Tech Talk and Trends: Get Smart(phone) with Outdoor

It is widely accepted that creating a connection between a consumer and a brand is paramount to the success of advertising. In an increasingly connected world where people are spending more and more time outside of their home, mobile and outdoor advertising offer a unique and effective way to attract and interact with consumers on the go. This is the era of the smartphone and the importance of real-time information is key; consumers want information immediately. If an ad catches the eye of a consumer, they no longer wait to go home and look it up on their desktop. They want the information at their fingertips; something that portable devices have a monopoly on. Let us have a closer look at how mobile technologies can work in perfect harmony with OOH and allow the brand and the consumer to form a meaningful connection, translating into increased purchasing intent. Social media has been prominent in digital OOH advertising, but here is also a great example of how it helped build connections and promote street art. In October 2013 graffiti artist Banksy was working on a project ‘Better Out Than In’ in New York.  Every day for one month, he put up a piece of graffiti in one of the 5 boroughs of New York. He used Twitter to release the location of the art; his followers would immediately get the update on their phone and have the chance to go and be the first to see the artwork. For the anonymous Banksy, social media was a perfect tool to advertise his art on urban landscapes and build relationships with his audience. Recently, JCDecaux Sweden promoted Isabel Marant’s collection with H&M.  They developed a 2m² panel with frosted glass, which encased samples from the new collection. The call-to-action was clear: to tweet #LookNBook, which promptly revealed the garment from the collection for several seconds. If the product was to their taste, they could reserve the item. As a result there were 1,658 tweets with the hashtag ‘LookNBook’, not only building buzz around OOH advertising and the collection but building H&M’s relationship with their consumers. The social dialogue that was created on Twitter as a result of this campaign demonstrates the success in the promotion of Isabel Marant’s collection. The collaboration between Twitter and OOH was key to the success of the campaign as it developed dialogue between the advertiser and the consumer.   What if we take a step further? Today there are more and more mobile technologies that can enhance the communication of advertising. NFC is an effective way for consumers to interact with adverts on bus shelters or in shopping malls. If there is something to gain from interacting with an NFC chip such as coupons, consumers are more likely to interact with the device. Furthermore, NFC has various additional benefits, for example consumers can enter competitions, purchase products directly from the poster, receive vouchers and receive content such as images and video about the brand being advertised. The more relevant an advert is to an individual the more they are likely to relate, recall and buy the brand. Apple has developed a new feature: the iBeacon. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to remotely transmit data directly from the beacon to your phone. The additional benefit of iBeacon is that if enabled, it can transmit data to your mobile device from up to 50 meters away.What does it offer? - A direct connection between a consumer and a brand. For example, a panel with a beacon in a mall can allow consumers to receive information straight to their mobile about a product in the vicinity. They can even receive special deals that accompany that product. Both the brand and the consumer can benefit from this type of tailored communication. There is vast potential, for DOOH advertising to interact and have an impact on consumers in their daily lives. The key is to employ these opportunities in a relevant way. The increase of global smartphone users and the increasing time people spend online using social media means DOOH advertising can reach millions of consumers daily. The potential for DOOH is exponential, watch this space as DOOH changes the way we perceive brands.