Allwyn Lotto Will You Be Next Special Build OOH

OOH on its own is an incredibly strong advertising medium, however, when used in conjunction with other channels it’s been proven to extend the reach and effectiveness of a campaign.

Consumers today spend 70% of their time outside of their homes making out-of-home (OOH) advertising a prime channel for reaching your target audience. With a low CPM and high ROI, what’s not to love about the traditional channel?

OOH & Online Ads

You might think of these two advertising mediums as occupying two completely different worlds – one physical and one in cyberspace. But with 27% of our year spent online, both mediums actually do a pretty similar job of catching us in our everyday lives.

When OOH is combined with online ads, brands can elevate the effectiveness of their overall campaign by 31% and increase the overall reach by 68%. Used together as part of the marketing mix, these two channels thrive.

Nissan OOH Campaign of Qashqai car parked on Truman Brewery by Grand Visual
Nissan OOH Campaign of Qashqai car parked on Truman Brewery by Grand Visual
Nissan OOH Campaign of Qashqai car parked on Truman Brewery by Grand Visual

Nissan Motor Corporation launched its campaign Elevate Your Urban Drive, a multi-platform campaign to promote its latest Qashqai model.

The campaign consisted of three CGI-led films, including this one in which we helped park a Qashqai on the side of the 49-meter chimney at The Truman Brewery in London! The CGI videos were used as part of their wider marketing campaign and were shared across socials and online ads.

However, the Qashqai really was parked there in a never-been-done-before OOH installation.

OOH & Mobile

Did you know there are more mobile phones in the world than there are people? We’re clearly obsessed with our handsets. So what happens when a relatively new channel like mobile is combined with a traditional channel like OOH?

According to recent studies, when OOH is combined with mobile it can increase a mobile campaign’s reach by 316%.

A great example of OOH working well with mobile comes from Quaker Oats who we helped utilise digital OOH and a special build bus shelter to share the warmth during winter.

The digital OOH activity displayed real-time temperature data, encouraging audiences to scan the QR code and claim a discount off their next purchase of Quaker Oats. Discounts were based on UK average temperature data – the colder the weather average, the bigger the discount. The bus shelter in Kingston, London utilised a LIVE thermal-imaging feed, playfully encouraging audiences to claim their discount off their next purchase of Quaker Oats.

OOH & Social Media

With 45% of the total world population using social media, social is one of the most effective channels for targeting audiences. In its simplest form, the combination of OOH with Social Media could just be a hashtag on a billboard, however, there is a multitude of ways that these channels can work to complement each other.

In 2014, Pepsi Max launched “Unbelievable,” a campaign that beautifully combined digital OOH (DOOH) with Social Media. Featuring an Augmented Reality DOOH stunt, the brand earned over 50 million views online, as well as news coverage and countless awards.

When OOH is combined with Social Media, it amplifies and extends the reach of a campaign from a physical to a digital level. Results from Talon’s 4th space research saw a 48% increase in consumer action when digital OOH was added to a social plan.

OOH is a great amplifier, and when added to your marketing mix as part of a comprehensive strategy, increases campaign performance.

You may be reading this whilst relaxing, but for consumers, the busiest quarter of the year is just getting started! 

With events such as Black Friday, Halloween and Christmas all packed into Q4 consumers are constantly on the lookout for the best deals, and digital OOH has the ability to engage shoppers on-location, showcasing products and displaying offers in real-time.

Almost a third (31%) of all consumers expect to still be shopping during December, while 43% plan to have finished their shopping before Black Friday (IPA, 2024).

Younger generations are most likely to take advantage of the Black Friday sales with 82% of 18-24s and 75% of 25-34s planning to spend at least a quarter of their budget during this time (IPA, 2024).

Last year, shopping centres saw footfall rise by an average of +27.3% during the period before Christmas (MRI, 2024).

