Author: Caroline Decourcy, Effectiveness Director

The FIFA World Cup is one of the most widely viewed and followed sporting events in the world. It will be jointly hosted by the countries of Canada, Mexico, and the USA, featuring 48 teams, expanding from the previous 32-team format, competing in 104 matches across multiple host cities. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is projected to attract 5 million in-person spectators and 6 billion global viewers. You can already feel the excitement building and creeping in – from small comments in the kitchen at work, a revived WhatsApp group, to someone asking “who’s got the biggest TV.” With Ireland still in the play-offs, that early background noise has an extra edge to it, setting the mood for this summer’s World Cup.

The tournament dates are set from June 11 to July 19, 2026, with the finals taking place in July. This summer’s World Cup will introduce mandatory three-minute water breaks during each half due to the hot climates in North America. These breaks present new advertising opportunities, including broadcasters airing adverts during the pauses, which adds a fresh dynamic to the overall advertising landscape surrounding the event.

Our latest research into Irish World Cup behaviour reveals that the real action doesn’t sit neatly within the 90 minutes on the pitch. Far from it. In fact, the moments surrounding match days are where the real story unfolds, and where brands and broadcasters need to pay closer attention to engage fans effectively.

Who we’re Really Talking To: Fans

Using our PULSE_ Brand Tracker – Talon’s bespoke measurement platform, we partnered with Opinions to interview 501 recent OOH recallers and found that over half (53%) plan on watching the FIFA World Cup 2026. But it’s what sits behind that headline that tells the real story.

Fans aren’t gravitating to one predictable viewing spot. Instead, they’re marking the occasion(s) as an opportunity to socialise in pubs (42%), at friends’ houses (28%), or opening their doors to host (25%). It’s a mix of settings, routines, and social setups that give us a much richer picture of how the FIFA World Cup tournament will be experienced. Through all these variations, one thing stays consistent: audiences are on the move.

When you look at their travel patterns, this becomes even clearer. Over half (51%) say they’ll stay in their local area to watch games, while 36% will travel within the same town or city if necessary, and 8% go so far as to say they will travel to another town or city to watch the games. Not only that, but these audiences predominantly choose public transport to get around, with 53% choosing the bus, 28% plan to use taxis, 25% plan to jump on the LUAS, and a further 21% plan on taking the DART. High-traffic areas such as transit hubs, airports, and city centres are targeted for World Cup OOH advertising during the tournament.

People are coming together, splitting up, re-grouping, and creating spikes of activity across local towns and cities, making the lead-up to match days an important time for brands to connect with fans beyond the pitch.

The Pre-Match Rituals for the FIFA World Cup 2026

One of the clearest patterns in the data is everything that happens before the whistle blows. Fans are showing up well before kick-off, and the build-up is where some of the most consistent behaviours take place. With 52% buying snacks or alcohol, 40% ordering takeaway, 30% socialising before matches, 30% placing bets, and 25% stopping at shops, there’s a surprising amount of activity happening long before anyone sits down to watch.

Multisensory experiences in advertising can generate 3–4x higher engagement compared to standard displays. Programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) is now used for real-time score updates during the World Cup, while Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) allows instant ad updates based on match results and live events, keeping fans engaged as teams advance through each round. Using live data in OOH campaigns increases brain response by 32%, making these strategies highly effective for brands looking to connect with fans on the pitch and beyond. Interactive elements such as gamified installations and geofencing tied to stadiums, pubs, and other venues further enhance fan engagement, encouraging active participation and social sharing.

These pre-match rituals aren’t just habits; they directly translate into spending. Among those planning to watch, 53% say they’ll spend more on snacks, 52% on beers, 45% on takeaways, 42% on crisps, and a quarter plan to spend more on wine (25%) and spirits (23%). Only 10% say they won’t spend more at all. This matters because 90% of fans take follow-up actions after seeing World Cup OOH advertising during major sporting events, and 96% of interested fans would actively engage with such ads.

Then there’s the mid-week shift.

Almost half (49%) of fans say their social habits will change during the tournament, with 40% planning to socialise more mid-week than usual. This opens up entirely new windows where fans are out, about, and more open to influence.

As Ireland leans into the possibility of a World Cup summer, our research makes one thing clear: regardless of the results, fans will be moving, gathering, stocking up, spending, re-routing their days, and reshaping their weeks around the tournament.

Not just in the 90 minutes themselves, but in everything that surrounds them. Taken together, these behaviours turn the World Cup into a full summer season lived outside of the home.

There’s always been something interesting about the rhythm of the out of home industry the week Valentine’s Day rolls around, timelines fill with loud declarations, and suddenly every brand wants to make its presence felt. It struck me that this behaviour isn’t far from what we, as planners and marketers, lean on all year long.

The more time I spend looking at how an OOH campaign plan is built and refined, the clearer it becomes that OOH still holds a very particular place in the media mix. OOH advertising offers high-impact, unskippable visibility in high-traffic areas, making it a unique form of advertising media. Yes, you might argue it’s not the newest marketing medium on the schedule, but it continues to do the one thing many media channels struggle with – it continues to deliver something tangible in a world that’s getting increasingly hard to pin down.

Outdoor Advertising: A Broadcast Medium Where Consumers Choose to Engage

OOH advertising reaches up to 89% of the population weekly, providing brands with unparalleled public presence that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Highly visible in public spaces, OOH relies on strategic placements to maximize audience engagement. What makes this reach even more impactful is the shift in audience behaviour—people are actively seeking real-world experiences, stepping away from screens, and choosing moments outside their homes.

Take Ireland last summer as an example: stadiums packed to capacity and sold-out major gigs demonstrated this hunger for shared experiences. For many, Oasis at Croke Park became a defining moment of this cultural shift. Now, with Ireland in the World Cup play-offs, that same energy is building again. Whether it’s sporting gear or festive attire, people want to be part of the moment. Businesses can leverage OOH to target specific audiences in these high-traffic locations, ensuring their message reaches the right people at the right time.

When Something Shows Up in Public Space, We Instinctively Trust It More

There’s a unique credibility that comes from any advertisement boldly standing in full view. Research reveals that OOH advertising drives a 7% uplift in brand trust — more than any other advertising channel. Unlike many platforms struggling with authenticity, brand safety, and declining trust, out of home advertising remains refreshingly straightforward. It occupies physical spaces people navigate daily, and as Justin Gibbons points out, the public realm holds you to a higher standard—you can’t spin your way out of a bus shelter on Leeson Street. This inherent transparency makes OOH ads powerful trust builders in the advertising landscape.

But Here’s the Surprising Power of OOH Advertising

What’s been interesting to watch over the last 5 years is how OOH has shown teeth in places people never associated with it. For all the talk about its broadcast strength, the medium is sharper at the other end of the funnel too. Programmatic DOOH has been a major player in that shift.

And if you spend enough time looking under the hood of campaigns (as we do), you start to notice something else. Programmatic OOH quietly handles the moments when plans need to shift gears, the times when a campaign has to go from brand building to driving action, sometimes faster than anyone had planned for.

Yet here we are, seeing programmatic DOOH drive a 3x increase in purchase intent. While classic OOH continues to do what’s always done best, lifting awareness and recall by over 50%. So yes, for some, the perception is outdated. OOH has become a genuine all-rounder, still doing the big public moments its famous for, while also delivering the kind of responsiveness and creative ideas that keep planners sane and make OOH campaigns more engaging and successful when the KPI’s start shapeshifting.

Let’s Not Forget What OOH Has Always Done Better Than Most

And the more I look at the medium, the more obvious it becomes that even with all this newfound flexibility, the core of OOH hasn’t shifted an inch. It still makes brands feel bigger. Fame isn’t complicated, but what is interesting is that it doesn’t come from volume alone – it comes from presence.

It’s the basic stuff, really. A message in a space people trust, displayed on billboards, digital screens, and other OOH advertising formats that can’t be skipped. OOH marketing continues to grow in importance, with the OOH space offering brands dynamic media and creative ideas to reach audiences in public environments. A medium that turns brands into part of the everyday landscape through digital signage, transit ads, and place-based media. That’s how you build fame, and even as the industry bends and shifts, that truth still holds. If anything, it’s becoming more valuable.

With Valentine’s Day tomorrow and the annual panic-buying of flowers about to commence, it felt like a good time to take stock on why brands and advertisers keep coming back to OOH. Strip it back and the logic is fairly simple. OOH shows up in the places that matter most—major roads, commercial and industrial areas, convenience stores—and earns trust because it lives out in the open. It reacts when campaign objectives inevitably change, and when it’s used well, it has a knack for making brands feel bigger.

It just might take more than a bouquet of flowers to get some of us to a World Cup—that’s next months problem.

The Future of OOH Advertising

Looking ahead, the future of OOH advertising is brighter—and smarter—than ever. With more control, more formats, and more ways to engage, OOH advertising is set to play a leading role in the next chapter of advertising—helping brands promote their services, achieve their goals, and stay ahead in a rapidly changing world. To explore why this year is truly OOH’s time to shine, be sure to read the full piece from our Managing Director, sharing expert perspectives on the exciting opportunities ahead.

Following a strong performance in 2025, Out‑of‑Home (OOH) moves into 2026 with confidence, momentum and even greater opportunity. The channel continues to evolve at pace, fuelled by bold creativity, richer data sophistication and technology‑enabled solutions that are delivering clearer, more measurable impact for advertisers than ever before. 

