From Stages to Streets: How OOH Advertising Builds Brand Fame During Festival Season
Oasis is back, Coldplay’s lighting up stadiums and Sabrina Carpenter’s bringing the energy. Throw in a packed festival season, and the UK is in for a summer that’s set to go down in history.
The past few years have been huge for the music industry. In 2024, consumer spending hit a record-breaking £2.4 billion, surpassing the previous high of £2.2 billion in 2021. Meanwhile, over 19.2 million fans turned out for live events across the UK in 2023 – a 33% year-on-year increase. Fans just can’t get enough. Live music is, and always has been, the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
But its power goes far beyond the stage. A recent Live Nation study revealed that 80% of people say attending a live music event is one of the most emotionally powerful experiences. Even more compelling, two in three agree that the more emotionally intense the experience, the more likely they are to connect with the brands involved.
It’s all this and more that makes this summer’s epic lineup of live music a golden opportunity for brands to show up, stand out, and make meaningful connections.
In fact, 87% of people say a retail brand’s involvement with live music boosts its appeal, helping it cut through the noise. And in a world where 1 in 3 UK adults, and nearly half of Gen Z abandon brands simply out of boredom, staying relevant and culturally in tune has never been more important.
Festivals are integral to Gen Z’s summer plans. They’re where young people go to unwind, connect, and create memories – giving brands an unmatched opportunity to tap into this energy and build loyalty that lasts.
According to a study from Next Gen, 45% of university students use their disposable income from April’s loan drop on tickets, and a whopping 81% are prepared to spend over £200 on tickets alone. Gen Z is investing in experiences and brands that show up at the right time and place can become a meaningful part of the story.
In this blog, we’ll explore how brands can tap into this cultural moment using the power of Out of Home (OOH) advertising. Through our “ACES” framework – Audience, Creative, Effective and Sustainable – we’ll show how OOH can help brands connect with the right people, in the right moment at the right time.
It all starts with thinking outside.
Audience: Target live music lovers with precision
Purchasing products is a core part of the fan experience, with a Live Nation survey revealing that almost 9 in 10 fans worldwide shop in person before or after a live music event. But the opportunity doesn’t stop there. Live music events create incremental spending moments, giving brands the chance to become part of a memory that fans are actively building and won’t soon forget.
This is where OOH advertising truly shines, seamlessly placing your brand right at the heart of everyday life, reaching target audiences at key locations and moments.
Driving to a live music event? They’ll see roadside formats in all shapes and sizes along the way. Commuting to work or play? Think bus shelters and public transport formats. Buying groceries? There’s a D6 right outside the store for that! Wherever they go, OOH ensures that your brand is part of the journey.
To reach target audience groups, we recommend using programmatic OOH via our DSP Atlas. Whether you’re targeting pre-built segments like “Trend setters” or “Spirit-drinking music lovers” or building a custom audience of your own, Atlas uses behavioural data to identify the most effective OOH panels to reach them.
To add an extra layer of relevance, Atlas Real-Time lets you tap into micro-moments – from weather and UV index to pollen count and rapid reactivity. By reacting to what’s happening in the moment, your OOH campaign becomes more contextual, timely and memorable. In fact, real-world ads that use local context have been shown to boost attention and neuro response by +32%.
Take NIVEA Sun for example. By activating their sun protection campaign programmatically based on real-time UV levels, they delivered ultra-relevant messaging – and 99% of people felt the campaign was relevant to them.
Own the stage with creativity
Whilst audiences may be out of home, are we brands doing enough creatively to meet them there?
This summer provides an unmatched opportunity to break out of the billboards, dominate spaces and turn OOH into an emotionally charged, immersive experience that truly connects.
Think about it: with 1 in 3 UK adults abandoning brands simply out of boredom, now’s the time to shake things up. Go bold. Go unexpected.
Because when brands embrace an innovative solution based creative, the results speak for themselves:
- 35% increase in purchase consideration
- 56% uplift in ad recall vs traditional OOH
- 17% increase in consumer action
Creative matters, and in a season made for standing out, it’s time to go all in.
One brand that’s consistently taken centre stage when it comes to creativity and sparking joy is PepsiCo. From sweating billboards to bold murals, and owning the moment at festivals and train stations, they’ve mastered the art of turning heads and creating memorable experiences. And the best part? They keep finding even more ways to harness OOH and wow audiences!
Deliver an effective performance
OOH is especially effective at reaching Gen Z. As a non-disruptive, passively consumed channel, it offers a welcome relief from online screens – making it highly effective at reaching and influencing a generation that’s digitally saturated but always tuned into culture.
And Gen Z isn’t just noticing OOH – they’re engaging with it:
- 1 in 3 have talked to friends or family about a brand they saw on OOH
- 26% have taken a picture of an OOH ad in the past week (PML Group)
OOH also boasts the highest reach amongst 16-34s, outperforming even social media and functional internet use (IPA Touchpoints). In other words, if you want to reach young audiences where they really are – OOH is it.
And while OOH has always been a go-to for brand fame, its role has evolved. In culturally charged moments like festivals and live music events, OOH is no longer just about awareness – it’s a driver of real-world action, delivering the kinds of results once exclusive to digital performance channels.
The stats say it all:
- 56% feel OOH brings brands to life
- 59% find OOH adverts appealing
- 53% find OOH adverts reach them in the right mindset
Sustainability is a key headliner
In 2024, Coldplay made headlines with its sustainability report from their “Music of the Spheres” tour – achieving a 59% reduction in direct CO₂e emissions (on a show-by-show basis) compared to their 2016-17 tour. Over 7 million trees were planted – one for each concertgoer – and 18 shows in 2023 were powered entirely by a “tourable battery system” built from recycled BMW i3 batteries.
And Coldplay aren’t the only ones pushing for change. Artists like Metallica and Billie Eilish are also leading the charge, championing greener tours and more sustainable live music experiences.
The message is clear: sustainability matters and it’s here to stay. Nearly half of concertgoers say they prioritise sustainability when deciding which events to attend, and when it comes to festivals, 81% of fans expect organisers to actively tackle their environmental impact. Consumers are backing it with their wallets too – 80% say they’d pay at least 10% more for products deemed sustainable.
So, how can brands align? By choosing media that gives back and is a sustainable ad platform for brands.
OOH is not only powerful – it’s purposeful. A recent Outsmart report revealed that 46p of every £1 spent on OOH goes back into public infrastructure, and when it comes to emissions, OOH emits less carbon than all other media measured.
This summer isn’t just about the music – it’s about the movement. From unforgettable gigs to cultural milestones, the stage is set for brands to show up and make an impact. And with OOH, you’re not just reaching audiences – you’re joining them in the moments that matter most.
Whether it’s building emotional connections, inspiring action, or aligning with sustainability values, OOH offers a powerful, proven, and purposeful way to stand out this festival season.
So, if you want to stay relevant, resonate with Gen Z, and be part of the soundtrack to the summer – it’s time to think outside.
