Vistar Media, a cutting-edge global provider of programmatic technology for digital out-of-home (DOOH), announced today new data showing billboard advertising delivered full funnel lifts and results against key industry performance metrics. Vistar conducted an analysis of campaigns that utilized billboards* to determine the venue type’s effectiveness in delivering positive contributions toward awareness, consideration, intent and foot traffic, with the results demonstrating why billboards have remained a timeless staple in DOOH.
As one of the oldest advertising mediums, billboards have continued to cement their reputation for driving meaningful outcomes for advertisers for decades, with this new data showcasing just how effective the venue can be across programmatic activations. In the US market, billboard advertising within Vistar’s campaign activations in 2022 drove a:
- Lift in awareness on 72% of campaigns
- Lift in consideration on 82% of campaigns
- Lift in intent on 79% of campaigns
- Lift in foot traffic on 67% of campaigns
Advertisers from the retail industry ran the most billboard campaigns that included measurement in 2022, followed by consumer packaged goods (CPG), financial services and telecommunications.
The research explored how campaigns within each industry performed against the core metrics list below. The findings demonstrated:
- Billboards drove lift in awareness on 92% of CPG campaigns, 67% of financial services campaigns, 57% of retail campaigns and 83% of telco campaigns
- Billboards drove lift in consideration on 80% of CPG campaigns, 73% of financial services campaigns, 86% of retail campaigns and 75% of telco campaigns
- Billboards drove lift in intent on 82% of CPG campaigns, 58% of financial services campaigns, 69% of retail campaigns and 91% of telco campaigns
Vistar’s advanced suite of technology capabilities enable measurement for DOOH across both upper and lower funnel KPIs, such as awareness, consideration, intent and foot traffic. By partnering with the industry’s leading measurement providers such as MFour, Foursquare and others, Vistar conducts brand studies and foot traffic studies based on verified DOOH exposure.
“Billboards have always been a cornerstone of OOH advertising, and this data from our 2022 campaigns solidify the channel as an effective driver of key performance metrics for brands, regardless of industry,” said Eric Lamb, SVP of Supply at Vistar Media. “While OOH has evolved significantly over the past few decades, these results reaffirm our confidence in the power of roadside advertising in OOH, and how the format can maximize the impact of a campaign. We’re honored to partner with some of the largest billboard owners across the US, including Clear Channel Outdoor, Lamar Advertising Company and OUTFRONT Media, as well as hundreds of screens from independent operators, to connect their high-impact DOOH billboards with leading advertisers from around the world.”
With lower hardware costs and the rise of programmatic DOOH, media owner networks are able to monetize digital signage in new environments that weren’t previously possible, such as retail, healthcare, entertainment and more. However, this data shows digital billboards are still an extremely effective way to influence consumer behavior for a wide variety of verticals – making it more important than ever to consider billboards for future activations.
“This latest research affirms the power of billboards to drive awareness, connect brands with target audiences, and influence critical purchasing decisions when used within a data-driven DOOH campaign,” said Ian Dallimore, VP of Digital Growth for Lamar Advertising Company. “Roadside billboards have become an integral part of our daily lives. Lamar’s extensive nationwide digital network reaches and connects consumers on premium displays at key moments using impactful creative, reminding them what they want and need and piquing curiosity. As the use of first and third-party data continues to evolve, brands can further enhance their strategies to target based on behaviors, extend their reach, and amplify brand messaging.”
“Marketers are focused on quality, scale and impact when it comes to DOOH formats and screens,” said Wade Rifkin, EVP and GM, Programmatic, Clear Channel Outdoor (CCO). “We’re encouraged Vistar’s latest research underscores how billboards consistently deliver a data-rich programmatic buying experience that is measurable and optimizable, and that Clear Channel’s large format, premium digital billboard displays in top markets across the country have been proven highly effective at driving outcomes.”
“Billboard advertising is an incredibly effective medium for reaching a wide and diverse audience,” adds Neil Shapiro, VP of Programmatic at OUTFRONT Media. “Not only do billboards drive lifts in awareness, consideration and foot traffic, but they also optimize other media channels such as social, search and video, improving performance metrics across the board. When combined with the flexibility, targeting and speed to market offered by programmatic, billboard advertising becomes a powerful and measurable tool for brands looking to increase awareness and drive sales.”
*This analysis reflects US DOOH campaigns Vistar measured in 2022 that included billboards.