UK OOH revenue continued its upward trajectory in 2025, up +1.3% year‑on‑year to £1.413bn.¹ And despite ongoing economic headwinds, the outlook for 2026 remains strong, with revenues expected to grow a further 4.1% to £1.471bn.²

Digital OOH (DOOH) is no longer an emerging channel, it is the clear engine of OOH investment. By Q3 2025, DOOH represented 67% of total OOH spend, reflecting how advertisers are actively shifting budgets towards programmatic-led environments that offer greater control, smarter targeting and faster creative optimisation.³

As OOH continues to evolve, several key priorities will shape its direction in 2026. These include helping brands navigate new LHF regulations, strengthening brand‑building strategies amid audience fragmentation and ongoing AI disruption, unlocking the full potential of DOOH innovation, delivering culturally relevant creative, and driving measurable, sustainable impact. Together, these forces will ensure OOH remains an adaptable, future‑ready and essential part of the advertising mix. 

Beyond these priorities, we believe 2026 will be defined by five key trends shaping the future of OOH: 

1. The Return to Brand Building 
2. Joy and Humour Turns Viewers to Fans 
3. Context That Connects Not Creeps 
4. Cultural Relevance is Critical 
5. Trust Becomes the Ultimate Currency

1. The Return to Brand Building

More than a third (37%) of UK advertisers plan to increase their brand advertising investment in 2026.⁴

Brands are shifting back to consistent, always‑on brand‑building – not because budgets are suddenly overflowing, but because confidence is fragile and every pound needs to work harder. The winning approach blends long‑term brand strength with short‑term performance: continuous visibility that builds mental availability, paired with smart activation that converts demand when it matters. 

Marketers are also moving past siloed, superficial metrics in favour of holistic measurement frameworks that prove real business outcomes. And with even the biggest tech platforms leaning more heavily into brand advertising, the industry’s direction of travel is clear: brand strength is set to play an increasingly pivotal role in the advertising mix. 

The OOH Advantage:

• Brand Stature and Fame: IPA data shows OOH pushes brand perceptions hard – driving +88% lift in premium cues, +41% in esteem and +32% in fame.⁵ 
• Always-On Visibility: OOH naturally delivers continuous presence, keeping brands top‑of‑mind and building mental availability over time. 
• Proven Accountable Impact: Improved measurement and attribution make OOH a more accountable brand investment, evidencing both long‑term equity gains and short‑term performance. 
• Brand + Performance Working Together: OOH builds fame at scale while strengthening the effectiveness of performance channels that capture demand. 
• Scale, Trust and Credibility: In a world of fluctuating digital trust, OOH offers a high‑impact, brand‑safe environment that reinforces authority in the real world. 

2. Joy and Humour Turns Viewers to Fans

72% of people say they would choose a humorous brand over one that doesn’t make them laugh.⁶

After years of crisis fatigue and a relentless news cycle, audiences are actively gravitating towards content that lifts their mood. Humour – still massively underused in advertising – cuts through clutter, boosts memorability and strengthens emotional connection. It’s not just a creative choice; it’s a behavioural trigger that influences brand preference.

Yet 83% of UK consumers say their favourite brands don’t make them feel valued.⁷ There’s a clear opportunity for brands to use joy and humour more intentionally: to reconnect with people, build loyalty, stand out from competitors and balance the harder, more transactional messages that dominate many campaigns.

The OOH Advantage: 

• Emotional Impact at Scale: With 95% of purchase decisions driven by emotion, OOH’s big, bold formats amplify humour and joy instantly.⁸
• Memorable in the Real World: Humorous OOH disrupts daily routines, creating standout moments that build mental availability fast. 
• Built-in Social Currency: Joyful OOH sparks organic sharing, extending reach across social and digital without extra spend. 
• Warmth & Distinction: Light‑hearted creative makes brands feel human and likeable – and brands that build emotional connection see a +306% uplift in customer lifetime value.⁹

3. Context that Connects, Not Creeps 

57% of British adults say personalised adverts creep them out.¹⁰

Sensitivity to hyper‑personalisation is rising, especially online. People feel uneasy when ads appear to be tracking their searches, conversations or one‑off interactions – and the result is growing resistance to anything that feels overly intrusive.  

But this doesn’t mean relevance is unwanted. Far from it. 76% of people pay attention to ads that feel relevant, and two‑thirds say relevant ads help them discover new products.¹¹ The real issue isn’t personalisation itself – it’s personalisation that feels too close, too data‑heavy or too invasive. 

The OOH Advantage:

• Context Without Creepiness: OOH delivers relevance through time, place and environment – not personal data – avoiding the intrusive feel of hyper‑personalised digital ads. 
• Brand-Safe & Trust-Building: Because OOH doesn’t rely on tracking individuals, it feels transparent and respectful, helping brands build credibility and trust. 
• Helpful, Not Intrusive: Dynamic, location‑aware OOH can respond to real‑world moments and needs without crossing privacy lines. 
• Broad Reach with Positive Perception: Speaking to audiences collectively maintains scale while aligning with rising sensitivity around data use. 55% of people say OOH campaigns feel relevant to them.¹²

4. Cultural Relevance is Critical

82% of Brits say brands play an important role in shaping culture, and 80% believe brands should reflect modern Britain.¹³

Consumers now expect campaigns to mirror the moments, issues and pressures shaping their daily lives. With the cost‑of‑living continuing to influence behaviour, people are looking for brands that help them make ethical, sustainable choices without the premium price tag. 

Major cultural moments – from sporting events to festivals and national holidays – offer powerful opportunities to connect authentically. But they only land when brands feel timely, in touch and genuinely reflective of the culture around them. Campaigns that blend meaning with emotion and spotlight affordable, sustainable options can resonate deeply without coming across as worthy or preachy. 

The OOH Advantage: 

• Cultural Presence in Real Time: OOH lives in the moments, places and events that shape culture – making it perfect for timely, context‑driven messaging. 
• Shared Experiences at Scale: From sporting events to festivals and national milestones, OOH reaches people collectively, reinforcing community, pride and shared values. 
• Meaning Without Moralising: Appearing in everyday environments allows OOH to communicate purpose, affordability and sustainability in a grounded, non‑preachy way. 
• Emotional in Public Space: OOH’s physical presence helps brands blend meaning and emotion, creating resonance during moments that genuinely matter. 
• Proven Impact: Cultural moments in messaging delivers +6% higher action and 1.3x more likely to drive purchase intent.¹⁴

5. Trust Becomes the Ultimate Currency

92% of people say trust is essential when deciding whether to engage with a brand.¹⁵

As AI becomes part of everyday life, consumers are increasingly questioning what’s real and what’s machine‑made. With trust now a decisive factor — and 60% of people doubting the authenticity of online content – credibility has become a critical differentiator.¹⁶ 

In a world where digital content can be replicated, manipulated or fabricated in seconds, real‑world signals matter more than ever. Channels that offer verifiable, physical presence will play a key role in anchoring trust, building credibility and triggering genuine discovery. 

The OOH Advantage:

• Real-World Proof Points: OOH provides a tangible, unalterable presence – a physical proof point that reassures consumers in an era of synthetic, AI‑generated content. 
• Transparency that Builds Confidence: When paired with clear messaging around responsible AI use, OOH reinforces brand integrity and strengthens consumer trust. 
• The Ultimate Prompt: OOH acts as a real‑world trigger for AI‑driven discovery journeys, sparking curiosity and sending consumers into search, social or retail with confidence. 
• Boosting Other Channels with Real-World Credibility: By rooting campaigns in the physical world, OOH gives digital, social and AI‑powered experiences a layer of authenticity they can’t generate alone. 
• Growing Trust, Year After Year: 58% of consumers trust OOH advertising, and trust continues to rise year‑on‑year – at a time when confidence in many other channels is declining. OOH is stepping into the trust vacuum and becoming a crucial anchor for credibility.¹⁷

2026 is already shaping up to be a defining year for OOH. In a world full of noise, uncertainty and digital doubt, OOH gives brands what people value most: real experiences, real connection and real trust. The trends driving the year ahead play perfectly into the channel’s strengths – and into Talon’s belief in smarter, bolder, more human advertising. 

Brands that harness the power of culture, context, joy and credibility will stand out fast. And with the right data, creativity and intelligence behind them, they’ll do more than show up – they’ll make an impact. OOH is ready for the moment. At Talon, we’re ready to help brands own it.

Sources

1. Outsmart, PwC ↩︎
2. Talon ↩︎
3. WARC/AA Expenditure Report Q2 ↩︎
4. 2026 Media Budgets Survey, Isba, Ebiquity, World Federation of Advertisers (WFA)​ ↩︎
5. Talon Benchmarks 2025 ↩︎
6. Oracle ↩︎
7. SAP Emarsys Customer Engagement ↩︎
8. Talon Benchmarks ↩︎
9. Motista ↩︎
10. YouGov: Ad-verse Reactions ↩︎
11. Verve, In-App User Privacy Report 2025​ ↩︎
12. Talon Benchmarks 2025 ↩︎
13. WPP, The Consumer Equality Equation ↩︎
14. Talon Benchmarks 2025 ↩︎
15. Accenture Life Trends Survey, 2024 ↩︎
16. Marketreach The Trust Factor, 2025​ ↩︎
17. Mfour & Vistar Media​ ↩︎

2025 has been a whirlwind of creativity, colour, and bold ideas. 

From eye-catching billboards to immersive digital experiences and standout special builds, we’ve loved bringing brands to life across streets, stations and city centres with Out of Home (OOH).  

Working with brilliant clients and creative agencies, we’ve helped transform everyday spaces into memorable moments. Here’s a peek at some of the magic we’ve made together.

Big Ideas in OOH and Digital OOH

British Airways – Hidden in Plain Sight 

A game of hide-and-seek with a twist. British Airways tucked its logo into cityscapes, challenging passersby to spot it. The playful approach made everyday city views part of the adventure, keeping the brand top-of-mind in a clever, subtle way. 

