Talon was pleased to work with Havas London, Havas Media UK and Grand Visual on the Out of Home element of this campaign which received Campaign’s Ad of the Day.

With the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games just under two weeks away, John West – the UK’s leading tinned fish brand and trusted household name- has launched a new campaign to celebrate the strength of ParalympicsGB athletes, and their role as proud protein partners of ParalympicsGB.

Building on John West’s brand positioning ‘EAT STRONG, GO STRONG’, the campaign showcases the power of natural protein, and how it fuels you to be strong, in whatever you do.

To relay this message, the campaign humorously dramatises the effects of John West’s natural protein on ParalympicsGB athletes via a bespoke special build with a life-sized javelin peeking out, with supporting copy ‘’warning, protein-fuelled javelin throwers are getting serious air miles’’. The special build sits alongside a number of DOOH, which feature other sports, including cycling and shotput – further playing on the effects of John West’s natural protein.

The media plan, developed by Havas Media UK, strategically positions the special build across three screens in major UK cities to ensure nationwide visibility. Key commuter spots have been selected to maximise exposure, including The Pump Station by Westfield London, Pin Mill Brow in Manchester and New Moseley Road in Birmingham.

The campaign also includes a series of humorous TikTok videos, which sees three ParalympicsGB athletes; Kadeena Cox, Para Cycling and John West protein Ambassador, Nathan MacQueen, Para Archery and Hollie Arnold, Para Athletics, not realising their own strength – lifting up cars and retrieving their equipment from people’s gardens. Filmed in an undercover style way, the videos utilise the popular doorbell footage TikTok trend and showcase a range of Paralympic sports.

In February 2023, John West Foods was announced as an Official protein partner of ParalympicsGB. The four-year partnership with ParalympicsGB, covers the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympics and the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics, as well as activities outside of the Games period. This long-term partnership will bring to life the brand’s ‘Eat Strong, Go Strong’ message and further amplify John West’s protein credentials.

Vicki Maguire, chief creative officer Havas London said: ‘’This campaign is fuelled by natural protein…bringing a touch of humour, while getting behind our ParalympicsGB athletes, to bring home the glory….’’
Vikki Babb, John West International, Marketing Director added: “We are extremely proud to be partnered with ParalympicsGB and are excited to be supporting the team on their road to Paris. The campaign perfectly brings together the John West tongue in cheek tone of voice and benefits of our natural protein.”

Andrew Darby, Managing Partner, Havas Media Network said: “We’re honoured to work alongside our sister agency, Havas London to support John West’s journey in celebrating and empowering ParalympicsGB athletes through the power of natural protein. This campaign truly exemplifies the synergy between creativity and strategic media planning—by positioning this captivating special build in central locations across the UK, supported by this engaging multi-media campaign, we will together ensure maximum visibility and inspire nationwide support for these incredible athletes.”

The campaign is live from the 12th of August, kicked off by the special build, followed by the DOOH on the 19th of August. The TikTok films will be live across the summer and throughout the Paralympics.

-CREDITS –
Project name: John West Paralympics – Eat Stong, Go Strong
Client: Vikki Babb (International Marketing Director) & Laura Cooper (Marketing Manager)
Creative agency: Havas London
Chief Creative Officer: Vicki Maguire
Creative Director: Dave Mygind
Copywriter: Joe Roberts
Art director: Doug Redfern
Managing Partner: Dave Owen
Account Director: Andrew Symonds
Senior Account Manager: Rica Dezoller
Head of Production: Louise Bonnar
Agency Producer: Ella Myerscough-McClymont
Senior Integrated Producer (print): Kat Loizou
Creative Production Director: Dean Trendler
Strategy Director: Jack Lewis-Barclay
Chief Design Officer: Lorenzo Fruzza
Design Director: Josh Toogood
Designer: Morgan Shipley
Designer: Walt Gregory
Media agency: Havas Media UK
Outdoor partner : JCDecaux Creative Solutions
Outdoor partner : Talon
Outdoor partner: Ocean
Production company: Prose on Pixels
Director: Doug Redfern & Joe Roberts
Executive Producer: Ben Kaufman
Producer: Rosie Smith
Production Assistant: Ella Higgins
DoP: John Fisher
Editor: Navid Khayati-Daryan
Post-production: ELMNTL
Post-production producer: Jenna Le Noury & Rose Crisp
Post-production (OOH): Prose on Pixels
VFX: Antonio Jimenez + Mustafa Pertev
Colourist: Henry Howard
Soundtrack composer: N/A
Narrator / VO: Joe Roberts
Audio post-production: Joe Marsden

