In an era operating within an attention economy, creativity has continuously been reduced and placed in the back seat to short attention spans, quick gratification messaging, and endlessly optimized digital ads.
Messages have gotten smaller, simpler, and safer; all but completely removing the messaging risk the advertising risk was founded on. Great risk oftentimes has a great reward; and creativity has always been revered as the foundational stone of the advertising world.
Nowadays, ads are designed to win clicks rather than make true impressions. Out-of-home (OOH) advertising is helping to change that and revive what advertising was built on. By operating in a physical world, this set of mediums gives brands the space, visibility, and true confidence to think bigger again.
Marketers never stop searching for ways to stand out in this crowded media landscape, and so, creativity is once again becoming a competitive and strategic desire; one that brands are reigniting in their messaging—and OOH is leading the revival.
Scale Demands Creative Confidence
Big ideas need a big stage. Billboards, transit ad displays, and large-format digital out-of-home (DOOH) screens give brands the pure size power to make a statement rather than subliminally whisper sweet nothings into the ears of viewers. When a creative is placed in a highly visible, public environment, it naturally carries more weight and authority than a skippable 5 second video ad.
OOH encourages brands to grind out a high performing idea and fully commit to it. Unlike digital ads that can be swapped out and deactivated instantly, OOH placements require high intention that often leads to stronger creative thought and processes to make it just right.
Technology Is Expanding Creativity
Modern OOH, especially DOOH, has expanded what’s possible creatively in the advertising space without sacrificing the power of simplicity. Dynamic messaging, time-of-day triggers, and location-based geotargeting allows brands to stay timely, and penetrative, while all the while delivering the same great ideas.
Instead of turning creative ambition over to low conversion digital ads, technology is actually helping OOH campaigns become more intuitive, adaptable, and impactful in the real world.
The Heart of Advertising
Creativity has always been at the heart of great advertising. OOH is proving that big ideas still matter and that risk is often rewarded. When brands are given the space to express their creativity, the results are far beyond the placement and location itself.
As marketers look for ways to break through digital noise and reconnect with their desired audiences, OOH offers something rare: a platform where creativity is allowed and required!
