The Value and Impact of Moving Media

The death of cities predicted during Covid has been greatly exaggerated. People are returning to urban centers in droves that not only revitalize city life but also create great opportunities for advertisers and consumers. 

For Michael Rosen, Chief Revenue Officer, Intersection, cities today reflect a, “revitalization and vibrancy. We have so many people out and about that it is an indication of the strength of cities.” This offers advertisers a unique opportunity. “Marketers are really struggling to reach audiences whether it's at scale or underserved audiences and I think the behaviors of consumers and cities have really helped,” he noted.

City Fluidity

According to Rosen, the urban landscape is more complex than one might think. “Only 8% of Americans moved from one U.S. home to another between March 2020 and March 2021 and that was based on the census bureau’s current population survey,” he said and added, “Certainly, there were some movement, but you have people who are either staying or moving back and then you have this hybrid work environment that has brought such amazing opportunities to both city centers and neighborhoods.” These consumers are seeking convenience in their goods and services which begs the question - “How do you extend those experiences when they get back into the office?”

How Moving Media Works

In order to better reach these consumers, Intersection offers advertisers the ability to connect via out of home in a variety of ways. Rosen’s company is focused on “street transit, airports and street level advertising in the major US cities. One of our transit assets is moving media which consists of location based display advertising on things like buses or subways,” he explained.

Take bus transit, for example. “A bus campaign that starts in a neighborhood that has a certain audience, a certain number of impressions, a certain demographic and then depending on the bus route, depending on the city, that moving media can move from location to location,” he noted. This is proving to be even more effective than placed-based static media where a consumer must walk by it to be exposed to the messaging. In short, moving media, “hits people in different points in their daily journey, offering amazing impact,” for advertisers.

Measuring Moving Media

Measurement for moving media involves a variety of data sources. “Intersection uses data to help advertisers understand the behaviors that are happening as a result of their advertising and the outcomes that that we are trying to solve for, such as attribution,” Rosen stated. Data and other information is culled from the routes the moving media takes such as, “How many miles driven, which parts of the city, where was the most campaign traffic. Then, connecting to real time bus location data device-level behavioral insights to really understand the aggregated demographic information and secondary behaviors that are helping marketers not only prove out the efficacy of the actual campaign, but to find other ways to invest in those neighborhoods or cities,” he outlined.

With attribution, for example, Intersection uses foot traffic. According to Rosen, “We can say that a moving media bus campaign drove X number of incremental visits to this big box retailer or this this pharmacy chain, or this major event. We could also say that this bus campaign drove a major number of new App downloads for a digital campaign, or it drove to a shopping cart for ecommerce.”

At a time when ad avoidance has become an art, Rosen believes that moving media better captures consumer attention and involvement. “Marketing Science put out a study that said 30% of TV ad plays are being played to empty rooms,” he shared. “When you think about walking down the street and seeing 10 people, those are real people and not an empty room. The benefit to out of home is that there's an audience that marketers can activate now.”

Looking Forward

Between the resurgence of cities and a new-normal consumer behavior, the future for moving media will only get rosier. “The out of home industry has proven that we are in the real world, we have real people, they're going about their day, they are working, they're going to school, they’re shopping, they are aggregating, they are interacting in a way that makes them appreciate the marketing messages that they see every single day,” Rosen stated.

“I think what's wonderful about what Intersection and the overall out of home community has done over the past several years is bringing the best of digital to the moving media universe. It’s opening up opportunities that marketers have only dreamed of because it's the here and now,” he concluded.

This article first appeared in www.MediaVillage.com

 Artwork by Charlene Weisler

Measuring Post-COVID Revitalization Using DOOH Traffic

How can we best predict the timing of a post-COVID recovery? One metric in particular may hold the key. A recent study by mfour and VistarMedia examining Digital Out of Home (DOOH) traffic (as defined by the number of unique devices observed surrounding DOOH venues) reveal an increase in consumer confidence and activity as we enter the post COVID era.

The Study Reveals a Return to ‘Normal’

From every indication, consumers are ready to resume their lives and are becoming more comfortable going to places they had stopped visiting during COVID. While this varies by market, the overall indicators show greater traffic and visitation to once shunned venues and businesses.

