OUTDOOR ADVERTISING'S DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Digital Billboards are replacing Billboard Posters as they’re starting to prove how beneficial they are to the public. They can portray Ads on screens the size of a building, such as the Jaguar Ad that was portrayed on Burj Khalifa in 2016 which was just astonishing due to the fact that the Ad was portrayed on the tallest building in the world making it prone to catch everyone’s attention. Digital Billboards are not only replacing Billboard Posters but they’re also replacing all the signage on public transportation and in local shopping centers with a dynamic moving screen that looks ten times more persuasive than a poster.
Just like digital displays in outdoor are appealing and better performing, online video content is as effective and accessible. Its effect is set to grow even stronger over the upcoming years. According to visualnarrative.tv, studies show that videos will account for 69% of all internet traffic by end of 2017, which is huge because it’s more than half of the internet traffic which means most of the traffic will be on videos. According to market studies, Video Content is said to present a richer experience by being more engaging and informative. At least in the video content we can show our audience details a static ad can’t show. Marketingcharts.com found that 60% of consumers would be willing to spend two minutes watching a video on products they plan to buy. With static ads, size and position matter and can determine how successful the ad is and how it will affect the audience. On the other hand, the video content has more characteristics, it offers a better experience for the audience by educating, informing and entertaining them. And once one watches a video ad, it leaves them with a more lasting impression than the static ads.
Outdoor advertising is getting flexible. The advantage of using digital screens is the ability to choose the time and frequency of the ads which is useful if we are targeting a precise audience, following their habits and routines. Many features were created to engage people in many ways that will lead them to our goals. This real-time feature allows brands to be proactive with their advertising, for example Netflix designed the first digital outdoor campaign made entirely of GIFs in France. Several out of the hundred GIFs have been designed to react relevantly in context to its viewer’s physical or emotional situation. For instance, when it rained and people were rushing to bus shelters to seek cover from the rain, the creative in the bus station displayed a scene from the movies 300, a spartan sheltering beneath his shield in the rain. The tag line said “Stuck in the rain at the bus stop? Cozy up to a nice movie on Netflix”. This campaign created conversions to Netflix by using outdoor digital screens in real time.
Not only proactive but also interactive Ads have been introduced and can be very engaging with the audience. The interactive digital screens allow brands to create content which engages with consumers on another level where they can interact with the ad. Whether it’s a game which people can interact with by touching the screen or an augmented reality feature using the built-in cameras. This creation is making the Ads a lot more exciting than a traditional billboard.
In conclusion, both video Ads on the web and digital display in outdoor, if well designed and executed, one can get a higher outcome in terms of conversions compared to static ads as well as the ability to track the results daily.
Brands today should leverage this technology for better results in terms of visibility, creativity, engagement, and last but not least improved ROI.
Source: www.optimus01.co.za, www.visualnarrative.tv, www.linkedin.com
