Out-of-home advertising is a form of media that is viewed by consumers when they are outside of their houses. While this is an age-old advertising practice that some consider obsolete, the truth is that OOH media very much has a place in advertising. Everyone leaves their homes at one point or another and OOH advertising can effectively promote brand awareness across California. From Oakland billboards to Los Angeles transit ads, read on for 5 different types of OOH media that can be effective in the Golden State.
1. Billboards
There are two different types of billboard options for OOH media: classic and digital. Classic billboards are likely what you think about when the word billboard comes to mind. It is a single image typically placed on major roadways that promotes a brand. Digital billboards have given a technological spin to traditional billboards. These billboards feature moveable designs to bring your advertisement to life and entice people to look. Digital billboards are able to be edited in real-time, which can be very effective at promoting timely campaigns. Ads on a digital billboard cycle through multiple campaigns which means that you share the ad space with other businesses.
In California, billboards are hugely effective, especially in heavy-traffic areas. Los Angeles, for example, is notorious for traffic, and what better way to capture the attention of your California market than during a gridlock? Billboards in LA aren’t the only beneficial location. California State Route 1 is the longest state route in California at 656 miles and is the second largest state route in the United States. A billboard along this highway will garner plenty of impressions.
2. Street Furniture
Street furniture ads refer to any advertisement on bus stops, kiosks, or news racks. Busy cities in California such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and Sacramento feature a significant amount of foot traffic in areas close to downtown, near shops, or other heavy-traffic locations. For these types of cities, street furniture can be incredibly beneficial as you capture attention whether people are walking by the advertisements or are using any of the street furniture for any length of time.
3. Transit
Similar to street furniture, transit advertising on buses, taxis, or moveable billboards gets your eyes in front of people throughout heavily populated areas in the city. The added benefit of transit ads is that the reach can be expanded as the ad is not in one single location, it moves with whichever vehicle it is displayed on.
Transit advertising also refers to locations that are not necessarily moveable or in areas of outdoor foot traffic. The airport is a great example of this. In the state of California, there are 13 major airports, nine of which are international airports, from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. Choosing an airport location for your advertisement is a great option if you are a nationwide or international brand as you will not only gain impressions from Californians but also people visiting California from vacationers to business travelers.
4. Place-Based
Place-based advertising is a perfect option for businesses looking to reach certain demographics in frequent specific locations. These types of establishments can include movie theaters, shopping malls, and stadiums. Or, it could include common areas such as elevators or gas stations. California features 74 professional sports stadiums from NFL to MLB and everything in between. Shopping malls and movie theaters feature heavy foot traffic, especially in larger cities in California where these forms of entertainment are heavily ingrained in the culture. Being in tune with your target audience’s entertainment outlets will be beneficial in determining which place-based advertising locations to choose for your campaign.
5. Wildposting
Wildposting is a good option for small businesses that don’t have a large advertising budget. Wildposting is a cost-effective form of OOH advertising and consists of static posters in multiple high-traffic locations. This type of advertising works great on college campuses and California has plenty of those to go around with over 280 universities and colleges across the state. If college-aged consumers are a part of your demographic, wildposting can be an effective advertising source.
Conclusion
Out-of-home advertising is still an extremely effective form of advertising. Digital media may be dominating in some areas and these types of ads can be very effective. So long as people are leaving their homes for any activity whether it’s for work or leisure, OOH advertising will have its place. If you’re ready to venture into the California OOH ad market, these media methods are excellent ways to get started.