Lucy Baumgartner, Effectiveness Manager, writes about her choice to be social-free and the Gen Z Digital Detox trend for Ad Age

Lucy Baumgartner, Effectiveness Manager Talon, writes for Ad Age on why she doesn’t engage with social media anymore and why – with 3 in 5 now regularly undertaking social media detoxes – marketers should adapt their digital-first perspectives to effectively engage Gen Z. Lucy explains the reasoning behind her choice to step away from social media, and why marketers may need to consider alternatives when reaching Gen Z.

Read the full article.

Bangalore, INDIA – July 2024.

It is always an interesting journey when you have an opportunity to speak to your industry. This happened when I travelled to Bangalore for the #OAC2024 conference in July. Hundreds of leaders from the Out-of-Home (OOH) industry gathered to connect and collaborate on the challenges within the India OOH space, what the future looks like, and what is needed to propel and prepare businesses.

My presentation focused on behind-the-scenes and what is critical to prepare for the future landscape – which can be exciting and provocative.

The following is a summary of my presentation that (for context) is based on my 26+ year career in media – Experiential, Radio, Television, Digital, and OOH; on the client, agency, and media owner side, which gives me a holistic perspective of the industry. My current role at Talon also provides a full OOH industry view from clients, brands, agencies through to media owners and tech suppliers.

What did I cover?

• Global OOH landscape
• Three Levers for Growth and;
• An Inherent Risk (and also an opportunity)

THE GLOBAL OOH LANDSCAPE

The recent World Out of Home Organization expenditure results show impressive gains and projected gains in share of expenditure at a projected 5.3% for 2024. APAC receives the lion’s share of this investment. Digitization (DOOH) leads this growth, as does an emerging PDOOH (programmatic DOOH) investment. Research proves that consumer TRUST in OOH as a medium is an impressive driver of investment. Using OOH for sales activations also delivers short-term sales results, which defies econometric models where OOH is under-attributed. Overall, the Global OOH industry is performing projections expect this to continue.

Tom Goddard from WOO also presented these findings in-depth the previous day at the conference and can be found here – https://www.worldooh.org/news/2024-global-expenditure-survey

APAC consumers are growing, as is their wealth and consumption. In 2023, Global GDP expanded by 3.1%, and emerging economies and Asia led the recovery, with India as a notable example. By 2030, APAC projections are that 20+ cities will have one Million+ upper-income households, driven by growth in China, Japan, and India. Then, there is consumer consumption in Asia:

• 50% projected share of global consumption growth (2020 – 2030)
• 55% share of global households with upper-middle income and above
• 54% projected share of global B2C and B2B transactions, offline and online (in 2025)

THREE LEVERS OF GROWTH FOR THE OOH INDUSTRY

Statistics show growth and projected buoyancy in the region; it is time to accept change for the OOH industry. Those who do not embrace change will be left behind because those who invest in media are evolving in their attitudes, behaviors, and processes. There is an exhaustive list of potential areas of focus, but these three are what I chose to highlight that can help propel the industry forward – The Sales Model, The Talent, and The Tech.

THE SALES MODEL

Digital was not a consideration when original OOH sales model were designed. Single-site selling was the norm, and there was an almost linear engagement with clients. There are so many demands, considerations, expectations, and competition that old sales models are under pressure. From spot buying, DOOH, programmatic, audience selling, creative, data, measurement, triggers, verification, experiential, and anamorphic, along with considering multiple markets, cross borders, varying currencies, cultures, and languages .. it is complex.