With MG OMD & Uncommon Creative Studio

Uber Eats – When You’ve Done Enough 

Uber Eats leaned into humour and self-awareness with a smart digital OOH campaign that rewarded people for simply being out and about. Using bold copy and perfectly timed placements, the work tapped into everyday moments of fatigue, reminding audiences that when you’ve done enough, Uber Eats has dinner covered. 

With PHD & Mother London

Bringing Brands to Life with Special Build OOH

Canva – Playful Takeover at London Waterloo 

Canva transformed the commuter hub at London Waterloo into a pop-up playground of creativity. Colourful, larger-than-life visuals turned everyday travel into a fun, interactive experience – perfect for showing off the brand’s playful side. 

With OMD UK, Stink Studios & Grand Visual

Waitrose – Pie Max

Waitrose went big on appetite appeal with a giant pie visual that turned snack-time into street theatre. Humorous and unmissable, it wasn’t just any pie – it was the turkey pie from the brand’s “The Perfect Gift” Christmas ad, bringing a festive favourite from screen to street. 

With MG OMD, Wonderhood Studios & Grand Visual 

Howden – British & Irish Lions 

Writing history on the wall – literally. To celebrate the announcement of the British & Irish Lions 2025 squad, Howden unveiled a hand-painted 44-foot mural in East London, honouring the players set to make their mark on rugby history. As Head Coach Andy Farrell’s squad was revealed live from The O2, each name was added in real time, turning squad selection into a powerful, shared outdoor moment for fans and passersby alike. 

With Goodstuff, Grand Visual, MSQ Sport + Entertainment, Global Street Art, TTB Sport Capital 

McDonald’s – Grinch Hijack 

McDonald’s went green for the holidays with its mischievous new “Grinched” menu, starring Dr. Seuss’ iconic Grinch. The campaign teased festive mayhem with OOH hints of mischief, building nationwide curiosity, before a special Borough Road site revealed The Grinch’s chaotic Master Plan – a blueprint covered in doodles, notes, and scribbles that brought the holiday spirit (and playful chaos) to the streets. 

With OMD UK, Leo Burnett, Grand Visual & Bauer Media Outdoor UK

When OOH Became an Experience

Pepsi – Sweet Room

To celebrate the launch of its Strawberries & Cream and Cream Soda flavours, Pepsi brought a burst of sweetness to Future Stores with a nostalgia-fuelled activation featuring a retro arcade and tasting bar. The flavours also came to life across OOH formats including fly-posters, taxi wraps, and standout special builds, turning streets and stores into an interactive, flavour-packed experience. 

With PepsiCo, OMD UK, Grand Visual & Ann Squared Events 

The AA – It’s okay, I’m with the AA 

The AA partnered with the action-packed new cinematic event, Jurassic World Rebirth, to coincide with the release of Universal Pictures film that had just launched in UK cinemas. 

The stunt reminds drivers that when they’re with the AA, they’re always prepared for whatever the road throws at them (even dinosaurs). 

With the7stars, The Gate London, NEWSUBSTANCE & Grand Visual 

Red Bull – Tetris® 

Red Bull brought Tetris® to life in an electrifying twist on the classic game. Fans joined a global tournament at Birmingham New Street and Westfield London, scanning QR codes to play a giant version on OOH screens, while the iconic Red Bull car handed out samples – turning streets and stations into a playful, interactive brand experience. 

With Arena Media, Grand Visual & Ocean Outdoor 

Mr Doodle x Kleenex 

Kleenex teamed up with artist Mr Doodle, famed for turning his home into a living canvas, to spread a little extra joy. The collaboration featured a limited-edition tissue box design and came to life across YouTube, paid social, digital display, OOH placements, a hand-painted mural, a retail competition, and a live doodling takeover at Outernet London – turning everyday spaces into interactive, playful experiences. 

With FCB London, PHD, Grand Visual, FABRIC SOCIAL & Ginger and Pickles Productions

When OOH Reacted to the Moment

BBC – The Traitors

Linda from The Traitors earned the Golden Cloak Award for the performance of a lifetime. The self-confessed “emotionless person” delivered a surprisingly emotional scene at breakfast, earning recognition from fellow players – and a dedicated OOH display in Leicester Square, letting everyone see her well-deserved accolade in the heart of the city. 

With Havas Media UK 

Channel 4 – “We Fact Check the Zuck Out of Our News” 

Channel 4 harnessed the reactive power of OOH to take on the fake news and censorship debate. Positioning itself as a trusted news source, the campaign shouted its message across key POIs in central London, targeting major businesses like Meta and topical locations such as Speakers’ Corner and Parliament, proving that outdoor advertising can be both timely and bold. 

With OMD UK & Mobile Media 

Specsavers – Oasis Blur 

Specsavers turned heads with a clever contextual OOH campaign, targeting everyone walking up Wembley Way to see Oasis. The playful “blur” creative brought the brand to life in the moment, proving that well-timed outdoor advertising can be both eye-catching and fun. 

With MG OMD, Specsavers UK & Open Media UK

Jaguar Land Rover – Defender

Another Oasis reactive moment: Defender rolled into the spotlight as the official automotive partner of Oasis Live ’25, kicking off the partnership with an epic mural in Manchester, the hometown of legends Liam and Noel Gallagher. The striking artwork turned city streets into a memorable, timely outdoor celebration of music, culture, and brand collaboration. 

With Hearts & Science, Grand Visual & Global Street Art

Looking Back and Moving Forward

2025 has been all about creativity, fun, and bold ideas lighting up streets and screens. Working with amazing clients and agencies, we’ve transformed everyday spaces into memorable experiences that spark joy, conversation, and connection.  

Here’s to keeping the playful spirit alive and bringing even bigger, bolder OOH magic in the year ahead.

By Andrew Sinclair, Managing Director at Talon Ireland

As we approach the end of another frenetic year in adland, you can sense the universal clamber to close out the year and the shifting focus towards what will likely be an even more frenetic 2026. 

We all appreciate that warp speed advances in technology demand agility, creativity, and dynamism to ensure relevance in a world that has never moved faster.  And yet, moments of reflection at this time of year become increasingly important to take stock, to reflect and aide the chartering of a new course.  In truth, the looming deadline to file this article, became the catalyst for me to do exactly that this week.  To step back, reflect on the year past and look to what the future holds for our OOH (out-of-home) industry.

It got me thinking that there’s still so much unrealised capital in what OOH can deliver.  How it’s uniquely placed to straddle the virtual and physical world and truly connect brands to ‘real’ people in real time. How it remains the leading channel for delivering brand FAME and unparallelled audience interaction. How it’s constantly evolving and continues to build on its USP as the original and greatest broadcast channel.  And ultimately, how 2026 is going to be OOH’s best year yet thanks to the launch of a next generation measurement system, continued investment in digital infrastructure and the onboarding, at pace, of programmatic capabilities across key media owners. 

At Talon, we’re a team of OOH evangelists, driven to showcase all the capabilities that the channel has to offer and with so many moving parts to consider, we do this under the framework of ACES – Audience, Creative, Effectiveness, Sustainable – our future proofed strategy that delivers in a market evolving fast.

AUDIENCE: BEYOND DEMOGRAPHICS

In a world where audience behaviours continue to fragment, OOH is positioning itself as the channel that can unite reach, relevance, and real-world presence in a trusted environment.  Gone are the days of planning around age, gender, and broad life-stage groups.  Instead, we are now in the age of optimised broadcast, a rich playing field where mass reach is blended seamlessly with the precision of contextual, behavioural and movement-based insights.

Programmatic OOH is adding further depth to our audience insights, quickly moving from what was recently deemed an emerging channel to an everyday reality.  Through our DSP Optimise, we’ve been at the forefront of the conversation, championing the rise of Programmatic OOH (PrOOH) in this market since 2020.

The capabilities around automated buying is helping us deliver real time activations, dynamic creative tailored to specific audience moments, and precision timing and location control at increasing scale.  With more screens onboarding in 2026, the programmatic marketplace will continue to thrive offering brands richer inventory, deeper data insights, and new opportunities for brands to activate OOH with digital like flexibility and precision.

OOH has always been about scale, trust, impact and cultural presence. And whilst they remain the bedrock, it’s quickly adding the strings of intelligence, integration and flexibility to its bow. With audience behaviours shifting, the medium is evolving with in tandem – not just to keep pace, but to lead.

CREATIVITY: OOH’S SUPERPOWER

Creativity is now stretching far beyond the classic 3D build with the entire urban environment presenting itself as a blank page – buildings, streetscapes, transport hubs and digital screens – all transforming into opportunities for ideas to stop people in their tracks.  With the rise of Retail Media, the canvas of OOH has extended right to the point of purchase.  These retail environments offer brands the chance to connect at the most decisive moment, turning everyday shopping journeys into creative brand experiences.

Intuitively, as our daily lives become increasingly shaped by AI, algorithms and automated content – the need for bold, human creativity has never been greater. And that’s why I believe OOH is so well placed to deliver.  Although it has always been the industry’s purest canvas, turning big ideas into real-world impact and winning genuine attention, it now has to stand up and be counted. 

Whilst the creative lives physically, if it does its job, it resonates emotionally and travels digitally. In 2026, amplifying those strengths is what will push the medium even further ahead of the pack and take a major step towards realising its fullest potential.

EFFECTIVENESS: A NEW ERA FOR MEASUREMENT

The much-anticipated arrival of the new JNOR system will redefine how campaigns are evaluated, now bringing digital formats fully into scope.  This best-in-class upgrade will now deliver granular audience insights across both classic and digital formats resulting in sharper planning, smarter investment and clearer ROI for our agency and client partners.

