The most valuable commodity in today’s fast paced world is not currency or power, it is your Attention! And firms nowadays ae using OOH to grab your attention.
What's OOH? Think of it as an ad that you can’t skip!
Out-of-home (OOH) advertising targets consumers outside their homes, capturing attention in public spaces, transit, and commercial areas. These ads are hard to avoid and provide longer visibility at key touchpoints, making them effective for advertisers. A 2024 SkyQuest study valued the global OOH market at $28.48 billion, while Grand View Research reported the Indian DOOH market earned $200.2 million in 2023, projected to grow to $525.4 million by 2030.
Source: Pikcell
If you wish your brand message to be seen, it should not be considered as part of the noise; placing an OOH peak ad on a digital-led screen in proximity to a peak traffic area is the most effective way.
The Evolution of Out-of-Home (OOH) Marketing
OOH advertising has evolved from static billboards with simple text and images to dynamic digital displays. Initially, it relied on posters, billboards, and transit ads, which were highly visible but difficult to measure. Industry leaders like JCDecaux, Clear Channel Outdoor, and Outfront Media dominated this space. The shift from physical stores to digital platforms spurred the rise of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising, which now accounts for 37% of global OOH spend, leveraging real-time updates, dynamic content, and targeted messaging through digital billboards, mall screens, and airport displays.
Source: Memetemps
Mobile and transit advertising has also adopted the use of artificial intelligence and data analytics to create personal and engaging campaigns that have been seen to perform 20-40% better than the traditional formats.
Role of AI in Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising
AI has disrupted the Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising landscape, whose implications cover a huge span of different facets and attributes, with the virtue of which it is no longer static but an ever evolving and data-driven campaign.
AI-Driven Audience Insights
AI enables advertisers to harness vast amounts of data to understand audience behavior and preferences. By analyzing location data, social media activity, and purchasing patterns, AI identifies the demographics, interests, and movement patterns of target audiences. This data helps brands select optimal ad placements, ensuring their messages reach the right people at the right time.
Personalization of OOH Using AI
With AI advancements on rise, personalization is no longer limited to online ads, and hence is now possible in OOH. Digital screens advanced with AI algorithms can now produce tailored ads by analyzing real-time profiles of its audience. For instance, facial detection identifies age and gender to suit the customer preferences, while data on geographical location stimulates ads based on the audience's locale and interests. This personalized approach boosts visibility and engagement and enhances campaign suitability.
Real-Time Adjustments Based on Context
AI-powered OOH advertising adapts dynamically to external factors and it will not be an exaggeration to say that AI stands at the core of OOH advertising. Suppose, moving in June through a route, you see a billboard with a sunscreen ad, highlighting its importance (and it is really important), and then the same billboard shows you a hot mocha without any manual interference on a cold December day. AI can synchronize ads with actual movements on the road or usual events, so that timely delivery and circumstantial relevance is ensured.
So, if you want to bring on your A-game and be the center forward of your business, AI adaptability is prominent.
From Billboards to Buzz: How Food delivery frims’ OOH Ads Took Over Conversations:
Zomato allocated ₹421 crore to advertising in the second quarter of the 2025 fiscal year (Q2FY25), marking an 18.6% rise compared to the same period last year claiming that for every dollar spent on marketing, they return over eight times the investment.
Source: ENTRACKR
Zomato, in association with Blinkit, put up a series of three hoardings leveraging common phrases, where the first hoarding read “Doodh mangoge, doodh denge”, followed by “Kheer mangoge, kheer denge” and concluded with a third hoarding having a gap saying “Advice mangoge, Lajawab denge”. This not only made people notice but also urged them to share it across social media pages.
Source: Economics Times
The campaign’s success lay in its humor and intrigue, sparking discussions on platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Its virality grew as brands like Netflix and Maggi joined the trend, showcasing how collaboration amplifies reach. Swiggy Instamart also leveraged OOH marketing with similar campaigns, boosting its Q2 FY25 ad spend by 13.2% to ₹605.3 crore, as per afaqs and Storyboard18 reports.