Initially, “Brief to Response” time expectations were measured in weeks. Now, demand is rapidly moving to a self-service model for clients and their agencies, with demand for information at their fingertips for near-instant options, pricing, and availability. Change is coming, and those not adapting to this customer-driven demand will be left behind. And yet, there are still sales models/processes that need to adapt to the feverish requirement for fast, accurate information that does not require human intervention from the media owner-side.

Change is coming, and those not adapting to this customer-driven demand will be left behind.

Media owners must transform their sales models, and connecting their information pipes to the media buying ecosystem is essential. This is a lever for growth.

THE TALENT

The most effective leaders surround themselves with the right talent, skills, roles, and mindset and then harness it to propel their business forward. We need to infuse our businesses with diverse, talented people who want to be a part of our growth.

Dominating digital investment and tech transformation has created a skills and knowledge gap for OOH, and we must bridge it.

To transform the OOH industry, we must seriously consider the talent needed for growth. Not one generation or gender has all the answers, innovation, or ideas, so diversity of talent is critical to the Talent formula. Creating environments where collaboration and knowledge sharing (“share not hoard”) are the norm is vital.

No one generation or gender has all the answers, innovation, or ideas, so diversity of talent is critical to the Talent formula.

OOH media is competing with other businesses for the best talent. However, the halcyon days of free food and ping pong tables no longer attract the best talent. It is all about talent mobility, learning cultures, purpose, and fostering entrepreneurialism. Read the Deloitte 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey for more insight. It is a great read and perspective for anyone wanting to attract the largest emerging workforce generation of this time. What struck me about this report was how fearless the emerging generational workforce is about technology, innovation, and automation. They want to embrace it.

I caveat this with an important point. We should retain the incredible intellectual property and capability of those currently in the OOH industry, as they are invaluable. The goal should be to bolster capability and infuse new knowledge to grow the industry using the successful foundations of those who have built it successfully before.

THE TECH

Tech could be the subject of an entire week of discussion, but in the context of this presentation, I focus on how tech can transform the industry towards the self-service model mentioned in The Sales Model section.

Tech solutions remove duplication , and manual processes improve speed and agility. Tech solutions also allow us to redirect human talent to advocacy, education, and innovation. This will fuel growth for OOH, DOOH, and pDOOH. Especially if Audience Measurement is a priority.

If something is not measured, it has no value. If it has no value, it is not valued. For OOH buying, it is easier to justify removing a site, media owner, and country from a plan if there is no audience measurement.

The four key areas where Tech can make a considerable difference are in

• Measurement – tech that can make sense of what we know will be trillions of data lines, including location, audience, traffic, expenditure, behavioral, attitudinal, campaign, and neuro for every country, city, OOH, DOOH, and pDOOH site. Imagine that.
• Automation—There is extraordinary duplication and human intervention in the OOH buying process. Technology can remove duplication in the sales, booking, planning, inventory, reporting, and verification process, which would eradicate wastage and free up skills and resources for other parts of the business.
• Programmatic—The tech in programmatic is advancing, but the tech could power the entire OOH ecosystem, not just DOOH. The tech would remove planning friction, as the data would be fully accessible for planning purposes. However, this requires media owners to connect their data and become visible to global and local planners. Currently, some markets and media owners are resisting this change.
• Verification is an emerging tech that I do not see waning, especially with third-party independent verification partners. These tech bolt-ons allow agencies, brands, and media owners to verify media plan deliverables independently. OOH media has historically done this via POPs (proof of play, proof of posting photos and video) and Digital POP reports (reports from the media owners’ system on plays of digital ads) and provide post-campaign. However, independent verification, especially on large campaigns, assures clients they got what they paid for.

Collaboration is essential in removing barriers to tech innovation and adoption. There is power in industry partnerships.

Barriers to “The Tech” center around long-term, high capital expenditure requirements. However, there doesn’t need to be individual media owners building custom, bespoke technology in insolation; there is power in collaboration and pooling of resources for the betterment of the industry and connecting via partnerships with AdTech suppliers to the industry. There is a textbook case study for this in the Outdoor Media Association in Australia, where media owners initially collaborate and invest in improving their industry via an audience measurement system, MOVE, now an accepted industry currency. This 10+year collaboration has grown the Australian OOH industry significantly. OMA Chair Charles Parry-Okeden further reiterated this in his presentation at #OAC2024.

