OOH Advertising Basics

Key Takeaways

Digital OOH is rapidly expanding: Digital out-of-home advertising now accounts for 31.4% of outdoor ad dollars in 2023, offering dynamic content capabilities and real-time messaging updates that static billboards cannot match.
Strategic placement drives maximum impact: Effective OOH advertising prioritizes high-traffic locations like busy intersections, shopping centers, and entertainment venues while aligning with target demographics for optimal reach.
Visual hierarchy and color psychology are crucial: Well-designed campaigns use strategic whitespace, bold contrasts, and intentional color choices to guide the viewer’s eye and evoke specific emotions that drive brand recognition.
Brand consistency amplifies recognition: Maintaining consistent design elements, logos, and messaging across all OOH advertisements creates a cohesive brand experience that enhances professionalism and memorability.
Compliance and regulations vary by location: OOH advertising requires adherence to local regulations regarding advertisement size, permits, and content guidelines while maintaining cultural sensitivity for each display location.

There’s a great big world out there, with new buildings and businesses being built all the time. These areas provide a veritable canvas for out-of-home advertising, also known as OOH advertising. This is any form of outdoor advertising, like outdoor signage.

The most common form of OOH advertising is billboard advertising. However, digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH) is also staking its claim on OOH marketing with 31.4% of outdoor ad dollars in 2023.

If you’re looking for ways to amplify your advertising efforts, OOH advertising may be just the ticket. To learn more about the ins and outs of OOH, keep reading below.

Determine Your OOH Advertising Format

There are many different ways you can incorporate your outdoor advertising. You can use the aforementioned billboard advertising method or opt for a digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH) format.

A traditional billboard format offers a static or fixed medium for advertising. While a digital billboard or other outdoor signage allows you to make dynamic content changes.

If you prefer to have a consistent message, go with traditional billboard advertising. But if you prefer to have a medium that allows you to update it in real-time, digital OOH advertising is the way to go.

There are also OOH advertising methods like transit ads and large-format building advertising. Transit advertising lets you take your advertising on the go by affixing wraps and outdoor signage to buses, trams, boats, trolleys, and more.

Identify the Proper Placement

Effective advertising is all about location, location, location. Choosing where you put your OOH advertising is an essential part of outdoor signage planning and marketing. So it’s vital that you pick the right location.

You’ll want to focus your efforts on high-traffic areas where your signage will encounter maximum exposure. You’ll also want to consider viewability from multiple angles, distances, and viewpoints.

Select areas like:

Busy intersections and highways
Shopping centers
Restaurants
Sporting and entertainment venues
Other public spaces

It’s also important to choose areas that align with your target audience to ensure you’re reaching your ideal demographics.

Ensure Outdoor Signage Visibility

You may only have a short period to get your OOH advertising noticed. Even a passing glance can have the potential to create a valuable brand impression.

Your font choices and text sizes need to be legible, so avoid using overly intricate fonts or small text. You’ll need to ensure that you use the right contrasts and color combinations to make your outdoor advertising pop.

It’s essential to test your outdoor signage at various times of the day. This will help you optimize its viewability. If you need to add additional lighting, you will be able to determine its placement.

Design for Impact

With your OOH advertising, you need to establish a visual hierarchy. A well-executed visual hierarchy serves as the blueprint for your outdoor advertising.

It dictates where the eyes should focus first when looking at your outdoor signage. If your OOH advertising has moving elements, the eyes will be drawn first to the movement. This would be the top of your visual hierarchy.

If your outdoor signage is static, then focus on using color, contrast, and text to put the focus on the area you want consumers to see first. For example, placing the product or business name in bright and bold colors is more likely to catch the eye of advertising viewers.

You also need to consider how strategic use of whitespace can help your outdoor signage stand out. Whitespace helps your OOH advertising breathe. By not overloading every square inch of your signage with graphics and text, you allow individual elements to stand out better.

A well-established visual hierarchy, along with whitespace, also helps simplify your advertising to its core message.

Utilize Color Psychology

Colors have the potential to shape and influence consumer opinions. The right blend of colors on your OOH advertising can evoke certain feelings and emotions. This is known as color psychology.

The psychology of colors is a driving force in OOH marketing. Not only does it influence consumer emotions, but it also impacts branding and recognition.

Take, for example, one of the most well-known advertising brands, Coca-Cola. When you think of the name Coca-Cola, your mind instantly calls to memory the distinct red labeling with the white script lettering.

