The perception gap: Don’t understimate OOH
Etoro is a great example of what Taxis can do for brands.
The advertising industry recently spent the month of June at Cannes, the famous advertising and creativity festival in the south of France.
The Ubiquitous team unfortunately weren’t able to make it this year – we assume our invites must have been lost in the mail.
Luckily, there are no shortage of insights from those who attended. One piece that grabbed the team’s attention was from Talon’s global CEO Sue Frogley in the UK Media Leader. Frogley came to an interesting conclusion after her week in Cannes. The brilliant OOH work plastered around the festival reinforced a gap that continues to challenge outdoor formats. However, Frogley pointed out that this wasn’t a capability gap. It was a perception gap.
She noticed that the visibility of OOH at Cannes (banners that covered the promenade, for example) was at odds with the lack of recognition the format received at festival talks and networking events. While the industry knows it’s a powerful broadcast tool, convincing them that it’s also precise and sophisticated isn’t as easy.
The Ubiquitous team were inspired by Frogley’s insights. But, at a time like this, you’ll have to forgive the UK’s leading Taxi Advertiser – we can’t help but mention Taxis. Digging into the Ubiquitous archives offers plenty of evidence why Taxis are a sophisticated, precise format.
The first that comes to mind is an award-winning campaign for Three Mobile, Samaritans, and The Chelsea Football Club. Taxi Advertising did more than broadcast the campaign messaging behind #morethanfootball. It picked up fans for a match-day derby from West Brompton station, filmed content with the stars from Chelsea’s Men’s and Women’s teams and used our drivers as trained mental health counsellors to offer support to fans on match day.
The dizzying to-do list behind this campaign for Three Mobile highlights the sophistication of the format. Its ability to engage with fans on a meaningful level creates moments that stay. OOH is a talented format, but it’s a reminder that talent can only take us so far if we don’t shout about it enough.
So, what can we take away from OOH and Cannes? Using the Three Mobile example:
OOH exists in the real world: The Three Mobile Taxis lived and breathed in the places that mattered to football fans. They ferried passengers between tube stops and football grounds.
OOH engages in meaningful ways: Training Taxi Drivers as mental health counsellors is a huge commitment. It’s a testament to the engagement the format effortlessly creates. Again, see the first point – it’s all because OOH exists in the real world.
OOH makes the rest of your campaign a breeze: Need to film content with the stars from Chelsea Football Club for your campaign? We know a format that makes it look easy. And looks great online too.
As the format brands turn to when they want to build fame, presence, and share cultural moments, OOH has an impressive CV. However, the point remains – how do we convince others that it’s as good as we know it is? While the answer may not be simple, it is easy to enjoy the brilliant campaigns that continue to choose OOH to deliver impact, creativity, and flair.