AN INHERENT RISK – The LURE OF OVER DIGITISATION

In a digital-oriented world, we need persistent education and demonstration of the effectiveness and impact of traditional, classic, static OOH on a media plan. DOOH and PDOOH are not substitutes; they are additional valuable assets created for marketers to connect with their consumers. These digital assets should grow the industry, not cannibalize it.

In some markets, DOOH allows as low as 1.67% SOT. That’s one 15-second ad every 15 minutes. That contributes a minuscule amount to the REACH & FREQUENCY formula and makes DOOH ineffective and expensive.

There is risk in the emerging countries where DOOH is developing. In the exciting rush to digitize, there is an inherent risk that a more lucrative yield on digital sites will drive media owners to increase the number of ads in a loop and essentially decrease the Share of Time (SOT) for an advertiser when they buy one ad spot.

Media plans should always consider [Classic, Traditional, Static] OOH and DOOH for effective reach and frequency. The 100% Share of Voice (SOV) OOH delivers is invaluable for brand awareness objectives.

The OOH media industry must drive adaption, innovation, and push for change to deliver on market demand and remain competitive.

It is critical to start now to ensure the industry can keep pace with rapid change and remains relevant in an aggressively competitive media ecosystem.

This transformation should be a collaborative process, as a unified industry has more capability and power and can effect faster change than one media owner in isolation.

Can we start yesterday?

Kritisha Thapa, who is currently enrolled on our paid internship programme, recently attended MAD//Fest 2024. In this blog, she shares the key learnings from the day for brands and agencies.

“Fortune favours the Bold” an ancient proverb that suggests one should act boldly and bravely to accomplish greatness. But what does that even mean to marketers, agencies and brands and how can one achieve boldness in such a vast industry? This was the main topic that industry leaders ventured to tackle at this year’s Mad//Fest by addressing concerns on how it is not enough to just think outside the box and that being ‘bold’ requires strategic thought/planning and should be built into the brands culture from the initial stages of its development.

Rachel Kerrone – Brand and Marketing Director of Starling Bank, builds on this by discussing how the brand has maintained its relevancy as an innovative digital challenger brand. She highlighted how young challenger brands such as Starling should retain big brand strategies and behave like a big brand from the start, cultivating a reputation that consumers can identify with consistently. But first you must capture your audience’s attention, and this requires us to draw back to the actual core concept of a campaign, the briefing element.

Dani and Kate, co-founders of Just Add Joy, expanded on this by emphasising the importance of a good brief and how it can unlock creator marketing’s immense potential. Creative briefs should be carefully catered to the creator and should not be rushed. They should be clear, concise and thoughtfully organized to make sure it’s right the first time; measure twice, cut once.

Now when it comes to the creative itself, we know how much a great creative can impact consumer attention and brand outcomes. But what is it that truly makes people pay attention? Matt Butts – Measurement and Insights lead from WeTransfer, talked about how those whose “happiness “or “surprise” increased after ad exposure on WeTransfer are more likely to deliver stronger impact than those with negative/neutral emotion with at least a +50% increase in brand perception. Therefore, implementing elements into a creative that induce such emotions should be an essential priority for optimizing campaigns.

This is evident for us at Talon too. From our creative testing research, we see that consumers are much more drawn to facial imagery than product, and creatives that use facial imagery see a +21% stronger level of attention. 

However, it’s crucial to understand the difference between one-off surface level impacts of a campaign vs quality, long-term strategic engagement. Emerging from a panel discussion between Rory McEntee – Brand & Marketing Director from Gymbox and Dom Boyd Managing Director at Kantar, on the topic of attention deficit. Dom pointed out that brands cannot always rely on PR stunts to drive attention because it is about balancing between traditional brand building values vs just performing stunt moves that add to the brand. You must think about how you can link the stunt back to your own brand.  

