Challenging Conventional Wisdom: A Call For A New Perspective On OOH Advertising

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising is often underappreciated for its true potential. Yet, I firmly believe that OOH can indeed perform at every stage of the marketing funnel. The belief transcends a simple affirmation and delves into a deeper exploration of how OOH can effectively impact various phases of the customer journey.

One of the first challenges we must tackle is the outdated notion of the linear marketing funnel. You may disagree with me, but in my personal opinion, the linear funnel is dead. A more holistic evaluation of a medium's true effectiveness is needed, emphasising the value of a campaign solely through the narrow lens of ROI and performance metrics is absurd.

Too often, marketing plans fail because they start with the budget first, the business second and the brand last. This approach may solve for metrics, but it overlooks the brand’s true problem. Teams who are used to digital metrics sometimes try to put the same framework on other media channels and formats, leading to a myopic view where the primary focus is on justifying spends rather than achieving meaningful brand outcomes.

This brings me to a critical issue in the industry - confirmation bias. There is undue pressure placed on media channels to conform to the rigid, data-driven standards set by digital platforms. This approach often results in risk-taking and mismanaging campaigns due to inaccurate measurement practices. As Rory Sutherland aptly put it, “What gets mis-measured also gets mismanaged.” This mismanagement is particularly detrimental in the realm of OOH, where the potential impact is frequently underestimated or misunderstood.

Farhan from global D&AD once said, “Outdoor is the purest form of advertising” - I couldn’t agree more. OOH campaigns have the unique ability to spark conversations within society and also transcend their original medium to become events in their own right. These campaigns, designed for OOH, often live on through TV or the internet, proving that when done right, OOH has the power to inspire, be inclusive, engage, and most importantly, to be a catalyst for broader social and cultural conversations.

However, to unlock this potential, it’s crucial that we craft campaigns specifically tailored to the unique strengths of the OOH medium,  urging the industry to move beyond the outdated notion of treating OOH as merely a giant poster. The impact of OOH is lost when it’s treated as an afterthought. A strategic approach is essential to unlocking the medium’s full potential.

Outdoor advertising is not on trial. The questions around ROI and funnels arise when marketing teams and agencies don’t do justice to it. The real challenge lies in embracing the true power of OOH and leveraging it in ways that resonate far beyond conventional metrics.

In conclusion, the marketing industry must rethink its approach to OOH. By doing so, we can move beyond the limitations of traditional metrics and fully realise the potential of this powerful medium. Let’s challenge conventional wisdom, embrace the transformative power of OOH, and create campaigns that not only achieve our business objectives but also contribute meaningfully, leaving the audience with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility.

Ashish Mishra

Guest Author The author is the Chief Marketing Officer of ACKO