For the last 3 months, millions of Americans have been confined in their homes to combat the spread of COVID-19. Businesses, including advertising and media, have been forced to take a step back and reevaluate their futures. Many brands embraced digital channels more so than ever as people self-isolated and spent more time online. Now, Americans are increasing mobility as Geopath and Intermix reported an 8th consecutive week in growth. It has created the opening for OOH to make its return. But that does not mean that brands should drop digital channels for OOH. Instead, it needs to be viewed as an efficient complement to continue frequency and reach.
We are in a technological age where Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and more popular social media sites have BILLIONS of active users. Digital will continue to remain crucial, but brands can reinforce campaign messages through OOH. A previous study by Nielsen showed OOH is more effective than TV, radio, and print in driving online activity. You cannot simply turn off these mediums that reach 90% of the population. Consumers are more likely to conduct online searches when seeing OOH ads. We also cannot forget that OOH is the second most affordable medium providing flexibility to media planners that have cut ad spend.
As we continue to navigate towards the goal of a post-pandemic world, it is crucial to understand that it is not a competition. We must be fueled by collaboration and become omnipresent. 2020 may be dim, but the future for OOH will always be bright.
