The power to create unexpected interruptions: How Out of Home advertising can shape consumer mindsets

AUCKLAND, Friday: Today, more than ever, consumers are bombarded with messages vying for their attention and have built up strong ad avoidance mechanisms.

But amidst the constant noise, Out of Home advertising stands out with its unique ability to cut through and connect with consumers in the real world, influencing their thoughts and decisions in ways that many channels can’t. This medium, often overlooked in the online age, has the potential to shape consumer mindsets in ways that may surprise you. 

The Power of the Unexpected Interruption
Imagine scrolling endlessly through your phone, bombarded by online ads, fighting for a sliver of your attention. Suddenly, the online world fades away as you look up and are struck by a captivating billboard, street furniture or a vibrantly wrapped bus. This is the power of Out of Home advertising – its ability to disrupt our online routine and create a powerful, unexpected interruption that leaves a lasting impression.

Out of homes ability to create an unexpected interruption: how this translates into shaping consumer behaviour
Out of Home advertising goes beyond simply creating fleeting brand awareness. By leveraging ‘the unexpected interruption’ and strategic placement, it can actively shape consumer behaviour in several essential ways:

• Breaking Through “Ad avoidance”: We’ve all become adept at subconsciously filtering out ads. Out of Home, on the other hand, forces us to confront the message. A captivating billboard/bus shelter on your commute, a creatively wrapped bus driving by, or a digital display in a commuter hub zone – these unexpected encounters break through our defences and grab our attention. This initial jolt of surprise makes the ad more memorable, laying the groundwork for further brand engagement.

• Emotional Connection: With the constant barrage of ads they often struggle to evoke strong emotions. Out of Home advertising, however, has the advantage of existing in the physical world alongside us. A well-designed campaign can leverage humour, nostalgia, or visual beauty to create an emotional connection with the viewer. Remember the hilarious Tui Beer campaigns that played on Kiwi culture and topical events? That’s the power of emotional resonance in action. It translates to brand loyalty and a positive brand image that can last for decades.

• Building Trust through physical presence: In an era of online anonymity, there’s something inherently trustworthy about an Out of Home ad; it signifies a real, established brand with a physical presence in the real world, offering a sense of tangibility and legitimacy, fostering trust and security in potential customers. An old(ish) but very relevant study carried out by Peter Field and Rapport, ‘Standing on the ‘Shoulders of Giants’, showed Out of Home can increase brand trust ratings by +24%, instilling a sense of security and confidence in its audience.

• Driving Action: Ads often get passively consumed; however Out of Home can be strategically placed to trigger immediate action. Additionally, Out of Home advertising can leverage location-based targeting and technology to enhance further this ability to influence behaviour. A wonderful example of an advertiser using Out of Home power of place is Burger King, which wanted to leverage proximity geofencing and dayparting capabilities to connect with its target audiences while they were on the move and increase footfall traffic into its restaurants. Burger King leveraged dayparting capabilities to further optimise their campaign by activating contextual creative based on mealtimes and peak hours.

Real- World out of home masters in Action:

Several brands have mastered the art of disrupting and shaping consumer mindsets through their Out of Home campaigns:

• Air New Zealand: Their humorous and visually stunning campaigns often utilise interactive elements like augmented reality (AR) at airports, creating a sense of adventure and excitement for potential travellers.
• McDonald’s: Strategically placed ads near main highways, bus stops, and train stations often feature the company’s iconic menu items, influencing hungry commuters to grab a quick bite.
• Huawei: Often, their campaigns use several strategies to enhance consumers’ mindset towards their brand:
  • targeting at scale – utilising premium Out of Home formats to achieve 100% share of voice in key markets
  • consistent, high-value brand messaging – essential for triggering purchase intentions and enhancing consumer understanding of product functions that improve Huawei’s key brand perception indicators
  • integration of online and Out of Home – leveraging social platforms and integrating with Out of Home media allows Huawei to create holistic and engaging campaigns – boosting brand prominence and consumer interaction.

The Unexpected Interruption: A Springboard for Long-Term Impact

Beyond the initial disruption, the unexpected nature of Out of Home advertising sets the stage for long-term influence on consumer behaviour:

• Fuelling Social Sharing and Conversation: A truly captivating Out of Home ad can spark social sharing and conversation. Eye-catching visuals or humorous slogans might prompt people to take pictures, post them online, and discuss them with friends. This organic word-of-mouth marketing further amplifies the reach and impact of the campaign.
• Building Brand Recognition and Recall: Repeated exposure is key to building brand recognition. With its strategic placements in high-traffic areas, Out of Home advertising offers consistent brand visibility. Seeing the same logo or message repeatedly on billboards or bus wraps over time increases brand recall and makes it more likely that consumers will consider the brand when making a purchase decision.
• Reinforcing the Digital Experience: Out of Home advertising can be a powerful tool for integrating with online marketing campaigns. This seamless connection between the physical and online worlds enhances the overall brand experience and strengthens consumer engagement.

The final word
By harnessing the power of unexpected interruption, Out of Home advertising goes beyond simply creating brand awareness. It becomes a strategic tool that can shape consumer perceptions and nudge them towards a brand. In today’s advertising landscape, Out of Home offers a unique advantage. From triggering emotional connections, building trust, prompting immediate action, and fuelling long-term brand recognition, Out of Home campaigns can leave a lasting impression. So, the next time you find yourself captivated by a cleverly crafted Out of Home ad, remember, it’s not just advertising – it’s a carefully designed experience designed to connect and hopefully resonate with you.