Interactive Billboards: The Future of DOOH Advertising

We all know the marketing rule of seven – a consumer has to be exposed to a message about seven times before it starts to sink in and influences a decision. Whether or not as a marketer you choose to believe that, the worst thing possible that can be done in a scenario for outdoor advertising is to increase the number of screens or spots solely to force more exposure. 

The question to be asked here would be how to ultimately increase digital screen effectiveness and engagement without having your target audiences being overexposed to the same messages.

First of all, it is important to note that whilst similar – digital screens and interactive billboards are not the same. When considering the differences between these two, the standard OOH media terminology would define interactive OOH advertising alternatives that drive dynamic, intimate, and long-lasting brand relationships with a consumer.

One expert example of how this was done was through NCDV’s digital billboard campaign against domestic violence. The ad relied on every day commuters Euston Station being exposed to a digital ad of a man screaming at a woman.

Audiences were then urged to log on to NCDV’s website to virtually ‘drag’ the man away; in which they could also see the image of him in the station being dragged away in real-time.

The basic objectives of OOH media would be to maximize impact and convey a brand’s message, but interactive screens take the extra mile to that measure!

So what are some of the benefits of executing interactive screen campaigns?

Customer Loyalty

• It’s important to stand out from the clutter of ads, but it’s not a very easy thing to do amidst other OOH media competitors. For this very reason, digital screen campaigns that play on interactivity have the ability to allow audiences to connect their very own personal experiences and take time out of their day to make the effort and engage with your ad. In a nutshell, if your ad has the superpower of getting a busy commuter to stray from their schedule and interact with your digital screen advertising message, there’s probably a very good chance that they remember your ad first.

Generate Organic Buzz

• Outdoor advertising works through the power of exposure – but who’s to say that you can’t get your audiences to do that for you? A large number of screens capitalize the ability to deliver a design and ad that resonates with enough people so they’d want to post what they’ve seen on their own social media! In 2019, this trend is only expected to rise as photo and video sharing social networks continue to grow.

Now that you’re all caught up on the importance of digital interactive screens –what’s next? As always, the vast world of OOH media dimensions and innovative tech is always growing, so there are many ways you can successfully reach target audiences beyond sharing website links.

QR codes have always been a popular and effective method of getting audiences to interact with the brand behind the digital screen display.

In other news, RFID codes have also become increasingly used by OOH media digital screen marketers.

Take the #LookingForYou campaign by Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, for example. It introduces crowds walking past screens in a location to a shelter dog that lovingly follows them around; after they’ve received a pamphlet with an RFID code detected by the digital screens.

Human emotion, buzz value, and a straightforward message.

If done in this same way, there is no doubt that your interactive DOOH campaign would exceed all expectations and go beyond advertising exposure to create a meaningful impact on your target audience.

Related Article: What Are the Benefits of Programmatic DOOH?