Bharat Sharma – Chief Operating Officer at MCanvas, adds to this by highlighting that innovation is not a onetime thing, you must consistently keep spending money and effort on these creatives to see results. This is why drawing a connection between the campaign and the brands story is what truly makes a meaningful impact on consumers and the brands’ culture.

Ginny Nackvi – Head of Brand & Creative at Dishoom, shared an inspirational demonstration of how Dishoom preserves the heritage of Bombay by writing stories that are deeply rooted in the Bombay history and culture, giving a refreshing insight into how brands should aim to “deepen not dilute” their story when expanding the business on a larger scale. Each franchise of Dishoom has its own unique story to tell, adding to the overall Dishoom experience and this is the mindset that all brands and agencies should encompass when collaborating. This is achieved by creating campaigns that build on the overarching theme, approach or story of your brands identity. 

Being mindful of your audience is a fundamental aspect of success or fortune within this business. Producing a campaign that genuinely resonates with people is no simple feat, but Gary Raucher – EVP of ASICS, exhibited how they are breaking the rules of this game. Within the world of sport and exercise it has always been highlighted that the only things that matter is the winning moments and physical gains, but ASICS advocated how it can also benefit the mind. Greatness is not defined by a certain number or personal best but how exercise makes you feel. By changing the narrative around sport and movement they are relating to regular everyday people whilst promoting the wellbeing of athletes and people over winning.

It’s evident that achieving boldness within this industry requires a lot of intentional effort and strategy. However, continuously exploring ways to break category conventions by forging your own path and bringing some specialism to the business is what can really differentiate your brand from others. By working with great partners with similar goals and objectives you can expect to create exceptional campaigns that attracts authentic and long-term engagement from consumers. It was really inspiring to see how industry leaders at Mad//Fest are approaching marketing with a bold flair and I am excited to see what the future holds for this aspect of the business. 

Fiona Renner, Client Director at Talon International, recently went on an exciting trip to Dubai, and discovered the world of Out of Home (OOH) advertising in this region with the Talon MENA team. Her week-long adventure was full of learning, cultural discoveries, and building strong connections.

Exploring the World of OOH Advertising in Dubai with Talon International 

Recently, I went to Dubai to visit the Talon MENA team and deepen my understanding of the local market. Here’s a glimpse into my week in Dubai, the insights I gained and why such experiences are essential to thinking outside at Talon. 

Exploring the Local Culture and Office Dynamics 

Our Dubai office, located in Media City, opened its doors less than two years ago. Arriving just two weeks post-renovation, I found it to be a vibrant and fresh space on the ground floor of Building IV,  with lots of amenities like a shared office area, a coffee machine, and big windows that flood the space with natural light. The office is strategically positioned amidst Dubai’s lively media hub, near iconic landmarks like The Palm, and Dubai Marina and among the headquarters of technology and media giants like Google, Microsoft, Meta, BBC, and others. 

The team at Talon MENA is as dynamic as the city itself, it includes people from diverse nationalities who bring a rich set of skills and  perspectives. I brought a taste of London with me, sharing delicious treats like tea cakes, Penguins, and Biscoff chocolate bars—a small gesture Idid that turned out to be a conversation starter. 

The Power of Roadside Advertising 

Dubai’s advertising landscape is dominated by roadside billboards, particularly large-format classic locations. The city’s growing digital advertising scene is also making waves with the introduction of many new screens. 

One of the striking features of Dubai’s advertising infrastructure is its extensive network of billboards along major streets like Sheikh Zayed Road. This iconic highway sees a daily traffic volume of approximately 800,000 cars during peak seasons, ensuring significant exposure for Out of Home (OOH) ads. Luxury and ultra-luxury advertising on OOH media is prominent in Dubai. This differs from the use of roadside OOH in other cities, and highlights the high socio-economic status of Dubai’s residents.  

While I was there, I saw OOH campaigns from brands including Samsung, Louis Vuitton, Roberto Cavali, Huawei, and high-end property development (Damac and Emaar). The OOH locations themselves are massive, some towering up to 16 meters high and one even stretching 200 meters long, perfect for capturing the attention of Dubai’s affluent residents and visitors. 

