How Out of Home has become one of the most resilient and relevant advertising channels!

Opinion Piece by OOHMAA’s CEO, Natasha O’Connor

I've been in the advertising world for longer than I'd like to admit. Over the years—whether working agency-side, in Out of Home, or across other media channels—there's been a recurring sentiment, often voiced by those of us in Out of Home, that this is the year for us to shine. Each year, to some degree, that's held true. After all, we've seen steady growth over the past 12 years (save for the well-known "blip" in 2020).

What's heartening to see now is that this belief in Out of Home's potential isn't just coming from within our industry. More and more, agencies and advertisers are coming to see Out of Home as an essential part of their media strategies—and I couldn't agree more.

Here in New Zealand, Out of Home is emerging as one of the most impactful channels for reaching consumers. Why is that? Quite simply, Out of Home is uniquely positioned (quite literally) to meet the needs of a changing media landscape. While other channels contend with issues like ad-skipping, ad-blocking, and the endless need to update content to stay relevant. In contrast, Out of Home advertising occupies a unique position, taking advantage of its place in the outdoor environment - which is ever-expanding, the continued evolution of its technologies and the changing urban landscapes.

Why out of home advertising is uniquely positioned

Out of Home advertising stands out in today's crowded landscape by offering advantages that other channels can't easily match. With its mix of physical presence, advancing technology, and ability to reach people in the real world, Out of Home has become a powerful, resilient channel for advertisers in New Zealand.

Importantly, Out of Home reaches people on the move. Unlike ads that catch audiences at home or on their devices, Out of Home connects with consumers out in the physical world—often in high-energy, high-traffic spots where messages have maximum impact. The beauty of this channel is that it's "unskippable." It's there in the environment, making it ideal for building brand awareness and ensuring that messages actually get seen.

The high visibility, frequency and impact of its formats are also key advantages, these strategically placed formats ensure ads create a powerful impression that's hard to ignore.

The Out of Home industry has also embraced technology to elevate its capabilities. DOOH allows advertisers to customise and update messages in real-time, tailoring them based on audience demographics, time, weather, or even local events. This flexibility makes Out of Home a highly relevant medium for today's brands.

One of the biggest shifts we've seen over the last few years has been in measurement and analytics. Historically, Out of Home's effectiveness was hard to quantify, but recent tech developments allow us to gather insights into audience demographics, traffic patterns, and engagement. With these metrics, brands can better assess ROI/ROAS, making Out of Home an even more attractive investment.

My personal favourite is that Out of Home is resilient against ad fatigue and ad-blocking. With so many ads competing for our attention every day, ad fatigue is real. But Out of Home doesn't add to this problem. It's a passive presence that fits into people's routines rather than disrupting them, with research supporting this aspect often leading to a more favourable audience response.

Why Out of Home advertising is growing in importance in New Zealand

In New Zealand, Out of Home is on the rise, thanks to its adaptability and ability to keep pace with the shifting media landscape.

And while there are many factors contributing to its growth as an essential channel some are making more of an impact in today's market.

First, the expansion of New Zealand's urban areas—especially Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch—has created new opportunities for Out of Home. With more people in cities, Out of Home placements in high-traffic spots have become a highly effective way for brands to stay visible. Out of Home operators also recognise the importance of regional areas and are expanding their support of these areas.

Our channel also plays a key role in building brand awareness—a priority for many advertisers today as more embrace Les Binet's 60:40 guide to Brand and Performance marketing. In a crowded media environment, large-scale ads in prime locations make a memorable impact, which is especially valuable in New Zealand's smaller market, where reaching a broad audience can be challenging.

Additionally, Out of Home is becoming vital to any AV plan as it shines in omnichannel strategies. Many brands pair it with digital, social, and in-store campaigns to create a seamless customer experience across multiple platforms. This integration enables brands to engage with consumers wherever they are, and it's a strategy I believe will only grow in importance.

All of these are compelling reasons why Out of Home continues to be one of the most resilient and relevant channels for advertisers and agencies; however, a significant strength of Out of Home also lies in its local touch and what it does for the community it is part of. Whether it's transit ads, neighbourhood billboards/street furniture, or event promotions, Out of Home allows brands/governments/councils to connect with specific communities. This focus on local engagement resonates in New Zealand, where community identity matters deeply, and local connection is a huge asset.

In a nutshell

In a media landscape that's constantly evolving, Out of Home advertising has proven its resilience and relevance by adapting to consumer behaviours, leveraging new technologies, and fostering meaningful local connections.

Here in New Zealand, Out of Home's ability to blend physical presence with digital innovation makes it uniquely suited to meet the needs of both brands and audiences. As advertisers continue to prioritise authentic, visible, and engaging strategies, I believe Out of Home will not only remain a powerful channel but will continue to grow as an integral part of the advertising mix—offering an unmatched way to make an impact where it counts most: out in the real world!