DOOH: Top 4 ways for brands to maximize strategies for the 2023 holiday season

It’s that time of year again. Summer is over, back-to-school season has come and gone, and the holidays are right around the corner. Advertisers and retail marketers are gearing up for their busiest and most profitable quarter, with Black Friday marking the season's unofficial start.

Like last year, consumers are planning to begin shopping earlier this year, with more than half of US consumers expected to start stocking up on holiday gifts before November. In spite of the ongoing inflation and economic challenges, ample revenue and brand building opportunities exist for advertisers and retailers who make the most out of this festive season by taking advantage of digital out-of-home (DOOH).

Not only does DOOH advertising seamlessly complement omnichannel ad campaigns targeting holiday shoppers, but it can also help boost awareness and purchase consideration, drive foot traffic to both physical and online retailers, and much more. Thanks to programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH) advancements, holiday retail campaigns are easier to activate than ever, making it an opportune time for advertisers to embrace the medium. Here are a few ways to maximize your DOOH strategy this holiday season.

1. Generate brand awareness ahead of the season

In a 2022 survey by Klarna, 42% of shoppers planned to purchase gifts earlier than usual, with 69% starting before Black Friday. With consumers researching and shopping earlier than ever, OOH can be a great way to capture attention early on, especially with recent data finding that 88% of U.S. adults notice OOH ads.

Contextual OOH ads have proven to capture audience attention, and pDOOH technology allows for data-driven ads based on a given audience’s movements throughout the day. Depending on the target audience, certain venue types can be more impactful in reaching key demographics. Leveraging dayparting can also ensure that OOH ads are displayed in high-traffic, high-visibility areas during specific times, intensifying their impact.

2. Promote sales and special offers

While consumers remain cautious about spending, they are still expected to make significant purchases during the holiday season. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), retail sales during 2022’s holiday season grew 5.3% year-over-year to $936.3bn. And despite tighter budgets, 46% spent more on Black Friday in 2022 than in 2021. In 2023, consumers will prioritize deals and savings, spending more time researching purchases before making decisions.

Google’s 2023 Retail Guide reports that 72% of consumers are more thoughtful about their spending, and 62% are more mindful about where they shop. A recent study by the OAAA and Morning Consult found that 42% of US adults say OOH ads with special offer messaging like “buy one get one free” and discount or promo codes have the most influence on how much they purchase in-store.

This shift in buying behavior emphasizes the importance of advertisers communicating value effectively to retain brand loyalty and prevent customers from switching to cheaper or more readily available options.

Programmatic DOOH allows real-world ads to be triggered based on real-time data like weather, time of day, and financial data, optimizing campaigns for consumer interests and shopping habits. A retailer with too much inventory in one location can quickly switch OOH ads from one geographic area to another, delivering promotional messaging that encourages audiences to head in-store.

3. Drive foot traffic and in-store purchases

OOH advertising can be one of the most effective ways to drive traffic to retailers. Placing ads throughout retail trade areas can act as a last-mile push to attract consumers. 68% of adults notice OOH ads on their way to a store, and nearly half say the ads impact their in-store purchase decisions, according to the OAAA.

High-traffic, high-visibility venue types like billboards, urban panels, transit, and street furniture en route to retailers can also provide essential information like directions to nearby retail locations or special in-store promotions. In-store or point-of-purchase (POP) displays present another great opportunity to leverage OOH as a last-minute sales push, with 75% of adult shoppers noticing OOH messaging once inside a store.

Programmatic DOOH technology offers increased flexibility in determining and modifying campaign parameters. Advertisers can optimize ads promoting time-sensitive in-store offers based on location, allowing them to pause or play ads near specific retailers depending on product availability, promotions, and time of day. OOH displays can even be placed around competitor locations, adjusting messaging based on competing offers.

4. Extend the reach of omnichannel campaigns

According to Google’s 2023 Retail Guide, over 40% of shoppers use Google for researching an online or in-store purchase, with online research remaining a key resource in the consumer shopping journey. For a brand experience to stand out from the competition, it’s imperative that it comes across seamlessly. Fortunately, OOH can boost brand engagement across digital and offline channels by blending messaging and using each medium to complement the other.

Incorporating interactive elements into OOH messaging, such as QR codes, hashtags, or short URLs encourages online actions and boosts engagement in a fun, frictionless way. Through device ID passback, audiences exposed to DOOH ads in a geofenced area can be retargeted via mobile and digital ads, increasing brand touchpoints throughout their journey.

The 2023 holiday season presents a prime opportunity to initiate DOOH advertising and effectively reach targeted audiences on the path to and at the point of purchase. With economic influences and more extended purchasing periods, consumers are seeking information on deals and value-driven offers, and DOOH provides an ideal avenue to communicate those promotions. Whether looking to drive awareness or lift in-store traffic, integrating pDOOH into your broader omnichannel campaign is a strategic play that is sure to pay off.