Maximizing Creative Potential in Programmatic DOOH Marketing

Understanding the Creative Role in pDOOH

pDOOH presents a unique opportunity for marketers to engage consumers through premium screens that use real-time data for targeting and creative. The challenge is to strike a balance between traditional out-of-home creative practices and data-driven programmatic strategies. When these two elements are not in sync, brands risk losing precious consumer attention.

DOOH screens vary in size, from modest digital six-sheets to enormous displays spanning hundreds of square meters. The temptation is to pack in a lot of information, especially when compared to the small real estate available in in-app ads. However, simplicity is key in DOOH design. Research indicates that logos placed at the top of the screen boost brand recall by 32%, and products occupying over half the screen receive 38% more attention. The rest of the space should be used wisely, with one or at most two clear calls to action.

Aligning Online and Offline Creative

One of the remarkable advantages of OOH, regardless of the buying method, is its positive effect on how consumers perceive online advertising, a phenomenon known as 'priming.' To maximize this effect and capture consumer attention, online and offline creative should complement each other. One effective way to achieve this is by employing a 'fluent device'—a memorable slogan, character, or concept that elicits a positive emotional response—consistently across all channels. Research shows that using a fluent device can enhance the effectiveness of your creative by a third.

Thanks to the advanced targeting and optimization capabilities of pDOOH, marketers can further leverage fluent devices and embrace data-driven creative strategies. For instance, changing the products displayed based on the time of day, day of the week, or local popularity.

Focus on Relevant Outcomes

OOH, in all its forms, is a potent brand-building channel. However, when you add the term 'programmatic' to it, marketers' expectations can sometimes veer toward unrealistic performance benchmarks. A common mistake is overemphasizing lower funnel outcomes that are more suited to online display, video, and mobile campaigns—outcomes that rely on clicks.

Research has shown that when measuring pDOOH campaigns, marketers tend to use a plethora of metrics spanning the entire marketing funnel. While a comprehensive approach to measurement offers valuable insights, overly diverse measurements can render the data irrelevant. To maintain meaningful measurement, it's crucial to ensure consistency across all channels, which can be challenging when dealing with online and offline platforms.

Increasingly, marketers are embracing attention metrics to provide a consistent reference point for assessing performance across different channels. When considering pDOOH, it's essential to evaluate your campaign's timing in relation to other channels and incorporate this into attention measurements to understand the optimal moments for maximum attention and priming.

Use Data to Drive Progressive Media Planning

Data integration is a key element in optimizing any pDOOH campaign. However, it's often used primarily for targeting and bid optimization, neglecting its potential in shaping creative strategy. Data can be harnessed in various ways to enhance pDOOH creative. For example, Marks and Spencer use pDOOH to create a brand image representative of Britain and its regional diversity.

Another notable example is Martini's campaign in Italy, facilitated by Scoota, which directed consumers to bars offering specific cocktails. The creative prominently featured a map displaying the exact location and nearby bars serving Martini cocktails, complete with QR codes for discounts and offers. This creative approach allowed Scoota to track footfall and sales.

Explaining the substantial performance improvements attributed to strong creative, Hannah Scott, VP Client Services at Scoota, states, "there is clear evidence that when the creative is on point and there's a clear direct message suggesting consumers go to a particular store because it's nearby or to grab a certain product because it's on offer, we typically see an uplift in footfall of 20-30%."

In conclusion, the creative element in pDOOH is an untapped goldmine for marketers. When effectively harnessed, it can not only capture consumer attention but also translate into tangible results. By aligning online and offline creative, focusing on relevant outcomes, and leveraging data for progressive media planning, marketers can make the most of this data-driven channel and maximize its potential. In a world where every marketing dollar counts, embracing creative possibilities in pDOOH is a strategic imperative.