Brand-building has never mattered more. As part of Talon’s whitepaper on effectiveness, Ian Whittaker’s analysis shows that shifting spend towards trusted, public media like OOH can unlock greater efficiency, build long-term brand equity, and even contribute to shareholder value — especially in a world where digital discovery is fragmented and noise levels are high.

But effectiveness extends beyond metrics; it’s rooted in trust. As AI-generated content blurs the lines of what’s real, attention and trust have become the ultimate currency. With 81% of consumers saying trust shapes their buying decisions, OOH stands out: it offers un-skippable, real-world presence and unmatched authenticity — driving a +7% uplift in brand trust, more than any other channel.

At Talon, we’ve been preparing for this future. In May 2025 we enhanced our Effectiveness Unit, launching Pulse, our real-time brand tracking platform, and Trax, our creative testing solution. These tools connect exposure to outcomes, showing brands what truly drives attention, recall, and conversion. And with Inspect, our monitoring service, we ensure campaigns deliver exactly as planned, adding another layer of confidence for advertisers.

Combined with JNOR and the continued rise of programmatic, 2026 will be OOH’s most transparent, accountable, and data-driven year yet.

SUSTAINABILITY: A GREAT STORY FOR OOH

OOH is one of the few channels with a genuinely positive sustainability story. As a medium, it reinvests in communications, funding public services, improving infrastructure, and even supporting life-saving initiatives like public defibrillators. In fact, 55% of respondents in Ireland believe OOH is a sustainable medium and the industry is working hard to keep that perception a reality. 

Not only that, but a 2023 KPMG report confirms that OOH has the lowest carbon impact per impression of any major media channel. This advantage comes from its one-to-many communication model, which is far more efficient than the one-to-one nature of many other platforms. 

Media owners are also taking bold steps to reduce environmental impact. Many now source energy from green suppliers, use electric fleets, and ensure certain DOOH formats, including digital roadside screens, power down outside trading hours, operating only during opening times.

Our purpose has always been ‘to deliver greater value for our clients whilst inspiring people and caring for our planet’. It’s at the heart of our business strategy, supported by a dedicated Group Sustainability Manager and a team working at ground level. 

2026 marks a return to fundamentals for brands. Audience-first planning is evolving beyond demographics to mindset and moments. Creativity is reclaiming its role as the only true differentiator in a world saturated with algorithm-driven sameness.

Measurements in OOH is entering a new era with JNOR, delivering transparency and precision, while trust and authenticity continue to be the ultimate currency in an AI-influenced landscape.

Add that to OOH’s sustainability story and accelerating programmatic capabilities, the opportunity for brands to make a real-world impact has never been greater. 

You just need to play your cards right. 

I’ve been in Out of Home advertising long enough to know that the festive season starts earlier every year. By the 1st of November, the shelves are stocked with limited edition seasonal products, the ads are live, and the festive buzz around ooh advertising Christmas campaigns is already building. Mariah Carey has defrosted, and if you’re not paying close attention, you’d be forgiven for thinking the moment has already passed.

But it hasn’t.

We’ve just entered November. Cycle 23 for those of us who live our lives in two-week cycles – and what I’m seeing in our latest Christmas grocery behaviour insights is that some of the biggest decisions and biggest purchases are still ahead. For brands, this is the time to continue with a strong Christmas marketing strategy that includes outdoor advertising Christmas campaigns to capture attention before shoppers go in store.

This piece builds on our last article, “Why OOH Can’t Be Ignored”, which looked at overall Christmas shopping behaviour. Now, we’re zooming in on how Irish consumers shop for Christmas groceries. The what, when, and why – and why the final two weeks of the year, are anything but quiet.

HOW IRISH CONSUMERS SHOP DURING THE FESTIVE SEASON

Christmas grocery shopping isn’t one big moment, it’s a series of decisions across the festive season. Each with its own mood, its own plan, and its own purchases, and if you’ve ever found yourself panic-buying cranberry sauce on the 24th, you’ll know exactly what I mean. In fact, Irish consumers made 23 trips in December last year. That’s six more in store grocery trips than the UK average of 17.

It starts with planning. Quiet, considered. People thinking about who they’re hosting over the Christmas holidays, what food they’ll cook, and how much they’ll spend.

Then comes stocking. The pantry fillers, the drinks, the staples. It’s when your mum buys the tin of Christmas roses and hides them above the kitchen counter for all to see, while simultaneously warning nobody to touch until the big day. It’s the first wave of festive season spending, and it’s where we start to see a shift in consumers behaviour. 31% of shoppers say they treat their families at Christmas by buying more confectionery and other premium products they wouldn’t usually go for.

But the main shop is where things really shift. It’s mid-to-late December. Loading up on fresh food, meats, mince pies. The fridge is full, and the trolley is heavier than it’s been all year, and not just figuratively, 29% of shoppers estimate their Christmas grocery budget to be over €300. This is when 81% of customers are making their grocery list – not weeks in advance, but in the final days before the shop. In fact, 39% make it 2-3 days before, while 42% of customers make it the same day.

 And let’s not forget hosting. We’ve all been there, the phase none of us planned for, but everyone shops in. Forgotten cranberry sauce, more Brennan’s for the sambos. The “we need more of that” moment. It’s reactive and of high value for retailers.

OUTDOOR ADVERTISING DRIVES IN-STORE GROCERY PURCHASES

Last year, December 23rd was Ireland’s biggest grocery shopping day, with €107 million spent in sales across 24 hours. This year, 71% of Irish shoppers plan on doing their Christmas grocery shop in store rather than online shopping. That’s why outdoor advertising matters. It reaches shoppers on the move, influencing decisions before they enter in store. Outdoor advertising formats in roadside environments, near supermarkets, and in high-footfall areas keep brands visible during the festive season, driving impulse buys and reinforcing planned purchases.

The Christmas shop has become an institution. It’s the late-night dash, the trolley traffic jam, the moment when excitement kicks in and the “just in case” items start piling up. When brands go quiet, they lose visibility at the most critical moment. If your out of home isn’t live, you’re invisible.

WHY OOH ADVERTISING MATTERS DURING THE FESTIVE PERIOD

Irish consumers don’t stop shopping after December 15th, they’re still making decisions, still being influenced, and still spending big – 17% agree that out of home advertising impacts their grocery choices. For media planners, that’s the opportunity. From the late shop to the hosting dash, these moments are emotional, high value, and driven by impulse as much as planning. Out of Home advertising connects with shoppers when it counts. Creating an emotional connection in the real world and influencing choices before they hit the aisles. For brands, going quiet means going invisible, and in the final weeks of the year, that’s the costliest mistake you can make.

Written by Ciara Gibney, Marketing Manager at Talon Ireland. This research is based on an online methodology of 500 respondents 16+, gone to field between the 6-8th of October. For the full suite of out of home advertising results reach out to [email protected].

After years of uncertainty and digital overload, people are craving authentic, real-world experiences. Constant exposure to screens has left many feeling stressed and disconnected. 

At the same time, consumers are investing in experiences that enhance wellbeing and authentic experiences. This shift toward wellness and authenticity gives brands a unique chance to connect meaningfully – in the real world through Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising.

The Power of Out of Home (OOH) Advertising 

Reaching 97% of UK adults each week, OOH is visible, trusted, and effective –placing brands where people live, work, and play. 

In this guide, led by our ACES framework – Audience, Creative, Effective, Sustainable – we explain how OOH helps brands engage the right people, at the right time, with lasting impact.

Inside the Guide:

• Audience: Use programmatic tools and location data for precise, real-time targeting. 
• Creative: Build emotional connections with powerful, context-driven formats. 
• Effective: Boost trust, visibility, and brand impact through a credible public medium. 
• Sustainable: Choose a channel that genuinely supports communities and sustainability.

Ready to elevate your next campaign?

Talon Global CEO, Sue Frogley discusses how OOH lets brands show up in ways that feel genuinely connected to people’s lives in her latest piece for Campaign

Advertising today isn’t just about selling stuff, it’s about telling stories, being relevant, and showing up in ways that feel real. The best campaigns don’t just push products or services, they tap into what people care about, what they’re talking about, and what’s happening around them. When advertising becomes part of culture, it sticks.

Maybe that’s why I keep hearing, “OOH is having a moment.”  There is a cultural shift of people buying into what they care about, and OOH lets brands show up in ways that feel genuinely connected to people’s lives.

Think about the Women’s Euros. More than a tournament, it was a moment that brought people together, sparked pride, and inspired young girls. And brands like Pepsi and Specsavers didn’t just advertise, they participated. Specsavers even leaned into the Oasis reunion buzz with a cheeky nod to their “Blur rivalry.” It was smart, funny, and totally in tune with what people were talking about.

This shift was also clear in Cannes this year. The talk wasn’t just about media plans, it was about moments. And increasingly, those moments are happening in OOH. It’s a cultural canvas, offering one of the most exciting, trusted, and creatively rich ways for brands to show up.

Moving with the moment

One standout example? The “Lidl Jacket” moment. Which may be deemed an ‘oldie’ now considering the pace that things change these days, but it’s definitely still a ‘Goldie.’ It started with a mural of Liam Gallagher wearing what looked suspiciously like a Lidl-branded jacket and within four days, a static Lidl billboard was live right in front of it. No massive budget. Just quick thinking, cultural timing, and a bit of cheek.

And digital OOH can be just as impactful but even more reactive. Specsavers’ Euro campaign tweaked messaging live based on match results. “Good times never looked so good” landed perfectly after the Lionesses’ win. No need to plan six months ahead anymore and hope for the best. OOH has come of age, it’s fast, reactive, and culturally tuned in.