Let us show you a few examples of contextually relevant campaigns that harnessed OOH during the festive period…

Pepsi MAX Christmas 2023

Pepsi Max Christmas Interactive OOH
Pepsi Max Christmas Interactive OOH
Pepsi Max Christmas Interactive OOH

We delivered Pepsi Max’s best-performing Christmas ever with their market share significantly increasing YoY.

John Lewis Christmas Tease

We launched two high-impact, bespoke billboards complete with brand ambassadors within proximity to key John Lewis stores in Westfield London and Liverpool One.

Sainsbury’s – A Dazzling Christmas Billboard

A series of special break-through billboards were installed across 3 major cities to promote the Christmas treats Sainsbury’s can offer.

Want to discuss your upcoming digital OOH plans? Get in touch!

Introduction

Ever wondered about what product sampling can bring to your campaign? Well, in a world where OOH is becoming a big part of marketing strategies and we are seeing the lines blurred between experiential and traditional OOH, product sampling is becoming a core feature in many campaigns. Boosting brand awareness and engaging target audiences are all ways in which innovative product sampling strategies can aid a campaign. From traditional in-store samples to more cutting-edge blends of billboards and sampling, we will delve into the methods that have proven successful across different industries.

We are increasingly seeing the effectiveness of what a successful sampling campaign can do, through our research and data tools. SO, if brands are looking to raise customer engagement, loyalty and encourage them to make a purchase then sampling could be something to consider in your next campaign.

The Essentials

Before we go into detail, take a look at the top line facts. Any brands wanting to see and achieve the same, keep on reading!

  1. In-store sampling is a proven method for immediate consumer engagement.
  2. Event sampling effectively targets niche audiences in a concentrated setting.
  3. Mobile sampling units offer flexibility and targeted reach in urban areas.
  4. Combining elements of traditional OOH, with product sampling, brings a new level of creativity.
  5. Transit hub sampling reaches a broad audience, which can increase brand awareness.

The Statistics

It’s easy to write a load of statements on a page but don’t worry, you dont just have to take our word for it. We have got the data to prove it!

73% of consumers say that if they try a product, they are likely to buy it (Banknotes, 2021).

81% of people say that they’d try a product if they received a free sample of it (InspiraMarketing, 2022).

24% of customers who tried a sample product said it specifically replaced an item they were planning to buy (Arbitron and Edison Media Research survey).

35% of customers who try a product sample in a retail store will purchase the product during the same shopping trip (Arbitron and Edison Media Research survey).

Let’s Get To It!

In-Store Sampling

Brands can provide audiences in a retail setting with free product samples through in-store sampling initiatives, by giving customers a quick, hands-on experience. The main objective? Introducing a product, raising awareness, and ultimately driving purchases.

This kind of traditional product sampling can usually be carried out at department shops, supermarkets, and other retail establishments where loyal customers and prospective buyers can engage with merchandise before deciding to buy.

Statistics indicate this form of product sampling can prove to be effective. In a study done by Fizz (2018) in-store sampling received a majority participation rate of 60%. Furthermore, 88% responded that they would be more likely to purchase the product after trying it first at the store.

Event Sampling

Creating an event makes it possible for brands to offer free samples of their goods or services such as trade exhibitions, concerts, sporting events, festivals, or get-togethers within the community.

Event sampling aims to provide a memorable and immersive experience for a specific target group, increasing brand awareness among new customers, and encouraging product trials in an environment where people are receptive to trying new things.

It can offer direct, in-the-moment, valuable feedback from potential customers and enables businesses to engage with their audience in a dynamic environment. It’s useful in fields where consumers’ decision-making is heavily influenced by their senses of taste, smell, touch, and sound.

Be Innovative!

Mobile Sampling Units

Mobile sampling units allow consumer brands to build awareness, take their products directly to specific demographics in urban settings and offer samples in a highly interactive and engaging way. By moving from place to place, these mobile units reach consumers where they are, creating a dynamic marketing experience that stands out and creates a buzz.

Why choose a mobile sampling unit? Well, they’re specially equipped vehicles designed to promote products and engage consumers by bringing free samples to them directly. These units are typically outfitted with branded displays, product samples, and promotional materials, and are driven to high-traffic areas such as festivals, concerts, sporting events, busy urban locations, and shopping centres.

