traffic areas with lots of footfall, subways, and trains offers excellent opportunities for ads to be seen by large and diverse audiences. Long dwell times during commutes also allow for deeper engagement and ad recall. 
  • Transit Stations: Ads on subway station walls and trains, whether static or digital, are great for catching attention thanks to their intermediate dwell times. Riders usually spend a few minutes waiting, which gives them plenty of time to engage with the ads. Advertisers can even purchase all the ad space within a transit station or terminal, known as a “domination,” to create a highly visible and impactful campaign.
  • Taxis & Rideshares: Ads on taxis and rideshare vehicles move through city streets, reaching pedestrians and other drivers. Taxi and rideshare advertising can include vehicle toppers, wraps, and in-car screens. This type of advertising leverages these vehicles’ constant movement and visibility to maximize brand exposure.
  • Mobile Billboard Advertising: Mobile billboards, like screens on the side of commercial vehicles, can target specific neighbourhoods, events, or busy streets, ensuring your message reaches a wide and diverse audience throughout the day. This type of advertising is beneficial as it combines the high visibility of traditional billboards with the flexibility of reaching different areas and demographics.

The strategic advantages of transit OOH

Considering transit OOH advertising can provide significant advantages for your marketing strategy. Here are the unique benefits that make them a smart choice for any campaign.

Long dwell-time

Transit advertising leverages the extended time commuters spend on public transportation. Whether it’s a long bus ride or waiting for a train, individuals have plenty of time to view and absorb ads, boosting brand recall and campaign effectiveness. Commuters often face delays and lengthy waits, creating multiple touchpoint opportunities. According to Statistics Canada, the average daily public transit commute time was 42.9 minutes in 2021. In dense urban cities around the world, like New York City or London, these averages can be even higher.

Cost-effectiveness

With its extensive reach and visibility, transit advertising is an efficient and cost-effective way to target audiences. A 2022 Solomon Partners study found that transit shelters had the lowest estimated median CPM (cost per thousand impressions) among all surveyed media options, at just $2.18 per 1,000 impressions. Additionally, the ability to tailor transit campaigns to specific routes and timeframes allows businesses to optimize their spending and achieve a higher return on investment (ROI). By placing ads in high-traffic areas and during peak travel times, advertisers can ensure their messages reach a broad and diverse audience, driving brand awareness and engagement.

Consistent reach, frequency, and adaptability

Most transit methods follow the same daily routes, particularly buses, trains, and subways. This provides opportunities for repeated exposure, increasing the likelihood of audiences recalling your ad. Digital screens, like those common on bus shelters or transit terminals, offer increased flexibility where ads can be adjusted to reflect conditions like time of day, weather, traffic updates, transit schedules, and more. This adaptability allows for more targeted and relevant messaging, enhancing the campaign’s overall effectiveness. Interactive content can further engage commuters, like scanning QR codes for exclusive offers or information.

Geographic & community targeting

Transit ads are highly effective for geographic and community targeting and engagement. By placing ads on specific transit routes in neighbourhoods, businesses can target local audiences and tailor their messages to resonate with community interests and needs. Advertisers can also leverage creatives in different languages depending on the neighbourhoods, ensuring messages are culturally relevant and accessible. This localized approach fosters a sense of connection by featuring local events, services, or cultural themes, building stronger ties between brands and the communities they serve. 

Expanding audiences beyond riders

The reach of transit advertising extends far beyond just the riders. Ads on the exterior of buses, trains, and taxis travel through busy streets and neighbourhoods, capturing the attention of pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike. This mobile visibility ensures that even those not using public transportation are exposed to the advertisements. Additionally, transit hubs and stations are often located in high-traffic areas where people gather, like shopping districts and business centers, further expanding the reach of these ads. 

Transit OOH advertising offers a versatile tool for reaching a diverse audience with high visibility and flexibility. Its extended dwell times and strategic placement ensure your message is seen by commuters and non-riders. At the same time, cost-effectiveness and high ROI make it appealing for businesses of all sizes. By targeting specific geographic areas and communities, transit advertising connects brands with consumers in impactful ways, making it an essential component of modern marketing campaigns.

Ready to elevate your campaign with transit OOH? Contact us to get started!