Where precision meets presence

OOH used to be seen as just a broad-reach channel. Now? Thanks to programmatic (PROOH) it can also be one of the most precise tools in the media mix. You can target specific postcodes, neighbourhoods, even streets, based on real data. Uber Eats did exactly this by tweaking menus to match local favourites. It’s smart, it’s local, and it works. It’s something clients are getting really excited about, and it’s easy to see why.

With new UK restrictions coming in January 2026 limiting how less healthy foods and drinks can be advertised on primetime TV, brands are rethinking how to stay visible. PROOH offers a high-impact, compliant alternative. It’s flexible, fast, and built for cultural relevance. What was once considered a plan B is proving to be a powerful plan A.

Trust is built in the real world

Let’s face it, people are tuning out digital ads. Pop-ups, autoplay videos, sponsored posts… it’s a lot. But a 10-storey mural? A station takeover? That’s different. It’s bold, physical, and real. No viewability issues, no clutter, no brand safety concerns.

When brands invest in real-world visibility, it sends a message, we’re serious. You can’t scroll past it. OOH isn’t just having a moment – it’s defining what modern advertising looks like. Fast, precise, trusted, and culturally in tune, it’s where brands don’t just show up, they stand out.

Christmas advertising is a highlight of the marketing calendar, as brands everywhere aim to capture the festive spirit and connect with audiences during this joyful time. From traditional Out of Home (OOH) advertising formats to vibrant digital billboards, marketers create Christmas advertising campaigns that celebrate Christmas traditions, spread warmth and cheer, and showcase gifts, decorations, and festive products.

Why Nostalgia Works in Christmas Advertising

This year, people around the world are craving nostalgia – a return to the comforting traditions that make Christmas special. Research shows that 78% of Brits agree that traditions are an important part of their celebrations, and 37% want Christmas adverts to bring back that nostalgic feeling with familiar music, classic Christmas carols and timeless images.

Many are planning to go all out this Christmas, with spending on gifts for family up by 14%, festive food and dinner recipes up by 13%, and 5% saying they’ll make more effort to celebrate the season with loved ones at home.

With 48% of UK shoppers preferring to buy in-store during November and December, having your brand visible in public spaces such as, bus shelters and other traditional OOH advertising locations is more important than ever. Outdoor advertising, including digital billboards and traditional OOH, puts your message right where people will see it during this crucial time.

How OOH Advertising Brings Christmas to Life in Public Spaces and Rooms

Christmas is about more than shopping – it’s about soaking in the festive atmosphere. From busy high streets in London and other major cities to decorated country towns and city centres, OOH advertising places brands at the heart of the seasonal experience. Whether people are driving, commuting, shopping, or visiting towns and cities, OOH advertising surrounds them with the joyful sights of Christmas – bright green lights, wreaths, baubles, candles, holly, and cheerful Christmas decorations.

These festive moments happen outside the house and in every room where people gather, making digital out of home and traditional OOH advertising in the run-up to, and during Christmas the perfect way for brands to influence shoppers where it counts.

In this article, we explore how brands can make the most of these opportunities through OOH’s ACES framework – Audience, Creative, Effective, and Sustainable – to connect with people, spark interest, and drive results this Christmas. Because it all starts with thinking outside the box and using the latest technology.

Smart Audience Targeting for Christmas Advertising

Changes to advertising rules mean brands need to rethink how they reach consumers. With new restrictions on promoting less healthy foods to under-16s through digital channels:

1. Digital targeting is limited
   Advertising HFSS products on social media, online display, or via influencers faces strict limits.
2. OOH advertising becomes even more important
   Outdoor advertising shines in busy urban areas, transport hubs, and near shops.
3. Smarter OOH targeting
   Without digital tracking, advertisers rely on location data, contextual targeting, and timing to reach the right people.

Programmatic OOH platforms like Talon’s DSP, Atlas, offer data-driven campaigns with real-time flexibility. These campaigns see a 2.7x increase in brand awareness, 1.7x boost in brand preference, and 1.4x rise in purchase intent.

Programmatic digital out of home (PrDOOH) lets you show your ads at the right place and time, triggered by weather, location, or time of day, to tap into those special moments.

The results speak for themselves: Talon Benchmarks show that ads using local context get 32% more attention and stronger emotional responses.

Creative Ideas to Make Christmas Ads Magical

Christmas ads should feel like warm memories. With 90% of Brits feeling nostalgic, emotional advertising not only boosts recall but also drives action. Brands see a 140% increase in response and 23% more engagement when they mix emotion with product messaging.

Create something magical that brings out everyone’s inner child—mixing nostalgia with familiar Christmas songs, the image of Santa Claus, and the cosy glow of a fire at home. Talon Benchmarks show creative OOH ads lead to:

• 57% of people taking action after seeing the advertisement
• A 10% average increase in purchase intent
• 7 in 10 people finding OOH adverts appealing

For example, Waitrose’s 2024 Christmas campaign brought their “Who Dunnit” TV commercial to life with a special installation about a missing Christmas dessert and a family mystery. The overall campaign boosted their Net Promoter Score by 2 percentage points, gained 150 million views, and reached 894 million impressions.

Measuring the Impact of Christmas Outdoor Advertising Campaigns

The magic doesn’t stop at creativity – OOH delivers real results. Recent Talon Benchmarks show festive campaigns achieve:

• An 18% increase in ad recall
• A 4.8% rise in purchase intent
• 57% of people finding the brand or message relevant

Christmas OOH campaigns also drive stronger emotional engagement than any other time of year:

• 3 in 5 people engage positively with Christmas OOH ads
• 62% find Christmas OOH campaigns engaging
• 55% agree these campaigns make them pay attention
• 2.7% more actions happen over Christmas compared to the rest of the year

On average, OOH campaigns lift purchase intent by 10%, call to action by 57%, and brand consideration by 67%.

Why Sustainability Matters in Christmas Advertising

Sustainability is a top priority for consumers this Christmas.

• 53% of UK adults want a more sustainable Christmas
• 45% are willing to spend more on eco-friendly products
• 64% expect brands to be transparent about their environmental impact

OOH is a sustainable advertising choice. For every £1 spent, 46p goes back to public infrastructure. OOH ads produce less carbon per impression than all other media and account for just 3.3% of UK ad power use and under 3.5% of the total UK ad carbon footprint.

Play your ACES this Christmas

By combining creative, targeted, and sustainable outdoor advertising during the festive season, brands can spread joy, capture attention, and celebrate Christmas traditions with friends, family, and communities across public spaces.

From bright Christmas trees decorated with stars and angels to holly wreaths and glowing candles, Christmas advertising through OOH remains a vital part of the holiday marketing mix. Integrating OOH with other channels such as video, social media, and digital marketing boosts campaign reach and impact, helping your brand shine throughout the festive season with engaging ads, delightful chocolate-themed ideas, and memorable Christmas carols that bring the season to life in homes and public spaces across the country, Australia, France, America, and beyond.

As the festive season approaches, brands and agencies face the same challenge they do every year: “How do we cut through the noise and connect in a meaningful way with our audiences?”

We hear you, but this year, something’s different. Nostalgia is making a big comeback. People are actively choosing to step away from screens, lean into tradition, and seek real-world connection, and I’m sure you can guess where this is going, but that’s exactly where OOH festive advertising shines.

At Talon, we’ve been tracking the signals. From shifting behaviours to emotional triggers, the data tells a clear story: OOH festive advertising turns feels into festive sales.

Why Emotion Drives Action During the Festive Season

This year, 37% of consumers say they want Christmas ads to bring back that nostalgic feeling, and nearly half are planning to cut down on screen time to protect the spirit of the season. If that’s not a clear signal that audiences are craving something more real, what is? People are leaning into shared experiences, with 55% saying they will spend more time with family and OOH festive advertising meets these moments with unmatched authenticity. It’s physical, it’s public, and it’s woven seamlessly into our everyday surroundings.

Shopper Behaviour & Key Moments for Impact

When looking at gift buying, our latest insights show similar patterns to last year. With things kicking off in September and October (31%) and building steadily throughout November (23%), Black Friday week (9%) and December (15%).

Fridays (12%), Saturdays (16%) and evenings (18%) are the sweet spot for footfall. With 62% of consumers planning to shop in-store. 74% planning to use public transport to get around, OOH festive advertising offers unmatched opportunities to prime and persuade shoppers with a multitude of OOH formats. But it doesn’t stop at gifts, Christmas shopping has become a social occasion. 64% of people plan to meet friends while they’re out. 50% will grab a bite at a restaurant, and over a third will head to the pub post-purchases. It’s no longer just about ticking off the list; many are making a day of it. Creating more opportunities to connect with not just shoppers, but with diners, commuters, and revellers.

From roadside billboards on festive journeys. To transport hubs as people travel to Christmas events. Retail environments acting as festive hubs, and points of interest that spark seasonal magic. OOH festive advertising meets audiences in the moments that matter most, and crucially, 53% of consumers say Christmas campaigns reach them in the right mindset. Making it the perfect moment to connect with relevance and resonance.

Programmatic Precision with Talon’s Optimise DSP

It doesn’t stop there. With our programmatic DSP, Optimise, we’re able to deliver precision targeting at scale. Whether you are targeting luxury gift givers, festive foodies, party season spenders, or last-minute shoppers, Optimise allows you to buy by audience, not just location. Not to mention harness real-time agility to respond in context. Adjusting creatives based on things such as weather, temperature or even time of day. And let’s face it Christmas gives us plenty to work with. A frosty morning, a weekend shopping rush, we can tailor the message to match that exact moment. With 44% of consumers planning to spend more this Christmas, including 26% spending more on food and 5% planning to spend more on drink, the opportunity to influence purchase decisions in the right place and time has never been stronger.

