All posts in Trends

Out-of-Home: The Art of the Ad Industry

by DOmedia on June 23, 2009 in Advertising, Alternative advertising, Billboards, News, Technology, Trends with No comments

Thanks, in part, to the introduction of digital signage capabilities, today’s billboards are not only more visually appealing, but consumers are now able to interact with them in a way that wasn’t possible before.

And it isn’t going unnoticed. In response, Ad Age recently introduced the first annual Art of Outdoor special report which highlights the most creative out-of-home campaigns from around the world. The report brings a whole new light to the industry, looking at OOH as artistic innovation capable of engaging mass audiences with a simple, well-chosen message & corresponding image. Simple, but effective.

Check out the recent Ad Age article, “Celebrating the Renaissance of Out-of-Home Advertising,” which includes a slide show of their top choice campaigns. I just love the Chevy Volt Concept car ad . . . talk about the “big picture.” It’s a perfect example of using a simple message and powerful image to get a point across.

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DO’s in the News: Inc.com

by DOmedia on June 23, 2009 in Advertising, Alternative advertising, DOmedia, News, Press, Technology, Trends with No comments

Earlier this month, Inc.com featured DOmedia’s Jeff Lamb in, “Online B2B Marketplaces: Should You Dive In?” Minda Zetlin’s article, which centers around the many emerging business-to-business marketplaces on the web, focuses on companies that understand the needs of the industry and reflect that understanding through their marketplace management.

The article shows how DOmedia’s marketplace connects the fragmented out-of-home advertising industry, quoting both our own Jeff Lamb as well as Massivemedia producer, Ashley Robinson.

So what sets a successful marketplace apart from the rest? Read the full article on Inc.com.

Out-of-Home Forecast is Looking Up

by DOmedia on June 17, 2009 in Advertising, Alternative advertising, News, Technology, Trends with No comments

While it’s no secret the advertising industry as a whole has felt the repercussions of the economy this past year, a recent forecast from PricewaterhouseCoopers tells us there’s hope yet! Once again, the future is looking bright for out-of-home, especially compared to some traditional media.

While radio is expected to continue declining over the next five years, PwC is optimistic about the out-of-home industry, according to adweek.com. After a year of decline, ad spending is expected to increase in as early as 2010, with continued growth for the next three years. By 2013, PwC predicts OOH ad spending to grow to $8.2 billion at an annual rate of 2.5%.

Some of the success of the out-of-home advertising industry can be traced to its ability to incorporate new and improved technology such as digital screens and interactivity, making ads more visually appealing and engaging to consumers. Plus, with audience measurement constantly improving (TAB’s Eyes On Ratings, for example), advertisers are more likely to turn to OOH than ever before.

From Steel Beams to Palm Trees

by DOmedia on May 27, 2009 in Advertising, Alternative advertising, Branding campaigns, Trends with No comments

Earlier this week, I came across this Martin Lindstrom AdAge video that focuses on new and innovative ways of building brands. Well, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: now isn’t the time to cut back on advertising. Instead, it’s a time to stand out and develop more creative ways to build your brand. Luckily, out-of-home and alternative advertising provides the perfect channel for trying something new and distinguishing your brand from others. Like Lindstrom says, building a brand is all about being different.

In the video, Lindstrom provides a few key pointers (and examples) on how to create a memorable, innovative branding campaign:

1. Turn your brand’s downsides into upsides by converting unattractive products into attractive and engaging products.

One great example of this took place in Nigeria where a telecommunication company converted all of their not-so-appealing radio towers into palm trees.

2. Try new and innovative stunts to build your brand.

For this one, AdAge leads us to the ultimate stuntman/risk-taker, Richard Branson, founder of the mega-corporation Virgin. When competitor British Airways was unsuccessfully attempting to raise the London Eye (which was sponsored by BA), Virgin Airways jumped on the opportunity. In a stunt that probably crossed the line in some eyes, Virgin Airways sent a plane over the construction site of the London Eye, painted with a very clear message (I’ll let you check out the video yourself to hear that particular message…). Whether it made you cringe, made you laugh, or just made you confused, the stunt definitely got the attention it was looking for.

3. Attempt different marketing strategies to try and stand out from the rest.

Years ago in Copenhagen, Ikea took over many of the city’s bus shelters, furnishing them with chairs, couches, carpet, etc. Not only did they win brownie points with those waiting on buses, but they also got the attention of the government. Ikea’s out-of-home stunts are still going on today such as their furnished model of the oval office in a D.C. train station during election time, for example.

T-Mobile Does It Again

by DOmedia on May 6, 2009 in Advertising, Alternative advertising, Branding campaigns, Events, People, Trends with No comments

T-Mobile is definitely out to show the world its slogan, “Life’s for Sharing,” really does ring true. Just like its previous (and very entertaining) event in London’s Liverpool Street Station, they manage, once again, to bring together the masses for one common experience. In London’s Trafalgar Square, thousands of strangers united in what has to be the largest sing-along in history. The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” played while the crowd sang into microphones and watched the enormous screen for lyrics and the live video that filmed the entire event.

The YouTube video generated comments like, “If I feel fed up I just watch this or the dance one, it definitely cheers me up,” “Epic!” and “Amazing. So happy,” clearly verbalizing the optimistic feeling created by the event. Hopefully the next one makes its way to our side of the pond!