Driving Success

Posted on

In today’s competitive advertising landscape, businesses are constantly seeking innovative ways to capture consumer attention. One of the most effective strategies emerging in recent years is the use of digital billboards combined with location-based data analysis. A recent study conducted by MIRA, the attribution arm of Reveal Mobile, on behalf of a local automotive dealership, shows just how powerful this approach can be.

The Campaign at a Glance

In November 2023, a local automotive dealership launched a 4-week campaign using 13 digital billboards across southeast Michigan and Lansing. Each location displayed a single advertisement, and the campaign reached full market penetration, generating over 16.9 million impressions during its run. The billboards were strategically placed to cover major dealerships, including their sectors of Chevrolet, Kia, Hyundai, and Ford, ensuring the ads reached the right audience.

To gauge the effectiveness of the campaign, MIRA used a combination of location intelligence and detailed measurement techniques. The study measured the exact time and location that the digital ads were shown, allowed for precise tracking of people who were exposed to the ads.

Key Insights from the Study

One of the standout aspects of this study is the method used to assess the campaign’s effectiveness. A test group of individuals exposed to the digital ads was compared to a control group that likely encountered other forms of the dealership’s advertising but did not pass by the billboards. This control group was carefully matched to the test group in terms of demographics and geography, ensuring an accurate comparison.

The data was analyzed across three phases: pre-campaign, during the campaign, and post-campaign. Notably, the post-campaign phase only included visits recorded within 14 days of the campaign’s end, providing a clear snapshot of how quickly the campaign impacted consumer behavior.

Impressive Results: 36% Increase in Dealership Visits

The study found that individuals exposed to the digital billboards were 36% more likely to visit a Feldman dealership than those who did not see the ads. Furthermore, in-store conversions from the billboard test group increased by .66%—a 27% increase compared to the control group, which actually experienced a 9% decrease in visits.

These findings highlight the unique power of digital OOH (Out-of-Home) advertising in driving tangible consumer action. By targeting the right audience with real-time ad delivery, the dealership was able to generate a significant lift in dealership visits, proving that digital billboards are a high-impact advertising tool.

Why This Matters for Advertisers

The success of the dealership’s campaign underscores the growing importance of location-based advertising. Digital billboards offer an unparalleled level of flexibility, allowing businesses to adjust their messaging in real-time and track the exact moment and location that their ads are viewed. This precision enables advertisers to measure the direct impact of their campaigns with a high degree of accuracy, making it easier to demonstrate ROI.

For industries like automotive sales, where in-store visits are critical, digital billboards offer a powerful way to convert interest into action. By combining location intelligence with compelling creative content, businesses can increase foot traffic and engage potential customers at key moments in their daily routines.

Conclusion

This local automotive dealership’s case study is a clear example of how leveraging digital billboards and precise location data can drive measurable results. With a 36% increase in dealership visits among those exposed to the ads, this campaign demonstrates the potential of digital OOH advertising to engage consumers and boost sales. As more businesses adopt this approach, the future of advertising will undoubtedly involve even greater integration of location-based insights and real-time measurement.

For advertisers looking to maximize their impact, digital billboards represent a dynamic and data-driven solution that can deliver significant results.

How Data Plays a Role in Billboard Advertising

Posted on

With the emergence of big data, new methods of collecting consumer information has greatly benefited corporations by enabling them to target consumers based on their interests, characteristics, and traits. The digitalization of billboards has further enhanced this process, introducing a data-driven approach to ad delivery. The transformation of data usage, along with the integration of billboards and data collection, has led to billboards becoming more precise in targeting, more measurable in results, and more impactful than before.

Credit: bMEDIA

Precise Targeting Through Data

In the past, billboard placements relied on demographic assumptions about locations. For example, a billboard in a college town might feature products and services appealing to students. Today, data analytics allows advertisers to know exactly who sees their billboards. By using GPS devices, social media, and mobile apps to analyze traffic patterns and demographic information, advertisers can find the precise audience segments that pass by their billboards, including age, gender, interests, and even purchasing behavior.