Consumers are getting out and about. Comparing March 2020 to March 2021, foot fall traffic is significantly up with +70% growth year to year. Notably, this is even greater traffic than pre-pandemic levels, demonstrating a great pent up demand by consumers to return to and even exceed pre-COVID activity and spending levels.

“Three quarters of Americans admitted spending too much time online this past year, according to a Harris Poll and OAAA survey. Digital fatigue is real and people are tired of staring at their screens,” said Michael Rosen, chief revenue officer with Intersection. “As vaccinations increase and newly issued guidelines are welcomed with warmer weather, a newfound appreciation for being outside will arise. This is where the inherent advantages of OOH vastly outweigh other advertising mediums, especially for those whose ads can be skipped.”

Consumers Are Returning to Activities

Activity is surging at recreational locations, gas stations, billboards, grocery and liquor stores, malls, bars, QSR and casual dining and office buildings where people are venturing out, shopping, dining and returning to the office. An encouraging 98% of those surveyed visited a DOOH venue type in the past month, leaving their homes and in view of digital out-of-home screens.

Venues such as gyms, subways, sports entertainment centers and bus shelters are on the verge of rebounding while airports, hotels, train stations, salons and educational centers will take a little longer to return to normal. But consumer optimism is high for even these categories. When asked, consumers say that they intend to visit airports after the pandemic (increasing +98% from November to April), transit stations (+82%) and taxis (+81%).

Consumers Are On the Move

After months of sheltering in place, consumers indicate that they are ready to travel. The majority of them are walking and driving more or the same amount as they were at this time last year (85% and 80% respectively). And while public transportation is down, about half of consumers are still using it as much as, if not more, than they were last year (52% and 51% respectively).

“Bus exteriors in particular have been able to connect brands with local audiences throughout the pandemic,” said Rosen. “With expansive transportation networks ranging from city centers to residential neighborhoods and highways in between, buses can be turned into massive media networks that reach enormous audiences - in some cases up to 98% of a metro area population - that other forms of local media just can’t. And as transit ridership continues to increase by the week, there’s a real opportunity for brands to capitalize on the attention of target audiences, both above and below ground, before inventory, especially big station dominations and street furniture takeovers, begin selling out as brands shift OOH strategies.”

For brands, this means that they can effectively get their message out by using urban panels, billboards, taxi tops, gas stations and other place-based and point-of-purchase inventory that capitalize on these transportation patterns. Focusing on context and place captures consumer attention, awareness and retention with a population starved for entertainment and experiences.

Consumers are Spending More

An indication of economic resurgence is when consumers feel comfortable spending again. According to mfour, almost 75% of those polled indicated that they are spending more or the same as they did last year at this time on both essentials and non-essentials. This includes Groceries (+86%), Gas (+71%), Restaurants/Dining Out (+64%), Clothing and Accessories (+57%) and Personal Care and Beauty (+52%). There is also increased spending on Entertainment (+40%), Over-the-Counter Medications (+37%) and Home Improvement Products (+36%).

Reaching Consumers Today

Being in the right place at the right time is important for brands. The study revealed that 98% of consumers have visited at least one DOOH venue in the past month with 84% recalled seeing a digital OOH ad. Advertisers can leverage this by using DOOH screens in bars, restaurants (casual dining and QSR), malls, convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores and more to reach consumers on the path to purchase.

And people are ready to resume normalcy by traveling, visiting stores and going to an office. The study found that +43% are not hesitant to resume any of their normal routines (up from 35% in January). Only 5% indicate that they are hesitant to return to all of their normal routines.

Starved for stimuli outside the home, consumers say that they have a very positive attitude towards DOOH advertising. A majority (+61%) feels that it is appropriate for brands to be advertising on indoor and/or outdoor screens during COVID-19. In fact, sentiment was higher for DOOH among consumers than for other forms of advertising.

When comparing DOOH to non-DOOH ads side by side, DOOH ads ranked higher in preference, environment and relate-ability. And 58% of consumers say out-of-home ads are the most trustworthy compared to TV (55%), Mobile (43%, Social (39% and Desktop (34%). For brands, all of this positivity this means that they can capitalize on this effective association to deliver their messages.

Next Steps for Brands

mfour advises that advertisers craft their message to the moment of consumer contact by enhancing moments of relief and helping consumers return to normalcy with a message of positivity and hope.

 

This article first appeared in www.MediaVillage.com