“OOH is outdated in the digital age”

This is probably the most common misconception when it comes to outdoor advertising. OOH has already embraced advances in technology, with digital billboards, interactive displays, and augmented reality (AR) campaigns proving incredibly engaging and effective. OOH is now acting as more of a bridge between the outdoor and digital marketing worlds, allowing for more flexible and creative strategies, with the OOH adverts acting as a “gateway” to the digital realm for consumers. In the US alone, digital outdoor advertising campaigns are predicted to account for a market volume of $5.49bn in 2025!

“OOH is only for large multinational brands”

With the amount of wide-reaching and compelling advertising campaigns from all the biggest brands on most billboards, you may already have had this exact thought, however, it could not be further from the truth. A lot of OOH billboard owners are very accommodating to various budget sizes, allowing for even the smallest local businesses to reap the benefits of strategically-placed billboards and transit ads in their target areas. Moreover, with the advent of digital OOH, we’ve found that this has actually democratised accessibility, allowing for even more flexible budgeting options.

Of course, any fluctuations in pricing highlights the significance of understanding specific locations and local markets, meaning businesses need to have a good grasp of the best timing to target specific audiences in an OOH campaign before assigning a budget. For example, a local takeaway could plan a digital billboard campaign around the time of a football match at their local stadium. 

Also worth noting is that the OOH inventory spans across a multitude of areas including urban environments, motorway sides, shopping centres, local transport links, and more, ensuring that your audience sees your message consistently on their daily commutes or other travels. This results in an omnipresence that allows for the greatest visibility and inescapability that other forms of advertising cannot compete with.

“People ignore outdoor adverts”

This is only true of bland and unimaginative advertising campaigns. Advertisers and their campaigns are often far more creative, leading to well-crafted, attention-grabbing adverts which are positioned in the most strategically-beneficial and high-traffic areas. Research from the OAAA (Out of Home Advertising Association of America) found that from 2017-2022, out-of-home advertisements in both printed and digital formats received notably higher recall among consumers, compared to live and streamed television, podcast, print, radio, and online adverts. People generally notice and retain information from outdoor adverts during their daily routines, cementing brands and their messages into their consciousness. 

This research highlights the potency and potential of creative and well-executed outdoor adverts, as they capture and retain audience attention effectively, especially in high-traffic areas where people tend to perform the same daily activities and routines (e.g. travelling to work).

“ROI is hard to measure”

There are multiple reliable methods of measuring the success of OOH advertising, and these have been bolstered even further through the recent growth of programmatic transactions. Technological advancements have significantly enhanced the ability to measure ROI in this field, with tools and methodologies now existing that allow for advertisers to track foot traffic, website visits, and consumer behaviour. Data analytics and geotargeting have enabled markets to correlate specific actions to OOH, facilitating a greater understanding of the impact of OOH marketing on consumer behaviour and conversion rates.

In Summary

It is often outdated perceptions of OOH advertising that give rise to these myths we’ve highlighted. The reality is that OOH has evolved dramatically and has integrated with the latest technologies to offer versatile and impactful avenues for marketers. It is this integration with digital strategies, accessibility across budgets, potential for audience engagement, and improved ROI measurement tools which have cemented OOH as remaining a highly relevant and effective advertising tool in modern marketing strategies. 

By understanding these debunked myths, businesses can utilise the power of OOH advertising and leverage its strengths to amplify their brand and engage audiences in the most effective and creative ways.