Colum Harmon, marketing director, PML Group with this week’s Out \ Look on Out of Home
OOH Performance Metrics Grow in 2023
Analysis of our IMPACT research from the first half of 2023 points to a widespread increase in the average recall of OOH campaigns, compared to the same period in 2022. Our insights team at PML Group, in partnership with Ipsos, conducts post-campaign research on more than one thousand OOH campaigns each year. The five hundred plus campaigns researched in H1 2023 provides a uniquely robust sample to identify key performance indicators by audience, format, environment, and product category.
The chart below shows the year-on-year change in average recall levels of Outdoor formats found in three specific environments – roadside, retail, and transport. Using 2022 as a base index, we can see that recall levels in transport and retail environments have increased by 3 points, a significant jump. This is reflective of several factors including increasing audience sizes in these environments post-pandemic and an increase in advertising investment by brands in these locations. Roadside formats are generally performing at the same level as 2022, but it should be noted that these formats recovered (in terms of recall) quite quickly post-pandemic as traffic and general mobility returned to on or near pre-Covid levels very soon after any final restrictions were lifted.
Although audience and investment are crucial factors in generating awareness and recall, we must not underestimate the effect of powerful creative in adding to that mix. Our research, now spanning multiple decades, always shows that the more a design is liked by the public, the more likely it is to be recalled. So, good news in 2023 in that design ratings and measures such as message understanding have improved year on year, for formats such as 48 Sheets, Bus Shelters and T-Sides.
OOH’s strength has always been its high impact, brand building core. As the medium continues to evolve and serve dynamic, customised messaging by location and environment, we are seeing how the medium can perform multiple roles within a campaign and perform equally well across various customer touchpoints, and this is being borne out in our ongoing IMPACT findings.
For more information on our IMPACT research service, please contact the team at PML Group.
Bank Holiday Revelry Reinforced on Outdoor
As the summer vibes continue to roll in (weather notwithstanding) and festival fever shows no sign of slowing momentum, the August bank holiday offered a timely key occasion for brands to capitalise on the opportunities presented to them.
High-ticket events like the Galway Races, Cork’s Indiependence and Waterford’s All Together Now were standouts in our recent event guide, while the hustle and bustle of back-to-school shopping will likely have enhanced footfall as consumers rambled about busy city centres and event-laden suburban communities.
Smirnoff & Guinness Groove at All Together Now
Diageo’s brand portfolio has well-established itself on the Irish festival scene this year with sponsorship straplines at the likes of Forbidden Fruit and now Waterford’s All Together Now festival. Both Smirnoff and Guinness’ involvement were marked by campaigns across digital and classic roadside formats, planned by PHD and Source out of home.
Guinness went beyond mere name value as they curated an entire ‘Lovely Days’ stage, bringing a blend of heritage and hip vibes to the picturesque Curraghmore Estate and proving that they’re not only about the stout; they’re about the shout-out to memorable moments.
Virgin Media’s Countdown to Play Time
Tick-tock, the bank holiday clock! Virgin Media, never shy to push the innovation envelope, brought the bank holiday excitement to the streets in the lead up to last weekend with a dynamic countdown. Using the magic of Dynamic Digital OOH via Liveposter, they didn’t just count down the hours; they made every second count to the ‘Play Holiday’, helping consumers feel the buzz of the upcoming holiday with every passing moment.
Irish Independent Races to Galway
In the grand tapestry of campaigns on display over the weekend, Mediahuis’ Irish Independent stitched their narrative to the seams of the Galway Races.
Planned by Starcom and Source out of home, the campaign marked the Indo’s place as official media partner for the Races. The campaign ran across digital 6’s nationally with a hyperfocus on Galway, where Showtime Media Vans were also on display in the city centre and the race campus. The cheeky copy, “Galway Races Fashion? We’re all over it”, displayed a pair of heels crafted from the newspaper itself – a nod to the high fashion that graces the event.
As the summer sun begins to set a bit earlier while we head towards the Autumn months, there’s still plenty of exciting events and occasions to align your brand with. For more information on opportunities that your brand can avail of to employ the use of both contextual and Dynamic DOOH in an event-based scenario, get in touch or refer to our events guide.
Planet OOH: Samsung ‘Unfolds’ 3D Billboard Campaign across the UK
Samsung, known for their penchant towards innovative OOH, have taken a show-don’t-tell approach to showcase their new Z Flip series. Drawing eyes and capturing imaginations, the product launch was marked by large-format digital billboards in a never-before-seen way on UK roadsides.
At high dwell-time areas in London, Manchester, and Liverpool, eye-catching billboards were erected featuring the tagline “Nothing unfolds like Galaxy Z Flip5” with a special feature: grandiose 3D models of the titular phone highlighting its unique folding capabilities. Celebrity brand ambassadors Fearne Cotton Raheem Sterling feature on the creative, engrossed in their individual use cases showcasing the phone’s capabilities.
Richard Hayter, group creative director at producer Iris, mused, “We wanted to demonstrate the capabilities of foldables, on a massive scale. With the Galaxy Z Flip5, users experience a whole new world, from group selfies to yoga classes.” Samsung Marketing Director, Annika Bizon, added “The innovation and joy of these specially built 3D billboards echo Samsung’s brand ethos and the cutting-edge technology we introduce.”
