Let’s Think Out-of-Home

When it comes to marketing, we always want to think out of the box regardless of the type of organization/company represented. For nonprofits looking to get the most “bang for their buck,” out-of-home (OOH) options are a great way to accomplish this since they ARE the most direct manner to get your message across and in many cases, such as billboards or transit displays, the product itself IS often considered the message. Today’s out-of-home media offer new technologies, new formats and more creative ways to help you take your message further. How it’s used is as critical as what location is selected.

Out-of-home companies accept and use nonprofit creative to fill unsold space. Once a public service announcement is posted, it can stay live up to 4 weeks to even a year, or three. Usually, out-of-home companies will keep PSAs up for as along as a space is available so there is no unused inventory. While the space provided is donated, the out-of-home companies require the nonprofit to pay labor fees associated with posting the creative. These posting fees vary both by market and by type of out-of-home activity, including size and quantity (e.n g. a large billboard vs. a small bus interior car card).

There are hundreds of innovative and dynamic opportunities available in the out of home arena on a large scale or in an intimate setting. OOH also allows advertisers to showcase creativity, humor, drama, simplicity and surprise. Factors to keep in mind when deciding what type of OOH you are interested in:  target audience, age range, location, content and message sensitivity.  OOH minimizes wasted coverage and improves an advertiser’s campaign by providing the ability to target ad messages geographically. So, where are your dollars best spent? Billboards are excellent for reaching a national audience as there are billboards in every nook and cranny of the country. Transit works best if your message is focused on reaching major markets where transit is available. Bus/rail interiors work well for reaching a captive audience, but bus exteriors (tail or side of the bus) reach not only passengers, but commuters on foot and in cars. Alternative options include movie theatres, malls, arenas, stadiums, gas stations, gas pumps, in-flight, doctor’s offices, elevators, and much more. These are more intimate settings where you have the ability to specifically target your audience. For example, malls reach a large female demographic, whereas in-flight reaches a more upscale audience.

Consumers spend more than half their waking hours outside of their home. So why not reach them where they dwell amongst their common routines: shopping, socializing, commuting, etc.? OOH is a sure way to engage your on-the-go consumers with a powerful stand alone medium showcasing strategic content to get your message across.

Connect360 helps nonprofit organizations spread their important messages via public service announcements, the web and mobile applications.  To learn more about Connect360’s services, please contact us.