From Festive Feels to Festive Sales

And here’s the part we love, it works. OOH drives stronger emotional engagement at Christmas than any other time of year. 70% of people say they pay more attention to festive ads, and we see a +2.7% uplift in action compared to the rest of the year.

But the real magic happens when emotion is paired with product messaging. That’s when we see a +140% boost in action. So, you see, once you make people feel something, they’re far more likely to do something, because just like every great Christmas story, it’s the feeling that moves the plot forward.

Make your Brand Part of the Christmas Story

Christmas is a season built on connection, emotion, and storytelling and OOH festive advertising delivers all three with scale, precision, and creativity.

Whether you’re an agency crafting campaigns or a brand looking to show up in the moments that matter, OOH isn’t just part of the plan, it’s the medium that turns festive feels into festive sales.

Want to see how your brand can show up in the moments that matter? Get in touch with our team.

As Q4 begins, retail enters its most competitive season. With consumer attention at a premium, brands must move beyond generic audience profiles and unlock the power of first-party data. This data – already owned by brands, offers a direct line to real consumer behaviour. When activated through PrOOH (Programmatic Out of Home) platforms like Talon’s Optimise DSP, first-party data enables sharper targeting, real-time relevance, and measurable impact.

In our previous articles, we explored leveraging micro moments and how PROOH integrates into wider media strategies. Now, we are diving deeper into how brands’ first-party data, powered by Talon’s Optimise DSP, can unlock precision, performance, and measurable actions as we enter what many consider the most important quarter of the year.

Rethinking Targeting with First-Party Data for PrOOH

In today’s world, identity is fluid and multifaceted – making traditional demographics less predictive than they once were. Too often, generational analysis relies on outdated stereotypes, and broad categories like age or income rarely explain why people act.

That’s why context matters. A consumer shopping for a gift will behave very differently from one making everyday purchases. Factors like weather or seasonality can subtly shape decisions in ways traditional targeting often overlooks.

The key to smarter targeting lies in data that is owned. CRM records, sales data, app analytics, loyalty programs, and email engagement data reveal patterns of motivation and behaviour, not just assumptions. Using Talon’s Optimise to apply these insights, we can deliver behaviour-led programmatic OOH strategies that are both smarter and more impactful.

Examples of First-Party Data in Action for PrOOH:

• Re-engaging yesterday’s “competitor shopper” with tailored offers as they pass by your store.
• Prompting lapsed app users with a timely message near a key retail location.

This is the shift from broad demographics to behaviour-led storytelling delivered in the right place, at the right moment.

The Q4 Advantage: Activating First-Party Data for PrOOH Impact

With retail spend peaking and consumer intent at its highest, this is the moment brands can truly win hearts, wallets, and market share. Recent data indicates a rebound in consumer confidence, with the latest spending report from Bank of Ireland suggesting that debit and credit card spend rose by 6.5% year-on-year. This uptick suggests a renewed optimism among Irish consumers as we approach the final quarter of the year. However, with so many voices competing for attention, relevance becomes your sharpest tool.

It’s at this intersection that first-party data for PrOOH delivers its full potential. Your customers are already telling you what they want through purchases, app activity, loyalty behaviour, and email engagement. By using these insights to fuel your programmatic strategy, you can deliver targeted, real-time messaging that speaks directly to their needs, moods, and moments.

Whether it’s:

Programmatic OOH gives you the agility to act fast, optimise, and make every impression count. Q4 is short but the opportunity is huge. Brands that activate their first-party data now and lean into precision will be the ones that stand out, convert, and outperform.

Turn First-Party Data into Action

In a season defined by urgency and opportunity, brands need more than broad targeting – they need precision, agility, and relevance. First-party data offers the clearest path to smarter programmatic OOH strategies, enabling brands to connect with real people in real moments. By turning customer insights into action, marketers can unlock new levels of performance and creativity across Q4 campaigns. The tools are ready; the data is there – now it’s time to activate.

Ready to Activate your First-Party Data for PrOOH?

Book your workshop with our Programmatic Lead Eoin Carroll, at [email protected]. Let’s unlock the full potential of your programmatic OOH campaigns this Q4.

FAQ’s: First-Party Data for PrOOH

What is first-party data in marketing?

First-party data is information collected directly from your customers via owned channels like websites, apps, CRM systems, and loyalty programmes.

Why is first-party data important for PrOOH?

It allows for behaviour-led targeting, enabling brands to deliver relevant messages based on actual consumer actions and context.

What makes Q4 ideal for PrOOH campaigns?

Q4 sees peak consumer spending and heightened competition. PrOOH allows brands to act quickly, optimise campaigns, and maximise ROI during this high-impact period.

Can smaller brands benefit from first-party data in PrOOH?

Absolutely. Even basic CRM or email engagement data can be used to create more targeted, cost-effective campaigns that drive results.

Halloween advertising opportunities go far beyond spooky visuals. While bold visuals, playful puns, and ready-made themes have long been staples of seasonal campaigns, the real power lies in understanding audience behaviour.

In Ireland, Halloween has evolved. It’s no longer just October 31st – it’s the mid-term break. Schools are closed, families are travelling, young people are out, and plans are being made right up to the last minute. Halloween is now a week-long window of movement and decision-making, creating prime opportunities for brands and agencies to connect.

Behavioural Trends Driving Halloween Advertising Opportunities

Our latest research reveals:

• 35% are planning domestic travel – either day trips (18%) or staycations (16%)
• Over 50% plan to visit shopping centres
• 81% planning to use public transport
• 43% planning to spend more this Halloween
• 47% won’t book their Halloween plans until September or later
• Nielsen reports €12.9m additional spend on Halloween treats in 2024 vs 2023.

Moving beyond seasonal stats, these are now behavioural signals. We know we say it all the time, but the opportunity lies in the moments. Halloween is growing in cultural and commercial significance, and with that, audience behaviour shifts. For advertisers, the opportunity now lies in the context.

Why OOH is Ideal for Seasonal Campaigns

Ask yourself:

1. Where are people going?
2. Where are they making decisions?
3. How can media intercept them at moments that matter?

Out of Home (OOH) advertising is built for exactly this. It’s physical, public and behaviour-led. It connects with audiences in transport hubs, retail destinations, roadside, and city centres. It meets people as they move.

We’ve already seen brands turn this into impact. Take Fanta’s UV glow-in-the-dark wall mural, which lit up city centre streets aligning perfectly with audience mood and movement.

Start with Context. Start with OOH.

This Halloween, don’t just design for the season – behave for it. Start your campaign with media that aligns to how people are actually living in the moment. Start with Out of Home.

Explore more seasonal campaign ideas in our “Work” section and see how brands are leveraging real world behaviour to drive results.

FAQs: Halloween Advertising with OOH

Q1: Why is Halloween a strong opportunity for Out of Home Advertising?

Because it’s no longer a one-day event. It’s a week of movement, decision-making, and spending—perfect for intercepting audiences in real-world environments.

Q2: What types of OOH formats work best during Halloween?

Formats that adapt to time, light, and location—like murals, digital screens, and transport ads—can align with audience behaviour and mood.

Q3: How can brands plan for last-minute Halloween decisions?

OOH allows for flexible, location-based messaging that can respond to late-stage planning and impulse decisions.

With consumers moving more fluidly between screens, streets, and spaces, brands need to meet them with the same energy everywhere.

Integrating programmatic OOH into media strategies, enables marketers to connect digital precision with real-world impact, delivering targeted, timely messages that resonate across every touchpoint.

It’s not just part of the media plan – it’s the part that makes every other channel work harder.

This piece marks the second instalment in our “How To” series exploring the power of PrOOH. In this piece, we’re looking at how it integrates into wider media strategies. If you missed the first instalment – “How to use programmatic OOH to capture micro moments”, you can read it here and see how seasonal triggers like weather changes or cultural events can drive real-time, in-the-moment activations.

The Physical Touchpoint in a Digital World

The best campaigns don’t think in silos, they think in stories. PrOOH integrates seamlessly into that narrative acting as a physical anchor that keeps your brand top-of-mind while your digital channels carry the conversation online.

Just like display, social, and CTV, PrOOH can:

• Target by audience using the same segments across all channels.
• Respond in real-time to cultural, environmental, or behavioural triggers.
• Measure what matters from footfall to web visits, app downloads and brand uplift.

How Programmatic OOH Enhances Media Strategies

Imagine your audience encountering a PrOOH ad during their commute, only to see it on the TV later in the day. Not only is it channel coordination; it’s a moment of seamless brand presence.

A great example of this in action is Fáilte Ireland. As the official sponsor of RTÉ Weather, they harnessed the precision of Programmatic OOH through our DSP, Optimise, to deliver contextually relevant messages to audiences during peak commuter windows. These ads were activated in perfect sync with RTÉs weather broadcasts. This ensured the campaign resonated both on the streets and on screen, reinforcing the brand message at key moments across multiple channels.

Why it worked:

• Shared Audience Data: By activating in perfect sync with RTÉs weather broadcasts Fáilte created message consistency and avoided media fragmentation.
• Real-Time Context: Time of day targeting ensured relevance and while TV and wider OOH campaign delivered on mass awareness, PrOOH extended the campaign’s life by maintaining visibility at relevant moments throughout the day and across the summer.
• Measurable Impact: Talon benchmarks indicate that integrating programmatic OOH can drive a 3x increase in purchase intent and deliver 15% higher brand relevance.

