Why designing creative specific for out of home should be seen as an investment, not a cost!

AUCKLAND, Today: I’ve heard it countless times throughout my career: “I tried Out of Home, but it didn’t work.” More often than not, the culprit is a lacklustre creative execution.

It’s like planning the perfect vacation but forgetting to pack your swimsuit—no matter how great your destination or itinerary is, without the essentials, the trip is a flop.

To truly unlock the potential of out of home, effective creative is essential
The abundance of studies worldwide showing the impact of great creative on campaign success is a testament to the importance of getting it right—41%* of a campaign’s ROI depends on the quality of the creative.

Out of Home is the ultimate creative stage when advertisers want their message noticed, delivering scale, impact, reach, immediacy, and flexibility. But the flip side is that the channel demands the very best from creatives. Messages need to be distilled to their purest form—focused, succinct, and powerful—so they can be easily consumed and remembered as audiences go about their everyday lives.

It’s not just about capturing attention; it’s about creating a lasting impression, driving engagement, and ultimately delivering results.

Stand out by being Out Standing
Every Out of Home format has a unique set of strengths and is consumed in different ways. Understanding and utilising these strengths, and knowing how audiences engage with different formats, is essential when designing creative that is effective, memorable, and engaging.

There is a golden rule for designing impactful Out of Home creative, and it’s golden for a reason: it works.

Take this even further by combining elements of the golden rule with a dose of humour, and that’s when the magic happens; humour is the leading factor in getting audiences to notice and remember an ad.

The ROI of great out of home creative
While designing campaigns specifically for Out of Home may involve additional upfront costs, viewing it as an investment rather than an expense will pay off. By investing in high-quality creative, you’re not simply spending money, you’re:

• building brand equity
• driving long-term business growth
• driving brand awareness and increasing brand recall
• encouraging interaction and sharing, extending the campaign’s reach

When you get it right, it’s not just hard to ignore – it can have an impact that extends well beyond the channel, becoming an urban legend talked about decades after the campaign ended… what Kiwi (of a certain age) doesn’t remember Tui’s iconic ‘Yeah right’ campaigns? Twenty years of controversial but wildly entertaining Out of Home ads is an amazing feat and proves great creative doesn’t wear out, it wears in.

Wrapping it up
By prioritising and investing in quality creative, you unlock the full potential of Out of Home advertising. So, the next time you’re planning an Out of Home campaign, ask yourself: “Would I look up? Would I give a sh@!?” If the answer is no, it’s time to rethink your creative approach.

Remember, the best Out of Home creative is not just seen, it’s felt, resulting in campaigns being more memorable, and impactful, driving significant business results and potentially making the brand world famous in New Zealand!

For more information on how formats are consumed, what to consider when designing for the various formats and how to use technology and innovation to amplify campaigns, check out OOHMAA’s Creative Guidelines.

*Source: Analytic Partners Meta Analysis, Australia 2015-2021