Video Advertising is Made for OOH at this Moment
Video has become the go-to format for media consumption, but platform and audience fragmentation are increasing at a rapid pace. Advertisers are adjusting their strategies by converging linear TV, streaming services, mobile and the rest of the digital ecosystem. But as the consumer journey evolves, marketers will need to think beyond the small screen to reach their audiences. There are two trends that are affecting the state of video storytelling and opportunities for advertisers as they shift their approach:
1. Video advertising faces challenges today. Broadcast TV was traditionally known for its reach, but fragmentation has steadily eroded the ability of linear TV to deliver a massive audience. Streaming services have now put TV fragmentation into overdrive, but those offerings are generally subscription-driven services that are either ad-free or simply don’t offer comparable scale when it comes to advertising. In digital, brand safety remains a top concern, as negative content adjacency persists for pre-roll media on platforms supported by user-generated content. Brands are expected to continue to increase spending on digital video, but 65 percent of people are still finding ways to block or skip these video ads.
2. Consumers are experiencing extreme digital fatigue. After months of lockdowns throughout 2020 and early 2021, people are sick of staying home and staring at screens. According to a 2021 Harris Poll, 75% of consumers said they’re experiencing digital device fatigue. Instead, people have been enjoying life outside the home. Between dining out and travel, Gen Z and Millennials “seem to be rushing to the door to get out and start living their lives again” according to American Express. In fact, Americans are spending an average of $765 more a month compared with last year. With nearly 69% of urbanites noticing OOH more than before the pandemic, there’s literally no better context than outdoors for reaching these energized consumers.
The convergence of these two trends presents massive opportunities for brands to activate rich, engaging video experiences throughout city streets and to reimagine their video storytelling to reach consumers beyond the small screen.
Programming the city
With advancements in technology and data, video ads on public screens can be planned and executed like video ads online. Brands can plan campaigns based on gross ratings points, reach and frequency metrics and execute on the basis of target audiences, digital displays, share of voice and impressions — as they do with digital video buying. Advertisers don’t have to learn new formats or processes, so they can seamlessly extend their digital campaigns to the physical world. These campaigns are 100 percent brand safe and viewable, allowing for optimal audience viewing as people move about their day.
Shorter attention span means shorter content
The average consumer attention span is eight seconds, so it’s no surprise that short-form content is increasingly gaining traction among social media platforms and audiences. In fact, ClickZ points out that 33 percent of video viewers lose interest after the first 12 seconds. Digital screens in public spaces were built to display short, attention-grabbing content for the on-the-go consumer. The short-form, no-sound videos that are effective online today have been native to the digital outdoor medium since their inception. The ability for advertisers to extend their short-form content on social media to public spaces creates a great opportunity for a cost-effective omni-channel experience.
Life-size stories in the right context
Audiences are inundated with content and advertising throughout their day. Keeping the content short increases a brand’s chances of getting their message across, but the content itself ultimately has to be compelling and clever. Digital screens in public spaces offer dynamic, contextual capabilities, based on location, events, weather and more, that can immerse consumers in relevant, engaging experiences. For instance, Volvo recently used video on LinkNYC to promote the return of the Run for Volvo Cars Sweepstakes for registered NY marathon runners — right on the streets where they train.
It’s imperative for brands to use this shift in both the video ecosystem and consumer behavior to reach audiences where they really are. It’s more than an out of home discussion: It’s about video strategy.