Pepsi Max Mobile Product Sampling Campaign

Pepsi MAX launched its new flavours tour this summer and they stole the spotlight. Throughout August they took their ice cream roll bar on an unforgettable tour around the UK. Those lucky enough to have visited a Pepsi MAX Flavours bar could enjoy a sample of their new fruity-flavoured ice cream and relax in the flavour zone.

Transit Hub Sampling

Transit Hub Sampling can be a fantastic marketing strategy for brands, especially if they have a target market of a large, diverse and travelling audience. Statistics show that airport advertising delivers the highest perceived value and prestige compared to other advertising and social media channels (JCDecaux, 2021).

Progressive Insurance Transit Hub Sampling campaign

Just in time for summer travel and aligned with the start of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Progressive Insurance entertained travellers journeying from New York (JFK) to Paris. As travellers passed by, a custom-wrapped vending machine dispensed free, limited-time copies of the book “Dr. Rick Will See You Now.”

Once the physical copies ran out, no one was left out as a scannable QR code appeared, offering a free digital download option. This witty and engaging campaign entertained travellers while Dr. Rick provided tips on un-becoming your parents.

From Billboards to Product Sampling Campaigns

Transforming traditional billboards into a stage for a Product Sampling Strategy is not something new for us at Grand Visual. It serves as a two-in-one package that not only delivers the brands message but offers the target audience free samples to help generate buzz. Its blend of creativity allows for the best product sampling ideas to come to fruition and opens the door for audiences to create shareable content.

Fancy a McFlurry?

The brief from McDonald’s was to create a fun, large-scale experience that celebrated the new ‘Fancy a McFlurry?’ brand platform and tied into the 21st birthday of the McFlurry. Making it the perfect time to build a McDonald’s Walk Thru billboard! It was launched on London’s South Bank across one of the busiest weekends of the summer. A four-day influencer and public pop-up was established that surprised and delighted consumers in an effort to increase sales and brand loyalty. The results speak for themselves:

ABSOLUT #IRL

After a lengthy lockdown, ABSOLUT wanted to celebrate being back together in real life (#IRL) with a fun, gamified billboard. Groups of friends were invited to stand on a podium and play a big buzzer game with the winners receiving a little treat. Music played, a curtain raised and a real barman was waiting behind to serve a Watermelon Vodka and Lemonade. Their multiple successful product sampling campaigns in London meant that the tour was extended to 4 additional locations across the UK.

So, Let’s Conclude

Product sampling remains a powerful strategy to raise brand awareness and engage with consumers. By combining traditional methods with innovative OOH and creative techniques, brands can create memorable experiences that drive an increase in loyalty, and boost sales. Grand Visual’s expertise in using creative product sampling and bringing ideas to life with engaging strategies can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your campaign efforts. Whether you’re using mobile sampling units, interactive displays, or transit hub sampling, these examples illustrate the diverse ways to effectively sample products and capture your target audience’s attention.

Ready to get creative with OOH, contact us now!

Nissan OOH Campaign of Qashqai car parked on Truman Brewery by Grand Visual

At Grand Visual, we ensure creative Out of Home (OOH) advertising delivers maximum impact to bring brands to the front of consumers’ minds. In this post, we’ll cover creative OOH campaign ideas and provide actionable tips to help you enhance your campaign.

From interactive elements on a billboard to weather-responsive online ads, you’ll discover strategies that can engage your audience and elevate your brand’s visibility. For your OOH campaign to be attention-grabbing and engaging, we implement the following techniques which can bring your innovative ideas to life.

Lenovo 3D OOH campaign on Piccadilly lights by Grand Visual
Lenovo X F1 3D OOH

The Essentials

Simplicity and clarity are fantastic for creating effective OOH adverts.

Audiences are clouded by a fog of digital and physical worlds. Therefore, simplicity has become a very powerful strategy to break through and target people. Simplicity will be able to cut through the loud noise to capture attention and allow the outdoor advertising campaign to resonate.