During my visits to various roadside and airport sites, I saw many OOH advertising formats, from dynamic digital screens to traditional back-lit paper sites. Different OOH formats can be used to achieve different marketing objectives and target audiences. 

Meeting Clients and Understanding Their Campaign Goals 

My time in Dubai included a visit to the Arabian Travel Market Expo, where I gained valuable insights into our clients’ objectives for international OOH campaigns. Meeting clients including Saudi Tourism and Dubai Tourism allowed me to delve deep into their campaign goals, whether it’s raising brand awareness or driving consumer engagement. Understanding their target audiences—whether tourists or local residents— is important in planning our strategies to meet their specific needs. 

Visiting Dubai Airport – DXB – with Wissam and Yasmine from JCDecaux 

One of the highlights of my trip was having exclusive access to Dubai Airport’s terminals, including T1 and T3. As an international travel hub, Dubai Airport serves millions of passengers annually,  each terminal is designed to meet the unique requirements of different airlines and travelers. T1 serves all other international airlines and is the busiest terminal due to the high volume of layovers and transit flights, T2 accomodates  low-cost airlines and cargo, T3 is exclusively for Emirates Airlines. It was nice to see how brands utilize airport advertising to reach a captive audience of global travellers. And what made this day better was the tasty lunch that followed our visit to one of the most renowned Lebanese restaurants. 

Words I learned 

Arabic and its dialects are spoken by approximately 422 million people worldwide, making it one of the most widely spoken languages globally. And I had the chance to learn a few words while I was there such as: 

• Marhaba – Hello 

• Khalas – Enough, Finished 

• Burj – Tower 

• Habibi – My love, and can work for anything actually… 

• Eh – Yes 

• Laa – No 

Enhancing Talon’s Global Expertise 

Working in diverse markets like Dubai enhances my ability to offer informed and culturally relevant advice to our clients at Talon. This experience allowed me to stay up to date of the latest trends, technologies, and consumer behaviours in the OOH advertising space—knowledge that is crucial for crafting effective strategies that resonate across different markets and demographics. 

My experience in Dubai underscores the importance of being part of the Talon International team. These immersive experiences not only contribute to our company’s growth but also ensure that we remain at the forefront of the OOH advertising industry, delivering impactful campaigns that resonate globally. 

By embracing opportunities to immerse ourselves in different cultures and markets, we strengthen our capabilities to innovate and adapt, ultimately driving success for our clients and reinforcing Talon’s position as a leader in the global advertising landscape. 

It’s safe to say that summer has officially arrived in the UK. With longer days and warmer weather, audiences across the country will be dusting off their BBQs and spending even more time out of home. For brands, this means even more opportunities to reach a receptive audience.

We know that Out of Home (OOH) is the right choice for brands, with 96% of the UK population being reached by OOH ads every week and being a global consumer’s preferred advertising format. But of course, we’d say this. After all, we’ve been delivering award winning campaigns for well over a decade. So, let us show you why OOH is the right choice for your brand this summer.

How to use OOH’s ACES to win  

In 2024, OOH delivers across four main benefits. At Talon, we call these ACES. We play these four ace cards to make sure your media plan delivers:   

Audience, Creative, Effective & Sustainable. 

Audience 

As a result of our nights beginning and ending earlier, 67% of the nation feel happier and more content when the clocks go forward on the last Sunday of March and are motivated to get out and exercise more, with summer being the most popular time of the year for exercise (43%). 

A common misconception is that everyone travels abroad in the summer. Yes, some do jet off, but they are jetting off at similar levels across the year. Research from ABTA shows that summer is just as busy as Autumn or Spring. 

This is further supported by data from Ada – our proprietary data management platform – which shows that audience levels are nearly the same in the summer as the rest of the year. The only difference is in London, which indexes at less than 0.2.

Data from Ada also shows that hospitality and retail venues over-index in the summer months. Through Ada, you can better understand audience behaviours and hone in on target audience groups such as “young families” or something even more niche like “festival fanatics.”   