Integrating Programmatic OOH into your Media DNA

When integrating Programmatic OOH into your wider media strategies, consistency in audience data ensures your brand message follows consumers across every touchpoint. Here’s how to make it part of your media DNA:

Audience:

Start by using the same audience data for PrOOH that you already apply to social, display, or CTV. This keeps your targeting consistent and ensures your brand message follows the same people throughout their day.

Timing:

Focus on scheduling your PrOOH campaign around key moments but also take advantage of its flexibility. You can switch ads on or off in real-time based on triggers. For example, during a retail push, a fashion brand could activate rainwear ads across commuter routes. The moment wet weather hits, instantly switch to sunglasses and summer styles. While channels like TV and broadcast OOH are brilliant at delivering mass awareness in short bursts. PrOOH can extend a campaign’s presence, sustaining visibility across those crucial consumption moments over days, weeks, or even months.

Creative:

Centres on tailoring your messaging and visuals to fit the context while keeping brand consistency. This might mean adjusting ad copy or offers based on location. For example, a food delivery service might show restaurants closest to each specific OOH format, highlighting local offers and specials. This small tweak can make the ad feel highly relevant to the viewer’s immediate surroundings.

Consumers no longer think in terms of “online” or “offline”, they simply live their lives, moving fluidly between screens, streets and sounds. The brands that win are the ones that follow that journey, connecting each interaction into a single, coherent story. Integrating Programmatic OOH into media strategies allows brands to bridge digital precision with physical presence. Creating campaigns that are timely, contextual, and measurable.

From seasonal activations like summer travel, to reactive moments like weather changes, PrOOH brings the agility of digital into the real world. When every channel speaks the same language, your brand becomes impossible to ignore.

Want to explore how PrOOH could amplify your next campaign? Let’s talk.

Every year, around the end of August, something subtle shifts across Ireland. The beach towels get folded away, the last of the summer ice cream melts, and parents dust off the lunchboxes. Teenagers scroll through their phones for back-to-college supplies, while professionals glance at calendars and silently vow to “get back on track.”

The country exhales—and then everything starts up again. In fact, September isn’t just Back to School, it’s a national reset.

Therefore, for brands, this quiet return to structure signals opportunity. Those ready to meet people as they re-enter their lives with intent can win big.

At Talon, we use a simple framework to guide brands through moments like these: ACES – Audience, Creative, Effective, Sustainable. Here’s how your brand can harness ACES to own the back-to-school season in Ireland this September.

Audience: One Season, Many Mindsets

Although the country resets together, not everyone returns in the same way.

Marketing to Gen Z

For example, Gen Z values authenticity above all—91% say it’s their top brand priority. They invest heavily in self-expression and experiences, not just products.

Targeting Parents During August

Parents are planners. With 42% actively seeking deals, August is a critical shopping month for them.

Engaging Young Professionals

Young professionals treat September as a fresh start. 63% focus on health, productivity, and self-improvement during this time.

Planning tip: Lean into intent-based marketing. Align your message with both mindset and moment. Wellness brands can activate near gyms during the September reset; student offers work best in high-footfall campus zones. Talon’s Optimise tool helps you plan in tune with how your audience lives.

Creative: Build Emotional Connection

In a world where attention is fleeting and expectations sky-high, emotional connection is no longer optional—it’s essential.

63% of Irish consumers say they form emotional bonds with brands. That’s no coincidence, since 95% of purchase decisions are driven by emotion, not logic.

Out of Home (OOH) advertising is one of the most powerful channels to build this connection. It doesn’t interrupt; it integrates, meeting people in their everyday routines.

• 57% take action after seeing an OOH campaign
• There’s a +10% average uplift in purchase intent
• 59% of people find OOH ads genuinely appealing

Creative tip: OOH is physical, public, and impossible to skip. Every execution should work harder—to stir feeling, tell a story, or leave something behind.

Effective: Be a Trustworthy Brand

Let’s face it—trust is hard to come by these days.

Today’s consumers are more selective, sceptical, and less loyal. But they’re also more responsive to brands that show up consistently, in the right places, with the right tone.

OOH offers a public promise. According to Talon benchmarks:

• OOH drives a +7% uplift in purchase consideration
• +4% increase in trust in brand claims
• +5% lift in overall consideration

As strategist Justin Gibbons puts it, “You can’t tell lies in public.” Consistency and visibility build trust, and OOH delivers both.

Sustainable: Show up Responsibly

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword—people are paying attention, and they’re not easily convinced.

Only 26% of Irish adults trust ESG claims made by brands, meaning 74% are sceptical. Yet 70% say they’re willing to pay more for products produced sustainably.

Out of Home is ahead of the curve:

• 55% of Irish adults see OOH as a sustainable medium
• It operates in public spaces, where accountability is built in
• According to Outsmart & KPMG, OOH emits less carbon per impression than any other measured media

OOH lives in the heart of communities—near parks, streets, schools. This gives it a unique role not just to advertise but to contribute—from solar-powered screens and recycled materials to nighttime switch-offs.

Sustainability tip: Don’t just talk the talk. Choose partners and platforms that prioritise transparency and can prove their impact.

Will Your Brand Show up this September?

Your audience is already on the move, seeking meaning, value, and something real. Talon’s ACES framework helps brands meet people in these pivotal moments—with bold creativity, trusted presence, and sustainable impact.

The only question is: will your brand be showing up too?

Get in touch with the Talon team to learn more or access the full “Schools in Session” deck.

FAQ: Back to School Advertising in Ireland

Why is September important for advertising?

September is a national reset in Ireland, making it an ideal time to connect with students, parents, and professionals as they start routines.

What makes OOH advertising effective for back-to-school campaigns?

OOH builds emotional connections, trust, and sustainable visibility in public spaces—key drivers in purchase decisions.

How can brands target different mindsets in September?

By tailoring messaging to audience intent—authenticity for Gen Z, deals for parents, wellness for young professionals—and using tools like Talon’s Optimise for precise planning.

In recent times, many of us have found ourselves suffering from some sort of crisis hangover. The relentless cycle of news and global events has left us feeling overwhelmed, vulnerable and somewhat disconnected. In short, there’s a collective sense of meh.

As a result, in 2024, one in three adults reported experiencing high levels of stress, while attention spans have plummeted from 150 seconds in 2012 to just 47 seconds – a staggering 68% decrease. Alongside this, we’re also experiencing online fatigue with endless doomscrolling losing its appeal, with 7 in 10 internet users aged 16 to 64 actively trying to reduce their digital consumption.

However, there is a notable shift taking place. Consumers are increasingly prioritising their wellbeing, seeking meaningful activities and real-world experiences that contribute positively to mental health. In 2024, over £178 billion was spent on memorable moments – a trend set to continue into 2025, with 59% of consumers planning to maintain or increase this type of spending.

As we look ahead to summer 2025, this desire for meaningful experiences is clear: 

• 68% are planning to travel abroad 

• 90% are planning a domestic holiday 

• 77% are eager to try a new outdoor activity 

This renewed focus on wellness and authenticity presents a significant opportunity for brands to be a part of these moments and engage with consumers in meaningful ways. 

So, how can brands contribute to these moments in a way that enhances them, rather than intruding on them? The answer lies in the power of Out of Home (OOH) advertising. Reaching 97% of UK adults each week, OOH advertising is woven into the fabric of our daily lives. 

Using our “ACES” framework – Audience, Creative, Effective and Sustainable – we’re demonstrating how OOH can help brands connect with the right people, in the right place, at the right time. 

(Audience) Be Relevant with OOH 

According to a study by New Age, 66% of consumers feel most digital ads are irrelevant to them – a reflection of this current era of digital overload. With ads constantly vying for attention across platforms, many are dismissed, skipped, or blocked entirely. 

Don’t be mistaken – consumers don’t inherently dislike advertising. In fact, nearly half (49%) of consumers say that they enjoy ads for products that align with their interests, suggesting that, rather than going broad with ad targeting, relevance is key.

This is where OOH excels. Unlike many other channels, 59% of consumers find OOH to be less intrusive, and 60% say it’s a more enjoyable way to connect with brands. OOH integrates seamlessly into everyday life, reaching audiences at key locations and moments throughout their day. 

Travelling by car? There are many roadside formats for you to choose from. Shopping for goods? There’s a D6 just outside the supermarket. Commuting to work or play? Bus shelters and public transport formats engage consumers on the move. Wherever your audience goes, OOH is there, ensuring your brand is present and impactful throughout the journey. 

To ensure maximum relevance, we recommend leveraging programmatic OOH through our DSP, Atlas. Whether targeting families planning domestic holidays or a “work hard, play hard” demographic, Atlas uses behavioural data to identify the most effective panels for your campaign.

Additionally, Atlas Real-Time empowers you to capitalise on micro-moments this summer. By activating campaigns based on dynamic triggers such as weather, pollen count, or UV index, your OOH strategy becomes more engaging, more memorable, and can boost neuro response by up to +32%. 

(Creative) Create Meaningful, Emotional Connections

Audiences may be spending more time out of home this summer – but are brands doing enough to meet them both creatively and emotionally? 

Emotional connection is a powerful driver of human behaviour. Yet, a staggering 83% of UK consumers say their favourite brands don’t make them feel valued. This represents a major missed opportunity as research consistently shows that emotional loyalty not only enhances brand equity, it also significantly influences consumer decision-making. 

In fact, 95% of purchase decisions are emotionally driven, and brands that foster emotional connection see a +306% increase in customer lifetime value. For marketers, the message is clear: emotional engagement isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. 