Data also plays a critical role in selecting billboard locations. By tracking traffic patterns and using heat maps to identify high-traffic areas, companies can choose billboard placements based on the impressions they want to generate, making the process more accurate and data-driven.

This precision is further enhanced by geofencing, a technology that triggers ads on consumers’ mobile devices once they pass a certain billboard. Geofencing constantly collects data, tracking the demographics and characteristics of people passing through specific areas. Without collecting any personal information, this data is distributed to advertisers, enabling them to create comprehensive ad campaigns tailored to the audience passing by their billboards. Additionally, by delivering ads to mobile devices, billboard advertising is elevated to a new digital level.

Measuring effectiveness through impression data and mobile tracking makes it easier for advertisers to see clear results from billboard campaigns. Mobile tracking analyzes movement patterns to determine whether exposure to a billboard leads to increased store visits or web searches. Advertisers can also retarget individuals exposed to a billboard ad with online ads, reinforcing the message and increasing brand recall.

Benefits of Data-Driven Billboard Advertising

Data-driven billboard advertising offers several benefits, including enhanced targeting that ensures the right message reaches the right audience at the right time. This leads to improved ROI, as optimized ad placement results in increased engagement and sales. Comprehensive insights from data analytics provide a deeper understanding of consumer behavior and preferences, allowing campaigns to remain effective by making billboards measurable and leveraging the digital aspect to each company’s advantage. This means advertisers can tailor each campaign to their target audience, enhancing its effectiveness and impact.

The Role of Geopath

Geopath is a non-profit organization that provides audience location measurement, insights, and analytics for out-of-home (OOH) advertising, including billboards. It has become a leader in providing data that enhances the effectiveness of OOH advertising. Geopath’s mission is to provide advertisers with accurate data and insights, enabling them to make informed decisions about their OOH advertising strategies. They aim to enhance the credibility and accountability of OOH media through standardized measurement practices.

Geopath uses a combination of data sources, including mobile data, traffic patterns, census data, and GPS information, to provide a comprehensive view of audience demographics and behavior. This data allows advertisers to create detailed audience profiles, enabling precise targeting based on factors such as age, gender, income level, and lifestyle preferences. Geopath’s data includes impression metrics that measure the number of people who have the opportunity to see a billboard, allowing advertisers to evaluate the reach of their campaigns.

International Outdoor uses Geopath to install geofencing and collect data on Metro-Detroit’s commuters. With this data, we direct our clients to which boards, locations, times, and periods would suit them best.

Credit: Geopath Insights Suite

A Marketing Powerhouse

Data has undeniably transformed billboard advertising from a static medium into a dynamic and data-driven marketing powerhouse. By leveraging data analytics, advertisers can achieve unprecedented levels of targeting, measurement, and engagement, ensuring that their messages resonate with the right audience at the right time. As technology continues to evolve, the possibilities for data-driven billboard advertising are limitless, promising a future where advertising is not only more effective but also more personalized and impactful.

Creative Genius: Why Creative Design is Your Campaign’s Secret Weapon

Posted on

In today’s fast-paced advertising world, creative design has become the cornerstone of effective billboard campaigns. While factors like targeting, reach, and brand awareness play important roles, it’s the power of a compelling creative that truly makes or breaks a campaign. Now, in an era where customization and precision are at the forefront, the quality of the creative especially stands out as a decisive element in driving success.

Nielson conducted a study in 2017 that looked closer at the various factors that contributed to sales. Remarkably, they found that a company’s creative accounted for 47% of what drove sales during their study. The closest element after creative was reach, which came in at 22%.

Elements of a Good Creative

Creating a standout billboard isn’t just about making something pretty—it’s about making something effective. While personal taste matters, some principles consistently enhance billboard advertising:

High Contrast: Helps your ad stand out and be readable from a distance.

