Industry: The Outdoor Advertising comeback

pictures from OBIE winners- Outdoor Advertising Association of America


"...Industry insiders and analysts say there are several good reasons why an outdoor ad renaissance could just be beginning.

For one, billboards, unlike other "older" forms of media, have not faced the same pressure from the Internet, iPods, satellite radio, TiVo and other technology. When you're driving on a highway, the only way to not see a billboard is to not look out your windshield. Needless to say, that's not a good idea.

"Technology helps people avoid other advertisements, but we are the one unavoidable media. There is no mute button, no off switch. You can't change the channel. We're there," said Paul Meyer, the global president of Clear Channel Outdoor..."

This is a very interesting article especially because more and more agencies want to do work beyond the :30 spot. More and more campaigns are becoming integrated marketing or viral advertising. If one flips through the Time in the supermarket check out aisle, he or she would notice that the ads in there are, for lack of a better term, lame. This is probably why people always flip through magazines.

But then again, what makes OOH more effective than TV? Do most drivers even pay attention to billboards? When I'm riding shotgun with my friends they will only pay attention to billboards only if I say, "that's a cool billboard." The only billboards my friends seem to notice is the Dr. Pepper one with the four caramel apples and a Dr. Pepper can.