Trends in DOOH for 2017

2017 is upon us. And digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising is continuing to grow. Ad spend in DOOH has grown over 30 percent in the past year alone.

It’s no wonder DOOH is growing when you consider how much digital devices now affect our lives. Digital media allows you to be far more innovative and customized than static OOH installations could ever offer. People expect those features now.

These are the trends we think especially will contribute to DOOH’s growth throughout 2017.

Customers Don’t Just Consume Information – They Interact with It

This isn’t a new trend – it’s been building for several years. But it’s continuing to grow.

Many of the award-winning DOOH campaigns in 2017 weren’t just advertising products. They were truly customer experiences.

Some of the most massive campaigns drew customers with digital and static signage into retail spaces with interactive video walls, kiosks, and more. This movie ad in the UK transforms elevators into the spaceship featured in the film. Some even offered custom content based on customer feedback.

You don’t need a big budget to create these experiences, though. It could be as simple as a kiosk to help the customer put together the perfect date-night outfit. This article provides a huge list of ways advertisers used the billboards and posters we’re all used to seeing to create interactive experiences.

DOOH is Where the Customers Are

Of course that’s always been the point of DOOH advertising – to attract people when they’re in the midst of their busy days.

But the industry isn’t simply relying on billboards, posters, and bus signs anymore. Now DOOH signage is found on:

• Gas station pumps
• Kiosks placed everywhere from sidewalks to shopping centers
• Video walls in business’s front windows and other high-traffic areas
• Bus shelters

We’re even able to connect with people through their smartphones using digital displays. For example, a display might offer access to a game or app, which then pushes information back to the display. Or push special offers to the phones when the customer passes near a display.

Better Technology

It’s no longer enough to have digital signage that works more often than it doesn’t. We’re past the point where manufacturers are refining digital displays so you don’t have to worry about content freezing or overheating.

Now it’s about improving resolutions. Providing larger screens. Connectivity.

And those things are becoming increasingly important as focus shifts from simply advertising to providing customers with the interactive experience mentioned above. After all, you don’t want to spend money on a fabulous custom experience if your hardware can’t support it – or no one can read it because your display is too small or the resolution is too fuzzy.

All About the Customer

As digital technologies transform the ways we communicate, consumers increasingly have the power to choose what they do and don’t want to see. That means advertisers are turning more to marketing methods that put the focus on what consumers want.

The trends above show that focus is evident in DOOH advertising. In 2017, make your advertising interesting and easy to consume for your customers for the best results.