Concise Messaging: Keeping the message to 5-7 words makes it quick to grasp.

Clear Imagery: One strong, clear image captures attention and conveys your message fast.

The Science Behind an Effective Creative

Understanding how people think and behave can boost your billboard’s impact. Research shows that our brains process images 60,000 times faster than text. Consequently, a billboard with a strong visual component will likely leave a more lasting impression than one loaded with text.

Where and when you place your ad also matters. Billboards on busy highways during rush hour can captivate a stuck-in-traffic audience, making your message more memorable. Using real-time data to tweak your message based on the time of day, weather, or current events can further increase engagement.

Case Studies: Success Stories

Consider Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign. By personalizing bottles with common names and encouraging people to find their names, Coca-Cola created a fun and engaging experience. This strategy, when applied to billboards, generated huge buzz and boosted sales.

Or think about Apple’s minimalist billboard designs. With high-contrast images and minimal text, Apple’s ads are instantly recognizable and convey a sense of elegance and innovation, strengthening the brand’s identity.

Conclusion

While many factors contribute to an advertising campaign’s success, creative design remains crucial. A well-designed billboard can significantly enhance a campaign’s effectiveness, driving better results and higher sales. By sticking to proven design principles, understanding consumer psychology, and leveraging advanced technologies, advertisers can create compelling billboard ads that truly stand out and resonate with their audience.

Celebrating 27 Years of International Outdoor

Posted on

For the past 27 years, International Outdoor has run as a family-owned and operated business that is deeply rooted in the communities we serve. In name and in spirit, we go above and beyond in our out-of-home advertising services. As a team, we are focused and committed to serving Michigan’s communities through impactful and innovative billboard advertising. And now, for 27 years, we have been lighting up the roadsides of Metro Detroit with vibrant, eye-catching billboards.

Humble Beginnings

Every journey starts somewhere. International Outdoor began as a modest operation with only a handful of static billboards in Metro Detroit. We were learning the intricacies of how to effectively advertise for companies along with exploring how we could expand our business services to strategically develop Michigan’s landscapes. Over time, we picked up several new billboards in prime locations like the Detroit Metropolitan Airport and iconic spots showcasing Detroit’s skyline. Along with introducing digital boards to our service line, we have developed 100 billboard faces in the area.

Business in Action

However, behind every successful business is a dedicated team. Over the years, we have assembled a devoted sales team, an innovative in-house creative department, and a friendly, efficient administrative staff. Each member of our team is committed to our shared goal of achieving success for our clients. With every client we have helped we keep these four principles in mind.

Location

We ensure our clients attain the most optimal boards suitable for their business.

Value

We ensure that each client gains valuable impressions through our partnership.

Service

We ensure that each client receives helpful, accommodating service.

Results

We go above and beyond to make sure every client receives effective results.

We have also maintained being a leading out-of-home advertising company in the Tri-County Detroit area specializing in designing, preparing, and presenting comprehensive advertising campaigns. As we stay true to serving our local Michigan businesses and are proud to say we are headquartered in Michigan, we are excited to share that we have introduced several national clients to our clientele. While we expand our coverage of the Michigan landscape, we also strive to expand our clientele to all businesses.

Giving Back

Community service is at the heart of our mission. We believe in the importance of giving back and supporting the communities we call home. From sponsoring local events to donating billboard space for important causes, we strive to make a positive impact. This commitment is deeply ingrained in our company’s foundation, recognizing the power of our medium to instantly convey messages to thousands and prioritizing its use for the greater good.

During COVID-19 times, we donated free board space to businesses that needed a boost.

Moving Forward

Our passion for helping businesses reach their audience and supporting our communities drives us every day. As we celebrate 27 years of success, we are incredibly grateful for everyone who has contributed to our growth. We eagerly look forward to what the future holds and remain dedicated to our mission of excellence in out-of-home advertising.