Using the color red for its base is an intentional choice by Coca-Cola since the color red represents desire. Its bold coloring grabs the attention. The red background also provides a vibrant contrast to the white lettering.

Follow Brand Consistency

Consistency in advertising can go a long way to making those all-too-vital brand impressions from consumers. This means emphasizing design elements like your logo and your color scheme so that they are always the same.

Your message, slogan, and overall voice also need to be consistent. You should take special consideration to relate it to your target audience in a given area.

This is especially crucial if you have multiple advertisements spread across a given area. Having brand consistency in your OOH advertising provides a cohesive look. This adds to your brand’s level of professionalism.

OOH Advertising Regulations and Content Guidelines

With OOH advertising, you must follow the rules and regulations required for compliance. You will need to verify that your advertising content follows acceptable display protocols.

For instance, some areas may have specific restrictions on how large advertisements can be. You may need to file the paperwork to get the appropriate permits in place to obtain your desired advertising locations.

Verify that your outdoor advertising campaigns maintain proper cultural sensitivity in the areas where they are displayed. You will also need to take into account any particular language considerations in these places.

Amplify Your OOH Advertising and Branding with Pearl Media Today

Well done OOH advertising can make passersby “Ooh!” and “Aah!” for all the right reasons. At Pearl Media, we build partnerships with building owners to create advertising opportunities for the best brands.

Pearl Media was founded in 2007 and in that time, our award-winning team has already created an impressive portfolio of urban outdoor advertising achievements. By pairing premium properties with great-looking ads, we generate new revenue for the building owner in places where a brand’s ideal client lives, works, and plays.

If you’re interested in giving your out-of-home advertising efforts a boost, contact Pearl Media today for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions about OOH Advertising

What is OOH advertising?

OOH advertising stands for “out-of-home advertising,” which is any form of outdoor advertising that reaches consumers when they’re outside their homes. This includes traditional billboards, digital billboards, transit advertising (bus wraps, subway ads), street-level signage, and large-format building advertisements. OOH advertising is designed to capture attention in high-traffic areas where people live, work, and play.

What is the difference between traditional and digital out-of-home advertising?

Traditional OOH advertising uses static, fixed-medium billboards that display consistent messaging throughout the campaign period. Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising utilizes LED screens and digital displays that allow for dynamic content changes, real-time updates, and multiple messages throughout the day. DOOH now represents 31.4% of outdoor advertising spending, making it a rapidly growing segment of the OOH market.

Where should I place my OOH advertising for maximum effectiveness?

The most effective OOH placements are in high-traffic areas that offer maximum exposure and viewability from multiple angles. Prime locations include busy intersections and highways, shopping centers, restaurants, sporting and entertainment venues, and other public spaces. The key is selecting areas that align with your target audience demographics while ensuring optimal visibility during peak traffic times.

How do I ensure my outdoor signage is visible and readable?

Effective outdoor signage requires legible fonts, appropriate text sizes, and strong color contrasts that stand out in various lighting conditions. Test your signage at different times of day to optimize viewability and determine if additional lighting is needed. Avoid overly intricate fonts or small text, as viewers typically have only seconds to absorb your message while passing by.

What role does color psychology play in OOH advertising success?

Color psychology significantly influences consumer emotions and brand recognition in OOH advertising. Different colors evoke specific feelings – red represents desire and grabs attention, while other colors can convey trust, excitement, or luxury. Strategic color choices, like Coca-Cola’s iconic red and white combination, create instant brand recognition and emotional connections with viewers.

What design principles should I follow for impactful OOH advertising?

Successful OOH design establishes a clear visual hierarchy that guides the viewer’s eye to the most important elements first. Use strategic whitespace to allow individual elements to breathe and stand out, avoid overcrowding every inch with graphics and text, and create strong contrast between text and background. If using digital elements, remember that moving components naturally draw the eye first in your visual hierarchy.

What regulations and permits do I need for OOH advertising?

OOH advertising regulations vary by location and may include restrictions on advertisement size, required permits for specific locations, and content guidelines for cultural sensitivity. Before launching your campaign, verify local compliance requirements, obtain necessary permits, and ensure your content follows acceptable display protocols for each area where your ads will appear. Consider language requirements and cultural considerations specific to your target markets.

OOH Advertising 101: The Basics You Need to Know to Get Started