Strong visuals and compelling messaging significantly improve engagement and lasting impact.

An impactful OOH ad requires a strong visual to elevate the campaign above the competition. This goes hand in hand with a compelling message that creates control, focus and intensity in influencing your audiences.

Contextual relevance and brand consistency enhance the connection with the audience.

With an OOH ad campaign, contextual relevance is key and with Programmatic Advertising, adjustments can be made to ads in real time. Campaigns can adapt to variables such as weather, date and time to better connect the brands with the right audiences.

McCafe Iced Programmatic DOOH campaign by Grand Visual
McCafe Iced Programmatic DOOH

Interactive elements and unexpected visuals make OOH ads more memorable

Interactivity allows audiences to get involved and be a part of the campaign in real life. Providing an experience alongside the advert helps with audience engagement and in turn brand recall. Creating a surprise effect is a great way to build strong emotions with audiences and makes it more likely for the advert to be shared online.

Trends like digital integration, sustainability, and AR are shaping the future in the world of OOH

These industry trends can cause a challenge if you don’t keep up to date. Integration of digital infrastructure is important to help maintain the strength of your brand positioning. Adhering to new sustainability goals ensures that you stay relevant with clients and future prospects.

Wonka 3D New York times square DOOH billboard by Grand Visual
Wonka 3D Anamorphic DOOH

Key Creative OOH Considerations:

Simplicity and Clarity: Ads should be straightforward and easy to understand at a glance. Using bold fonts, high-contrast colours, QR Codes and minimalistic designs can enhance readability and impact.

Strong Visuals: Eye-catching visuals are essential to immersive experiences. High-quality images and creativity that resonate emotionally with the audience can significantly improve engagement and memorability.

Compelling Messaging: The messaging should be concise and impactful. Strong headlines and benefit-oriented copy can encourage consumers to take action or learn more about the brand.

Contextual Relevance: Ads should have creative ways to be tailored to their environment, incorporating local references or seasonal themes to establish a connection with the audience.

Brand Consistency: Maintaining consistency with the overall brand identity across all creative elements ensures a cohesive experience for consumers.

#sending love DOOH billboard global campaign by Grand Visual
#SendingLove User Generated Content OOH

Creative OOH Ideas:

Interactive Elements: Incorporating interactivity, such as touch-sensitive displays that illuminate when engaged, can create a memorable experience. To promote Pepsi MAX, we launched an activation featuring a Pepsi MAX vending machine that surprised passers-by by inviting them to grab a can and scan it at the custom vending machine to receive a Pepsi-branded football. Once a football is dispensed, a laser display would project a 2v2 pitch outline onto the street, commencing the start of a 10-minute, match session.

Pepsi Max Hidden Pitches by Grand Visual
Pepsi Max Hidden Pitches Interactive OOH

Unexpected Visuals: Using familiar brand phrases in unexpected and creative ways can capture attention. We wanted to continue Specsavers famous tagline of “Should’ve gone to Specsavers” in a new and unexpected environment. A Specsavers van was parked on a rising bollard in front of a “no parking” sign and the moment went viral. The marketing stunt gathered over 6M social media views and 20 national press titles picked up the story.

Specsavers "Should of gone to Specsavers" parked van OOH marketing stunt by Grand Visual
Specsavers Van Parked on Bollard OOH

Dynamic Content: Leveraging digital Out-of-Home capabilities to display real-time updates or personalised messages can enhance participation. To help promote Google Maps new feature Explore, which encourages people to discover new things locally, we used real-time data. The DOOH activation was displayed across a variety of New York neighbourhoods and the message would evolve based on the location, time, temperature and day.

Google Maps Explore Programmatic DOOH ad by Grand Visual
Google Maps Explore Programmatic OOH

Creative Use of Space: Transforming traditional advertising formats into something bolder is a great way to subvert expectations and grab the audience’s attention. That is exactly what we did for Budweiser as they responded to the backlash over female and non-binary artists being snubbed at the Brits Award. A billboard was transformed into a stage and a selection of up-and-coming artists were invited to perform for music lovers.

