Digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH) offers several advantages over static posters, but determining its value depends on many factors. DOOH allows for [1] precise targeting of audiences through daypart buying and copy scheduling. It also enables [2] multiple creative executions, [3] variable campaign durations, and [4] fast copy changes. However, assessing the value of DOOH versus static posters requires considering location, environment, format, and goals of the specific advertiser and campaign.

1. The Value
Of Digital
Out-of-Home/
Many advertisers and media agencies ask the questions:
‘How does the pricing of digital OOH
screens compare to static equivalents?’ and
‘Are they worth the premium?’
The short answers are:
‘It varies by location, environment, format
and media owner’ and ‘Sometimes’
Clearly that’s not a particularly helpful response and many people are tempted to over-simplify the
answers by trying to work out how audience figures compare.
There are many contributing factors - as listed below - that influence the true value of DOOH. The
importance of each will vary depending on the advertiser and campaign in question, however all
should be considered when planning OOH to ensure campaigns are fully optimised and maximum
value is achieved.
Daypart buying and copy scheduling
Allows targeting of different audience profiles and mindsets with even greater precision, if a more narrowcast
approach is important.
Multiple creative executions
Featuring several products or designs appearing either sequentially or separated by other advertisers.
Variable campaign durations
One day tactical activity, weekends only, etc.
Short lead times
These vary by network, depending on copy approval processes and technology infrastructure, but it is not
uncommon to be able to book a campaign that is live within a couple of days or even a matter of hours.
Advances in printing and logistics are making this increasingly possible for conventional posters too.
Fast copy changes
In reaction to factors such as news stories, competitor activity, consumer reactions, the weather, etc.
Movement
Most networks, including a select number of roadside locations, can display animations and full motion video.
This is not to dismiss the value of beautiful photography or high impact static copy and arguably, in many cases

2. an OOH campaign should include both static and
animated components.
Audio
Most networks are deliberately silent, although there
are some screens, such as those in hair salons and
some taxi networks, that do operate with full or
intermittent audio. Our Creative Optimisation Guide,
which is available on request, contains some excellent
examples of campaigns that have overcome the
‘I think I need sound’ barrier.
Premium locations
When converting sites from posters to screens, media
owners have generally chosen their most iconic or highly
demanded locations. As such, there may be a price
premium which is driven purely by supply and demand.
Unique environments
Screens are sometimes the only media format
available within a specific environment and
therefore deliver unique audiences. UK hair salons
is one such example.
Real-time copy
Creative can contain elements with live links to
external sources, principally any data or content that
is hosted on the web, either publicly or privately.
Examples include streams from social networks
(‘official’ posts or consumer comments), brand news,
sports results, stock levels or public utility content
such as traffic updates. Instant automated moderation
can easily be built in or short delays can be added for
a second layer of manual filtering. Our paper, ‘Seven
Ways to Integrate OOH and Social Media’ contains
much more detail on this.
Low production costs
Printing and delivery costs do not exist but it is worth
investing a small amount to ensure that creative is
suitable for the specific screens or networks on the
media plan. The creative opportunity is often not
leveraged, and unnecessarily simple, over-complicated
or inappropriate ads are one of the biggest causes of
lost value in this sector. We can help overcome this
using our Creative Optimisation Guide, which contains
plenty of tips and good examples.
Technological customisations
Some screens are able to support the integration
of additional technologies and content, such as
gesture based interactivity, augmented reality,
mobile phone controlled content, voice and sound
activated displays, personalised copy and much more.
Through our technology and innovations website
‘Don’t Believe the Hype’, we have been documenting
new developments since 2002. Another website,
‘oohwelike’, showcases recent innovation-based OOH
campaigns from Posterscope and elsewhere, as well
as relevant, inspiring non-commercial activity.
Modern, high quality displays
This does vary by network and location, but in general
our research demonstrates that advertising on OOH
screens can make a brand seem more modern,
innovative, stylish, cool and trustworthy.

3. The above list is certainly not exhaustive and
other value enhancing opportunities do exist,
such as content sponsorship, etc.
Three further areas that also require
consideration when planning a DOOH campaign
are as follows:
Consumer behaviour and attitudes
Aside from the ‘buying audience’ metrics it’s
important to have data relating to more specific
audience segments. OCS3, our proprietary consumer
insight system, details how likely a particular audience
segment is to be exposed to screens in individual
environments, how likely they are to notice them and
their various opinions about the medium.
Relative audience figures
Whether audience numbers are reduced, compared
to a conventional poster in the same location,
depends on the scheduling strategy of the media
owner. In some cases loop length is approximately
equal to the average duration of viewing, in which
case audience reduction from sharing the display
is arguably minimal. In other situations the priority
is optimising reach and frequency from a network
of screens and the length of an advert loop will be
constructed to reflect this. Furthermore, research
suggests that in some cases the change of
advertisers and/or the use of animation results in
higher levels of attention and audience.
Realistic, net audience figures
In the UK, the new Postar audience measurement
system will provide accurate figures for many of the
most common screen networks, which allows us to
assess impacts based on share-of-voice and other
performance indicators. In the future we also expect
this to be built into the equivalent USA system,
EYES-ON. To allow comprehensive audience delivery
analysis, agencies need systems that can calculate
net figures for campaigns. Posterscope is the only
agency with such a tool - Prism Screen. This tool is
critical in being able to confidently and accurately
evaluate the pricing of digital OOH.
Summary
The 13 points above illustrate that the question of
value is quite a complex and often subjective one. It
is completely dependent on how screens are being
used and the importance of each factor in the context
of an individual advertiser and campaign.
For example, a movie advertiser taking advantage of
full motion video and integrating dynamic consumer
reviews from social media would require a very
different assessment of value compared to a financial
services client booking a last minute campaign to
react to competitor activity.
For more information contact
adam.cherry@posterscope.com