Britain’s Youngest Audiences set the Pace

There’s a new group of trendsetters setting the pace in the luxury market.

Forget the smoking jackets, grey hair, and responsible retirement plans. According to GroupM’s Alfresco Life consumer survey, Britain’s youngest audiences love the finer things in life – and aren’t afraid to put the card down either.

The research found that 18-34s are not only more likely to regularly purchase premium and designer clothing than older audiences - they’re also more likely to buy the product advertised after interacting with OOH advertisements like digital posters and billboards.

The research revealing this demographic shift creates an interesting opportunity for the OOH industry. As the UK’s largest Taxi Advertiser, Ubiquitous thinks that capturing a youthful, monied audience requires a unique approach and a timeless format.

 Can taxis connect with a youthful, OOH-friendly audience?

Ubiquitous has worked with many luxury fashion brands, reaching affluent city neighbourhoods that are rich in high-end boutiques but scarce when it comes to advertising opportunities. For 18-34s interested in designer clothing or accessories, nearly 77% recalled interacting with roadside OOH formats in the past year. Route data supports this, suggesting that Taxi Advertising has impressive cover across the same audience. In fact, an 8-week long taxi campaign with 200 Electric Liveries in London will be seen by over 50% of 18-34s.

Beyond cover, taxis also excel in frequency. The same campaign will be seen 11 times each by those 18-34s, highlighting the efficacy of Taxi Advertising.

Exposure is a powerful tool to command action among audiences. However, it’s fair to assume that brands want to know that their advertising spend will be rewarded with consumer spending. Luckily, both the Alfresco Life research and post-campaign research from Attest confirms this. Alfresco Life research tells us that over 50% of 18-34s were more likely (compared to older audiences) to purchase the product advertised after being exposed to roadside OOH. Post-campaign research from Attest echoed this: Their survey of a luxury brand campaign in London found that 99% of the relevant audience acted after seeing branded Taxis.

GroupM’s Alfresco Life survey highlights that even as audience demographics change, roadside OOH formats still cut-through when it matters. Taxis are often just one illustrious piece of a sophisticated campaign.

However, we’d argue that their reach, cover, and impact mean they can steal the show!

1.        Route Data – Based on 200 Electric Livery Taxis in London for 8 weeks

2.        Attest Research for Roberto Cavalli - 2024