Budweiser The Stage Is Yours To Take by Grand Visual
Budweiser The Stage Is Yours OOH

Weather-Responsive Ads: Utilising real-time weather data to tailor messages can significantly increase relevance. For Quaker Oats we utilised dynamic OOH and created interactive ads on a bus shelter to display real-time temperature data, encouraging audiences to scan the QR code and claim a discount on their next purchase of Quaker Oats. Discounts are based on UK average temperature data – the colder the weather average, the bigger the discount.

Quaker Oats Programmatic DOOH by Grand Visual
Quaker Oats Weather Responsive OOH

Trends in OOH Advertising:

Digital Integration: The shift towards digital OOH is allowing for more creative and dynamic campaigns. This includes the use of programmatic advertising which enables real-time optimisation and personalised messaging based on audience data.

Sustainability: There is a growing emphasis on eco-friendly materials and practices in OOH advertising, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers.

O2 Priority Go Green Sustainability campaign by Grand Visual
O2 Priority “GO Green” OOH

Engaging Your Audience with Interactive OOH

Explore how interactive elements can captivate audiences and create memorable experiences for brands. This section covers the benefits and examples of successful interactive campaigns on static billboards. Learn how Grand Visual leverages cutting-edge technology to create engaging content.

Touch-Sensitive Displays: Ads that respond to touch or movement can engage passers-by and provide a unique brand experience. This can be seen in the Lego campaign, which used 3D motion sensors to make an interactive screen and give passersby the chance to get involved.

Leg Star Wars Motion Censored OOH Display by Grand Visual
Lego Star Wars Interactive OOH

Social Media Integration: Encouraging social media interaction through hashtags or live feeds can extend the campaign’s reach. Especially when using sampling to increase attention, as in the campaign from Sony Pictures where they gave out samples of the book and bouquets of flowers.

It ends with us Interactive OOH by Grand Visual
It Ends With Us Interactive OOH

Leveraging Digital OOH for Real-Time Engagement

Digital billboards provide advantages, including real-time updates and personalised messaging to users. How can brands use digital billboard technology to enhance their campaigns? Grand Visual’s expertise can help you maximise these benefits and break through to your audience.

Real-Time Updates: Displaying current information, such as weather or news, can keep your ad relevant and engaging.

Personalised Messaging: Using data to tailor messages to specific audiences or locations.

Programmatic Advertising: Automating ad placement and optimisation based on real-time data.

Shake Shack qr code DOOH by Grand Visual
Shake Shake DOOH

Partnering with Grand Visual for Your OOH Campaigns

Learn how Grand Visual can help you create and execute innovative OOH marketing campaigns for advertisers and brands. We make it happen. This section details our services and expertise in the OOH advertising industry.

Creative Development: Grand Visual’s team of experts can help you conceptualise and design an impactful OOH ad.

Technological Integration: They provide advanced technological solutions, including augmented reality, AR and digital displays, to enhance your campaigns.

Campaign Management: From planning to budget to execution, Grand Visual manages all aspects of your OOH campaigns to ensure success.

So, Lets Get Creative!

Creative OOH advertising can significantly enhance brand visibility and engagement. By incorporating these innovative ideas and strategies, you can create impactful advertisements that resonate with your audience. Grand Visual’s expertise in OOH tech can help you bring these concepts to life, ensuring creativity and your ad campaigns’ ability to stand out.

Habitat 60th Anniversary Special Build OOH by Grand Visual
Habitat Special Build OOH

Jay Young, Grand Visual, Managing Director Headshot

Take a look at the latest interview from LBB with our very own Managing Director, Jay Young. This interview delves into our latest OOH campaigns, our people-first philosophy and the advancements in 3D advertising and digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising.

View the article here.

