OOH, or Out-of-Home advertising, refers to any advertising media that targets consumers outside of their homes. This is obviously an extremely broad category, and covers many different types of advertisements. Also, there are many great OOH advertising examples from around the world. Therefore, it’s much easier to break OOH advertising up into 4 key categories:

  • Billboard-Type Advertising
  • Street Furniture
  • Transit
  • Place-Based OOH

ooh advertising examples

Globally, a lot of money is spent on OOH advertising every year. In 2019, more than $39 billion was spent on OOH ads. Many large worldwide companies such as Apple and McDonald’s, and even tech companies like Facebook and Google, still spend heavily on different types of OOH advertisements, even with the rise of other forms of advertising, such as ads on social media. 

Benefits of OOH Advertising 

You may wonder why companies still decide to spend money on OOH campaigns like billboards or advertisements in subways in today’s global age. There are a few key benefits that OOH ads have compared to other forms of advertising. Firstly, online advertising can be frustrating, since so many consumers have ad-blockers in place and the ones that don’t are bombarded with so many ads, none really stand out. However, OOH ads don’t have these problems, as they’re basically unblockable.

Additionally, people tend to be more perceptive of their surroundings outside of the home, and can take in your advertisements, even if they’re not consciously aware of it. This effect can boost your other advertising campaigns.

According to research from Ocean Neuroscience, consumers were 48% more likely to engage with a mobile ad when exposed to the same out-of-home advertisement first.

Read on for some effective OOH advertising examples.

Examples of OOH Advertising

Digital OOH Advertising

A key innovation in the OOH advertising space has been digital OOH advertising. While there are many digital billboards that could be considered effective OOH advertising examples, the best comes out of New York City. Times Square is saturated with digital billboards that play video advertisements nonstop. Digital OOH ads manage to combine the bright colors, movement, and sound of ads like TV commercials with the size and unblockability of traditional OOH ads. The result of this is a new, hybrid advertisement that blends the benefits of multiple forms of advertising.

ooh advertising billboards

Billboards

Billboards are one of the most common forms of OOH ads. Because of how many billboards there are worldwide, it can be difficult to make a billboard ad that stands out. You aren’t sure if drivers passing by will notice it. To solve this, effective billboard advertising should be creative and memorable. 

One company that’s done a great job with its billboard advertising is Apple. In 2015, Apple launched its “Shot on iPhone” campaign. The campaign offered iPhone users the opportunity to capture images on their phones that would then be used on billboards, commercials, and other ads. Apple’s Shot on iPhone campaign displays the importance of engaging consumers and being thoughtful with image selection.

Another fantastic billboard example was a Formula toothpaste billboard in Indonesia. This remarkably creative advertisement shows a man whose teeth are so strong that he is literally ripping the billboard off of its supporting structure. This billboard is a wonderful example of using creativity to stand out. 

Posters

Posters are another extremely common form of OOH advertisements. Because of their small size and widespread use, it’s extremely important to design a poster that will immediately stand out. Eye-popping colors and creative images will help ensure that your ad will be noticed.

Some tips for effective poster advertising include:

  • Create the poster to cater to a specific audience
  • Use your brand’s color scheme
  • Include a call to action
  • Pick high-quality images
  • Use text sparingly; include only the information that consumers really need

Airports

Airport advertisements are a subset of place-based advertising. Many companies consider airports a gold mine for ads. They are a fantastic place to either stick with traditional billboards or posters, but you can also utilize other aspects of airports, such as conveyor belts, to create incredibly unique advertisements. 

One example of creative airport advertising is at the Venice Marco Polo Airport. The Casino de Venezia decided to turn a baggage collection belt into a life-sized roulette wheel. This fun, unique advertisement did a fantastic job at keeping people engaged during an otherwise mundane activity of waiting for your luggage. In addition, the Casino reported that visits increased by 60% after installing this advertisement. 

Another interactive airport advertisement was installed in the Tokyo Airport in anticipation of the 2020 Summer Olympics. The Tokyo airport turned an entire airport terminal into a running track. This incredibly creative advertisement is a great example of utilizing the entire airport to promote an event.

best examples of ooh advertising

Street Furniture 

The most common use of street furniture advertising is at bus stops or on benches. Advertising on street furniture is a great way to not just engage people waiting for buses, but also gets your ad on the eye-level of everybody walking by. 

Nike is no stranger to creative, thought-provoking advertisements, and its ads on street furniture are no different. Nike added its famous, simple logo — the Nike swoosh — along with the word “RUN” to a bench in New York’s Madison Square Park. They then removed the seat of the bench. This simple ad, paired with the action of taking away the seat of the bench, is eye-catching, memorable, and perfectly aligned with Nike’s vision that everybody is an athlete.

Transportation 

Advertising on public transportation, such as buses or subways, is also extremely common. Many people on public transportation tend to be bored. They are looking for some form of entertainment while they travel.

Startup mattress company Casper realized this, and developed a riddle campaign in the NYC subway system that simultaneously entertained riders while advertising their product.

The riddles they put up engaged subway riders, which helped ensure that their advertisement and company would be remembered.

These are just some of the most effective OOH advertising examples, but there are plenty more!

OOH Advertising with bMedia

Ultimately, OOH advertising can be extremely profitable for your company if you are able to develop a creative and memorable campaign. If you are advertising on the island of Puerto Rico, there is no better company to work with than bMedia.

bMedia is Puerto Rico’s leader in OOH media and advertising, and will work with you to ensure your advertisements are seen and remembered. Contact us today!