Discover how to boost retail marketing with effective OOH advertising strategies, captivating shoppers and maximizing brand visibility when it matters most.

How to Maximize Retail Marketing with OOH

Scott Mitchell, Managing Director of Vistar Media in Canada, shares tactics for marketers in the retail industry to captivate shoppers with OOH (out-of-home) advertising when they are most likely to make a purchase.

The Importance of Outdoor Advertising

Retail marketing is a competitive industry, especially with the rise of e-commerce. It is evident that consumer behavior is shifting, which adds pressure on stores to drive foot traffic and maintain in-store sales. This leaves retail marketers with the daunting task of finding ways to capture consumer attention, build brand recognition, and stand out among their competitors.

OOH advertising offers retailers a unique opportunity to reach shoppers. In retail environments, timing is everything, and it’s essential to deliver that perfect message when a person is ready to buy. In fact, 49% of shoppers are “active, alert, and interested” when outside their homes, leading to a higher-than-average retention of OOH advertising messages. As shoppers go about their daily activities, OOH gives retail marketers the ability to showcase promotions and exclusive offers in real time, captivating consumers when they are most likely to make a purchase.

Effective OOH Strategies for Retail Marketers

1. Reach Shoppers Where They Are

Imagine walking down the street and seeing an ad for a sale happening at a store just a few blocks away. Placing OOH ads near your retail locations or competitors and incorporating important details like directions can help guide customers directly to stores. This advertising approach, which places ads in high-traffic areas and close to specific locations, leverages shoppers’ impulse buying behaviors, pushing them closer to making a purchase. Here is where contextual targeting becomes invaluable. For instance, contextual targeting allows you to focus on areas where your brand feels most relevant, minimizing media waste and attracting customers efficiently.

Example: Levi’s OOH Campaign

Levi’s leveraged proximity targeting, placing ads within a 1km radius of flagship malls across major Canadian cities, resulting in a 54% increase in store visits and a 136% increase in purchase intent for the brand.

2. Omnichannel Amplification

A shopper may see an online ad while scrolling on their phone and then spot an OOH ad at a bus shelter. This omnichannel marketing approach increases the likelihood of brand recognition as it is seen across different mediums. Additionally, adding a QR code to your OOH ads provides a direct link to your offer or promotion so shoppers can take immediate action.

3. Build Customized Messaging During Seasonal Shopping Events

Seasonal shopping events such as back-to-school, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday are opportune times to capitalize on shoppers already in a buying mindset. Capturing consumer attention during these key times will drive shoppers into your stores, giving you an edge over competitors who may rely solely on digital or in-store promotions.

Example: Targeted Strategy for Retailers

A Canadian big-box retailer aimed to draw families into their stores during back-to-school by building a custom audience segment that targeted mothers aged 35 to 54 who were existing retail customers. This targeted, personalized strategy resulted in over 1.6 million store visits as a result of ad exposure.

4. Keep It Relevant with Dynamic Creative

Especially in digital-out-of-home (DOOH), dynamic creative allows ads to seamlessly adapt to the place and the moment, changing messages and images based on data with no manual work required. Retailers can customize elements in their ads, such as:

• Distance to the nearest store, encouraging immediate action.
• Product promotions showcasing limited-time deals to specific shoppers.
• Countdowns to major sales, creating urgency and excitement.

Example: Structube’s Campaign

Structube, a Canadian furniture store, used dynamic creative to automatically display the nearest store location in ads throughout Ontario and Quebec, directing its audience to the nearest stores while showcasing a limited-time deal.

Conclusion

Ultimately, OOH presents numerous opportunities for retailers to reach their desired consumers and amplify their overall marketing strategy. For your next campaign, consider programmatic OOH and how it can be used to drive foot traffic, increase visibility, and boost sales. Whether you’re running a flash sale, opening a new retail location, or simply looking to build brand awareness, OOH has the power to deliver results. Learn more about billboard advertising prices, how billboard rates are determined, and how to maximize your investment in outdoor advertising.