Source: Economics Times
Swiggy Instamart celebrated the festivals like Holi through a consumable campaign billboard saying "Balam needs Pichkari?” “Aur laddu for padosan ki bhabhi?”
This catchy line prompted responses from various brands, creating a lively experience for the users that captured the essence of Holi celebrations. Humorous billboards and comment section circus created increased consumer engagement opening up wide scope for OOH.
FUTURE TRENDS
Out-of-home (OOH) advertising is growing up, and like every teenager going through a glow-up, it’s trying to find its balance between looking cool, being responsible, and occasionally asking for more allowance. With the rise of eco-conscious consumers and smarter tech, OOH is transforming from a static roadside attraction to a dynamic force of innovation.
DOOH's prospects are promising, with technologies like facial recognition, augmented reality, and mood-based content enabling more targeted, engaging campaigns. Programmatic ad spending grew from $200 million in 2020 to $530 million in 2022, showcasing significant growth. For brands seeking to cut through digital clutter, DOOH offers a creative, tech-driven solution to boost brand awareness, engagement, and create unique consumer touchpoints.
Source: The Business Research Company
Emerging Opportunities in OOH marketing landscape:
Gone are the days when billboards were just giant rectangles shouting, “BUY THIS NOW!” Today’s ads are woke, and they care about their carbon footprint.
Recyclable Materials: Imagine billboards made of stuff that doesn’t just disintegrate into sad little pieces of plastic over 10,000 years. Brands are using biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable materials to make sure their ads don’t outlive the dinosaurs. Example: A poster that, once its job is done, can be turned into wildflower seeds. Advertising AND landscaping? That’s a win-win.
Solar-Powered Displays: These are the overachievers of the advertising world. Not only are they grabbing your attention, but they’re also running entirely on sunlight. You could say they’re beaming with pride. Imagine this: A billboard for sunscreen that’s powered by the very thing it’s protecting you from. Genius.
Source: Megamaxsolar
Green Billboards: When Ads Go Full Nature Nerd: Green billboards like Coca-Cola’s living billboard in Manila which wasn’t just an ad but a CO₂-sucking superstar and McDonald’s bee hotel billboard to promote sustainability and protect pollinators in Sweden are the lovechild of advertising and environmentalism. These living, breathing signs are covered in plants that clean the air while adding a splash of life to dull urban landscapes. Who knew ads could double as nature’s air purifiers.
Source: Mdgsolutions
CHALLENGES
Of course, no great opportunity comes without a set of hurdles. And OOH advertising has its fair share. Think of these as the annoying chores you have to do before you can enjoy the party!
High Costs: The Price of Being Fancy Let’s be real—going green isn’t cheap. Living Billboards are not as easy to maintain as regular ones. These bad boys need regular TLC—watering, trimming and effective maintenance. Maintaining them can feel like taking care of that one high-maintenance friend who “accidentally” ordered a $20 avocado toast. Similarly, solar powered billboards although a great green innovation have their restrictions. While solar panels save on energy bills in the long run, the initial setup costs are enough to make any CFO break out in a cold sweat. Think of it as investing in a hybrid car: great for the environment, but your wallet’s going to cry a little first.
Privacy concerns: AI-powered OOH ads can adjust content based on nearby viewers, but this raises privacy concerns. Imagine a billboard greeting you by name or referencing your recent online searches—it’s cool, but also unsettling. Over-personalization could drive people to avoid these ads altogether.
Balancing creativity and technology: Too much tech risks making ads feel soulless, while too little can make them outdated. The goal is to find a balance that engages, without overwhelming or underwhelming the viewer. It’s like seasoning: too much or too little ruins the experience.
Source: Linsn LED
CONCLUSION
And yet it's all worth it: Despite the challenges, the opportunities in OOH are too good to pass up. Green advertising, IoT-enabled displays, and AI personalization aren’t just about staying relevant—they’re about creating meaningful, memorable campaigns that connect with consumers on a deeper level.
Imagine a future where every ad you see makes the world a little better: a billboard that purifies the air, a solar-powered sign that encourages sustainable living, or a campaign so personalized it feels like it was made just for you. That’s the future of OOH advertising. And honestly, who wouldn’t want to live in that world?
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