Baileys Projection OOH

The coldest and darkest season of the year, winter is also one of the most magical. With plenty of celebrations, these dark nights are made brighter with illuminated pumpkins, fireworks and neighbourhoods draped in festive lighting. 

As people, we gravitate towards the light in the darkness – which is what makes winter a fantastic time for brands to shine with creative Out of Home (OOH) executions that dazzle audiences. Over the years, we’ve worked with many brands to illuminate cities, neighbourhoods and even the sky with creative OOH. 

In this blog, we’ll be exploring the ways in which we make this possible and why it’s important to break the mould to cut through this winter. 

Creative OOH Works 

Understanding the impact of creativity on consumer behaviour is crucial and catching a consumer’s eye can have a direct impact on sales. According to a Nielsen analysis of over 500 campaigns, creative elements contribute consequent purchase and sales 47%, followed by reach (22%), brand (15%), and targeting (9%). 

It’s important to remember that although a campaign may be planned effectively in terms of reach and audience targeting, if the creative is under par, this will impact campaign performance. 

Special Builds 

In the darker months, we’ve had the pleasure of creating and executing some incredible special builds for brands who want to stand out and make their creative work harder. Whether it be lighting, steam or even fire, these campaigns have ruled the market thanks to their creativity. BBC are a brand that has excelled at this time and time again: 

A special build for the TV show “Dracula” leveraged shadows to depict the vampire myth, revealing a terrifying silhouette only visible at nightfall. 

“A Perfect Planet” featured a billboard torn apart to reveal a devastating forest fire image, combining smoke machines and LED lighting for a striking effect, making it appear that the billboard was on fire. 

For “His Dark Materials,” a ‘breathing’ billboard, using steam, captured attention on dark winter nights. 

Projection Mapping: Winter’s Canvas 

Projection mapping opens doors to creativity in the darker winter months. Whether we’re delivering high impact mapped content onto iconic locations or delivering guerrilla messages at scale nationwide, we can take clients’ messages directly to their audiences in a disruptive and impactful way.  

For Nissan Formula E, innovative motion video mapping transformed the 110 The Queens Walk building into a giant, 150ft tall racing helmet. 

Glow in the Dark 

Projections can also be used in conjunction with murals, making them visibly dazzling in the dark evenings. 

YouTube Music’s artist murals, including one for the 1975 in Manchester, used projection mapping with incredible effect. 

MAC elevated its creative using projection mapping. 

Other techniques that enable brands to glow in the dark are UV-Reflective Paint, Black Light and Halo Lighting. By adding special lighting and ink onto elements of the poster or mural can help elevate the creative at night! 

For Baileys’ “HallowQueens” campaign, hand-painted murals near on-trade spots were enhanced for extra appeal. One featured glitter for sparkle, while another used metallic and glow-in-the-dark UV paint for a spooky effect. 

Experiential Brand Experiences 

Drone Activations 

Rising in popularity over the last few years, we’ve seen many brands and even the royal family use drones to captivate audiences in a unique way.

Drone light shows, using up to 1000 drones, create illuminated aerial formations, forming images and words in the night sky. The drone show from the Coronation Concert is one of our favourites.

Heated OOH: Cozy Surprises 

Embrace the chilly season with heated OOH. Installing special heating units at transit shelters offers a distinctive chance that thrives during the winter season.

John Lewis incorporated heated creative in bus stops, providing a cozy surprise with just a tap. 

Digital Creativity: Enhancing Emotional Engagement 

Strong creative messaging increases emotional engagement by 13%, especially through: 

Contextual Messaging 

Custom dynamic messaging integrates data feeds directly into the campaign creative. Updating the creative with messaging triggered by the time of day or by the weather, brings extra life to a campaign and increases brain response. 

Shake Shack’s use of dynamic digital OOH billboards in NYC for an interactive truffle hunt exemplifies this approach. 

Want to do something creative this winter? Get in touch with your Grand Visual representative or contact us using this form. 

Nathelie Meng

Nathelie Meng, Project Director, talks to LBB about the joys and challenges of producing creative Out of Home (OOH) advertising.

View the article here.