OOH, didn’t we do well?
Trends in marketing come and go, but lately one traditional medium is undergoing something of a renaissance. Marketers and creatives are realising the power of out of home advertising (OOH) to target and reach people in key locations, with impactful messages that reinforce existing campaigns.
So how can B2B brands get in on the act? Learn more, from our guide to doing OOH well.
The out of home category (OOH) is one of the most traditional of all advertising media, yet provides plenty of scope for innovation. In recent years, marketers have woken up to its many benefits:
- OOH is larger than life, and therefore unmissable. You can’t skip it, mute it or scroll past it.
- It’s brand-building, because it’s broadly trusted and positively received by consumers. Just as importantly, it’s also an opportunity for bold, eye-catching creativity, including 3D executions and even stunts.
- OOH reinforces other elements of campaigns, including digital, with the outdoor screen said to be supporting the online screen. Hashtags, QR codes and web addresses can lead OOH viewers into making enquiries – and purchases – online. The ear also supports the eye, as OOH works very well with radio.
- It’s rooted in location, enabling opportunities for clever targeting.
- It’s truly accessible, it’s seen by all, and available to clients ranging from small startups through to large multinationals.
- Consumers really engage with it, according to figures reported in the Drum, OOH reaches 98% of the UK population, every week.
Dos and Don’ts
As with any medium, there are Dos and Don’ts to doing OOH well. Adding in B2B can bring further twists and turns, but broadly speaking there are a few ‘Must Do’s’, and one very big ‘Don’t’.
- Do – Design your piece with one big idea or message in mind. You’ve got their attention but you’ve really only got one chance. Lots of messages = lots of executions.
- Do – Keep it simple, silly. Say what you have to say. Beyond that, direct your viewers to your website where you can add nuance, explain your offering in detail and gain buy-in.
- Do – Be bold in your approach. By definition, you’re out competing in public. This is no time to hide your light behind a bushel. High-contrast imagery that ‘pops’ and instant legibility are critical.
- Do – Make the most of your location. Know where you are, and target your audience accordingly.
- And, one big fat ‘Don’t’. Don’t ever ‘put your baby in the corner’. That is to say, the bottom right corner of any poster is an absolute no-go zone for your logo. Sometimes referred to as ‘the corner of death’; you need to be front and centre.
Walking the walk…
So, with the above rules in mind, how has The Think Tank gone about bringing B2B to the great outdoors and sending our clients and creative concepts out into the wild?
One example is the ‘Masters of Time’ campaign we created for business software group IRIS, which targeted small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).
Offering a 50% discount, IRIS promised to give back SMEs their precious time to focus on growth, while IRIS took care of so-called back-office functions.
Through bold national OOH activity, targeted digital advertising and emails, London bus-side displays, tube panels and radio spots, we promoted The Masters of Time – a gang of time-saving superheroes on a mission to help small businesses in their hour of need.
The campaign came through with truly outstanding results, including a 97% increase in organic site traffic year-on-year, securing 17 award nominations yielding 5 trophy wins.
Another example of our bringing B2B to out of home markets is our recent work for Lords Builders Merchants. Lords serves London and the home counties with building supplies to both Trade and DIY customers. The company was expanding operations into South West London, opening 5 new stores and they called on us to help them get the word out.
Following a carefully targeted direct mail campaign, we reinforced the messaging with bold OOH spots on busses, bus stops and billboards that liberally employed playful puns, riffing off the local accent, to introduce Lords to the area. This punderful campaign made sure that every builder in South West London knew who had ‘come down their manor’.
The roundup
Finally, going outdoors gives marketers the chance to have some fun and craft messaging that really cuts through in unexpected ways. We liked this recent cheeky move for Specsavers – an uplifted Specsavers van, intentionally stuck on a raising bollard. This was a deliberate stunt which reinforces their well-known messaging.
An OOH B2B advert that recently caught our eye, is for specialist insurers Hiscox. It’s a deliberately ‘disastrous’ advert, with a warning for anyone in the business of communication…
Speaking of communication, if you’re thinking of moving your comms into the great outdoors, think about what The Think Tank can do for you, and together let’s nail it.
