James Byrne, Marketing Manager, PML Group, with this week’s Out \ Look on Out of Home
Out of Home continues to attract increased investment from major brands seeking to build awareness, trust and credibility at scale, according to Q1-Q3 figures from WATCH, PML Group’s market intelligence resource.
Mondelēz, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola, the medium’s three largest advertisers, have boosted their combined spend by 29% year-on-year. Musgrave Group and Gowan Auto also recorded strong increases in OOH investment.
Leading advertisers are increasingly adopting multi-format strategies that blend the enduring reach and scale of Classic OOH with the precision, agility and contextual intelligence of Digital, creating campaigns that work seamlessly across both brand-building and tactical objectives.
Recent research conducted by PML Group and Ipsos B&A for brands such as Sky and BelVita underlines the enhanced effectiveness that can be achieved by adding a layer of digital innovation such as Dynamic or PrOOH, or through more classic innovation techniques such as large format special builds.
Between January and September, McDonald’s was the leading brand on Out of Home followed by Tesco and Cadbury. Also in the top ten, The National Lottery ran campaigns for the revamped Lotto, a new Monday draw and regular jackpot updates.
The main growth sectors in monetary terms are Quick Service Restaurants (+36%), Banking (+69%) driven by both promotions and new entrants, along with Supermarkets (+25%). At a market level Soft Drinks were up 25% while Film releases saw a jump of 25%.
A recent report by Kantar entitled ‘The IRL Effect’ found that real-life experiences are what consumers trust and what they value most. As their digital lives become more synthetic, automated, and siloed, people are increasingly seeking real-life, filter-free experiences that feel authentic, human, and shared.
The physical layer, of which OOH is a key component, is the part of a brand’s media architecture that people can see, experience, and verify in the real world.
59% of all display activity occurring in roadside environments, complemented by a further 20% in retail and 20% in travel settings. Digital formats now account for over half of all OOH activity, fuelled by both the development in screen signage, especially in roadside, and developments in innovation in terms of triggered contextual messaging.
To access the full report, click on the linked image below:
Grenade gets to the core of protein on OOH
Grenade is supporting the launch of its new Soft Core range with a national OOH campaign planned by Spark Foundry and PML for Mondelēz.
The range introduces three permanent flavours, Double Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter and Golden Caramel, following the success of Grenade’s limited-edition Soft Core Creme Egg earlier this year. Each 50g bar contains 15g of protein and less than 2g of sugar, combining a flavoured soft centre with dough and a chocolate coating. Grenade Ireland brand manager Maighréad Lynch has described Soft Core as the brand’s “most indulgent protein bar yet”, designed to blur the line between snack and treat.
That positioning comes through clearly in the OOH creative. Oversized product shots reveal the bars’ soft centres, while lines including “Get out! That’s not protein?!”, “Howww is this protein?!” and “Nah, no way this is protein?!” lean into the contrast between indulgence and the product’s nutritional credentials. Distinct orange, purple and blue treatments differentiate the flavours while keeping the Soft Core identity consistent across portrait and landscape formats.
Running across three cycles, the campaign combines high-impact roadside and digital formats with 6 Sheets, commuter placements and screens in gym and lifestyle environments. The national site mix stretches beyond Dublin into locations including Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Sligo and Longford, while placements across gym and FLYEfit environments put the campaign into locations closely aligned with the protein proposition.
The mix of formats also gives Grenade plenty of opportunities to build familiarity with the new range. PML Group research found that 71% of people agree seeing advertising across different OOH formats makes it easier to remember, while 74% agree Outdoor can remind them of a brand when they are close to where they can buy or use it. With Soft Core appearing across roadside, commuter, retail-adjacent and gym environments, those reminders can happen at several points through the day.
The campaign lands alongside the range’s rollout across Irish grocery and convenience, with Soft Core now available through major retailers including Tesco, SuperValu and Dunnes Stores.