OOH advertising is a powerful driver of emotional connection, as Talon Benchmarks reveal that 57% take some sort of action after being exposed to OOH and there’s a +10% average uplift in purchase intent after being exposed to OOH. What’s more, 59% find OOH ads appealing, making it a medium that not only captures attention but also inspires meaningful engagement. 

OOH doesn’t just reach audiences; it resonates with them. And when you combine this reach with creativity, the effects are amplified: 

• 35% increase in purchase consideration 

• 56% uplift in ad recall vs traditional OOH 

• 17% increase in consumer action

From murals that transform everyday spaces into something extraordinary, to immersive brand experiences that create lasting memories, summer presents a unique opportunity to go break out of billboards. It’s a chance to reimagine OOH as a bold, emotionally driven medium that truly connects with audiences. It’s time to go big, go bold and create work that truly turns heads.

Take brands like Specsavers, Pepsi and Starbucks – all of whom have embraced bold creative strategies with measurable impact. Pepsi’s Sweet Room activation alone delivered over 300K in online reach and 100% positive online sentiment, proving that creativity with emotional intent pays dividends. 

This summer, go big. Go bold. Create OOH that not only turns heads but captures hearts. 

(Effective) Be a Trustworthy Brand

No wonder we’ve got trust issues. As algorithms get smarter and AI makes content creation more accessible, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish what’s real from what’s not. 

Trust is now one of the most valuable currencies in the consumer-brand relationship. In fact, 81% of UK consumers say trust influences their purchasing decisions, and 66% actively avoid buying from brands they don’t trust. Yet trust is slipping with 67% feeling less loyal to brands than they did just two years ago. For brands, this shift isn’t just a warning sign, it’s a clear opportunity to rebuild trust and reconnect with audiences in more meaningful, authentic ways. 

That’s where OOH comes into play. Compared to digital and radio, OOH is ranked as the most trusted media channel. Whether it’s a billboard, a bus shelter or a digital screen, OOH is tangible, public, and credible – a far cry from digital ads that can easily be manipulated with one click. OOH is particularly strong at driving trust among more sceptical Gen Z audiences. 

And when a brand is displayed on OOH? Talon Benchmarks show that the medium promotes the ideas of trust more than any other: 

• +7% perceptions of the brand 

• +4% trust the claim 

• +5% in consideration 

(Sustainable) Sustainability is More Than a Statement 

And the trust issues don’t stop there. Consumer trust in sustainability claims is also declining. Only 1 in 4 consumers take ESG claims at face value, and 54% say they would stop buying from brands they believe are misleading. 

Today, authenticity and transparency around sustainability initiatives aren’t just a “nice-to-have,” they’re essential. For both brands and consumers, building genuine trust in this space is now a critical business priority. 

Sustainability matters and it’s here to stay – influencing purchasing decisions and lifestyle choices. 78% of consumers want to lead more sustainable lives, 55% are willing to pay more for eco-friendly brands and 51% avoid products that they know are bad for the environment. And this sentiment extends to the media that they consume. 

So, how can brands align? With OOH, of course. 

OOH not only drives effectiveness – it also enables brands to contribute positively to communities and the environment. According to Outsmart, 46p of every £1 spent on OOH goes back into public infrastructure. It’s also a more sustainable ad platform, accounting for just 3.3% of the UK’s total ad power consumption and less than 3.5% of the UK’s ad carbon footprint. 

This summer, turn “meh” into memorable with OOH. 

Whether it’s driving relevance, sparking emotional connections, or building trust, OOH offers a powerful, proven way to stand out in a crowded landscape. 

So, if you want to be part of the meaningful summer moments that stick, it’s time to think outside. 

Summer. It’s the season when audiences break routines, spend more time outside, and engage with the world in more spontaneous, emotional, and personal ways.

And that’s exactly what makes PrOOH a perfect match for summer – built to capture those fast, fleeting micro-moments that matter. As covered in our recent piece “All Eyes on OOH”, the summer months offer OOH advertisers the perfect storm of conditions: longer evenings, bigger crowds, and people actively seeking experiences outside of the home, whether it’s attending a music festival, enjoying a beach day, or heading off on a staycation.

But while classic OOH delivers unmatched scale and impact, PrOOH is the agile extension that allows brands to show up in contextual, in-the-moment ways, owning those small but powerful micro-moments that are embedded into consumers everyday lives.

WHAT ARE SUMMER MICRO-MOMENTS?

They’re the real-life, real-time cues that shape consumer intent, and influence decision-making in seconds. Micro-moments are situational, emotional, and highly time sensitive. They’re not media moments, they’re life moments, and they happen constantly during the summer.

For example:

It’s 26˚ and Ireland’s melting – Trigger SPF, cold drinks or ice cream ads near parks, city centres and transport hubs.

Kick-offs in one hour – Serve live-betting odds at pubs or train stations.

Sudden showers in Dublin? – Flip creative to promote delivery services or rain-ready fashion near retail environments.

6am flight check-ins – Push coffee, breakfast or caffeine-boosted product ads along airport travel routes.

Post-festival recovery day – Serve ads for food delivery, wellness products near drop off points or on large-format roadside.

Unexpected beach days – Run real-time updates for sunglasses or beach snacks near convenience stores.

These aren’t the moments you can plan for six-months in advance, they’re the kind you need to react to, not wait for. That’s why PrOOH works, because it allows brands to move at the speed of the season, reacting in real-time with messaging that feels in-sync with consumers’ lives.

WHY MICRO-MOMENTS MATTER

They’re more engaging: Contextually relevant ads are significantly more effective at capturing attention. Neuroscience research shows a +32% increase in brain response when content is aligned with the moment, and +48% effectiveness compared to campaigns that don’t use contextual messaging.

They cut through the noise: With attention spans down 68% since 2012, it’s harder than ever to make an impression. Micro-moment targeting helps to combat ad fatigue. In fact, Talon benchmarks show that contextual OOH campaigns deliver +63% uplift in consideration and +57% in spontaneous ad awareness compared to broader OOH activity.

They drive action: When an ad feels immediate and relevant, it resonates. Programmatic campaigns delivered through our DSP, Optimise, show a 2x increase in purchase intent, are 15% more aligned with lifestyle relevance, and are 4x more likely to drive consideration.

COMPLIMENTS, NOT COMPROMISES

We know we say this all the time, but let’s be clear: PrOOH isn’t here to replace classic OOH, it’s the perfect partner.

Classic OOH delivers unmissable brand presence at scale. It builds fame, trust, and cultural relevance. PrOOH adds the layer of flexibility modern campaigns need, allowing teams to adapt messaging, respond to events, and target specific moments without sacrificing the creative impact of the wider campaign.

For agency teams managing integrated plans, PrOOH offers the tactical agility to complement big brand ideas. Used together, classic OOH and PrOOH unlock the full power of the channel, high-impact storytelling combined with real-time contextual relevance. That’s not a compromise; it’s a summer strategy that works harder on every level.

Summer is unpredictable, and in that unpredictability lies opportunity.

Programmatic OOH (PrOOH) is built for these kinds of everyday moments, agile, adaptable, and built for long-term impact. Paired with the scale of classic OOH, it allows brands to not only be seen, but to be relevant right now.

So, whether you’re looking to drive footfall, boost last-minute bookings, or simply stay top-of-mind during key seasonal occasions, don’t just plan for summer, own it, moment, by micro-moment.

Reach out to our team or visit https://talonooh.com/programmatic-ooh-advertising/ to learn more about Programmatic OOH.

Tara Salame, Senior Client Executive at Talon MENA, recently attended the OMD SENSE thought leadership event, held by OMD MENA in partnership with Talon MENA and SnapChat at the Museum of the Future, where she dove into generational insights, explored the future of audience behavior, and engaged with industry peers as a voice for the brand.

OMD SENSE at the Museum of the Future

This month, I attended one of the most insightful and well organized industry events held at the Museum of the Future, which, all things considered, felt like a fitting venue for a conference about what’s coming next in media and audience behavior.

The theme? Decoding Generation (H)uman. Translation: how Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha are rewriting the rulebook on attention, authenticity, and what it means to “connect.” Spoiler alert: they’re not interested in your polished brand manifesto unless it comes with memes, emotional depth, or a side of chaos.

The moment I arrived, it was clear the room was full of people trying to make sense of the shifting landscape: marketers, creatives, strategists, and the rest all there to decode how audiences think, act, and respond in a world that’s evolving faster than most of us can track.

Shifting the Focus from Platforms to People 

But then Rahaf Harfoush took the stage. Her keynote “The Hidden Forces Driving Our Digital Behaviors”  genuinely made me pause. She shifted the focus from the tools to the people using them and how Gen Z’s endless scroll is tied to identity, how digital habits aren’t just trends but emotional signals, and how even your TikTok “For You” page is basically a mirror of your inner child and unresolved tension. 

As someone in working OOH, where we’re usually focused on cutting through the noise with bold formats and visual impact, her talk was a needed reset. Turns out, it’s not about shouting louder. It’s about listening better.

Merging Strategy with Creativity, The Talon Way

And in true Talon MENA fashion, we didn’t just show up, we left a mark! Our generational capsule vending machine was a hit: part nostalgia bomb, part interactive therapy. Tamagotchis, Gameboys, glow-up serums… all lovingly packed and delivered with a wink. It was fun, yes, but also built on insight. 

I also had the chance to represent Talon on camera, which was both exciting and mildly terrifying. Grateful to the team for trusting me to speak not just about what we do, but why we do it. These moments matter. They shape brands, yes, but they also shape careers. This one definitely shaped mine.

This wasn’t just an event. It was a marker. For where the industry is going, for what Talon stands for, and for the kind of leaders we want to be. 

Tara
Senior Client Executive, Talon MENA

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.