This data can then be combined with a programmatic OOH buy via Atlas, our proprietary DSP, to deliver strong brand payback on consideration and purchase intent metrics:   

• 2x increase in purchase consideration  
• 15% more relevant to audience lifestyle  
• 3x increase in purchase intent. 

So, yes audiences will be jetting off across the summer. However, they will always be out of home. 

Driving to the airport? Roadside formats.

Travelling to work and play? Public transport formats. 

Getting snacks? There’s a D6 outside of the supermarket for that!  

Visiting city and town centres? OOH is right in the heart of the action. 

Creative 

We know audiences are out of home, but are brands doing enough creatively? Summer is the perfect opportunity to break out of the billboards, dominate spaces and turn OOH into an emotional, immersive experience with audiences. 

Special builds, murals, interactive and experiential OOH are perfect creative solutions to achieve this. Research from JCDecaux and System 1 shows that creative solutions drive impact for brands. Impactful and unusual OOH can create up to 7x higher brand recall when compared to standard media: 

• Brand recognition speed is increased by 5.9x 
• Emotional response was seen to increase by an average of 120% 
• Purchase intent increased by +176%. 

Starbucks, Guinness, Palmers and Nissan are all fantastic examples of creative Out of Home, with Starbucks’ Iced Coffee Zone resulting in 62% of people exposed to the campaign agreeing that Starbucks is somewhere they would get iced coffee from and a +4% increase in unique visitors to stores. 

Effective 

Whilst some brands may opt to hit pause or reduce their spend in the summer months, brands that “stay on” can secure a more cost-effective share of voice (SOV). Those with excess share of voice (ESOV) are more likely to report long-term market share and other long-term success metrics. 

Research from the IPA found that, of the brands that increased media investment during a quieter period:

Additionally, OOH is a preferred media channel for audiences. Kantar’s “Media Reactions” research showed a significant shift towards in-person ad experiences, with both OOH and digital OOH (DOOH) in the top 5 consumer rankings. 

There is a 90% correlation between channels that consumers claim capture their attention, and those in which they prefer seeing advertising. The same research also found that advertising campaigns are seven times more impactful among receptive audiences, so consumer perceptions of media channels are integral to their effect.  

Perceptions of relevance, quality, and innovation exceed the average for media channels, while opinions as an intrusive or repetitive channel are below. For both consumers and marketers, DOOH is considered the most innovative channel, with high levels of trust. 

Sustainable 

Sustainability is a huge focus for consumers and brands alike. According to research from Euro Monitor National, 64% of global consumers are worried about climate change.

OOH gives back, with 46p in every £1 and £441 million contributed to public infrastructure in 2022. Per emission, OOH also emits less carbon than all other media measured – contributing just 3.3% to UK total ad power consumption and accounting for less than 3.5% of the UK’s total ad carbon footprint.

Use OOH’s ACES to win over audiences this summer 

Say it with us – Summer is best served with OOH! 

Remember to play your ACES to make sure your media plan delivers: 

• Audience: Use Atlas to deliver a 3x increase in purchase intent 
• Creative: Brand recognition speed is increased by 5.9x as a result of creative OOH 
• Effective: 63% of brands saw stronger ROI by increasing media investment during a quieter period 
• Sustainable: Invest in the channel that gives back.

Ready to win over audiences this summer with OOH? Get in touch with Talon today! 

As the second largest retail season after the winter holidays, the back-to-school shopping period is a pivotal time for brands to connect with consumers. Even though schools have just begun their summer holidays, parents are already feeling the pressure of preparing for the return to school amidst consistently high costs.  

In this blog, we lay our cards on the table – literally. These are OOHs ACES, the four cards we play to make sure your media plans deliver this back-to-school season.

Get to know the back-to-school AUDIENCE

Over the last year, the back-to-school shopping landscape has evolved. Inflation remains a major concern, with 84% of respondents feeling the impact of the cost of living on their shopping habits, though slightly down from last year. Interestingly fewer consumers are seeking offers (42% vs 89%), opting instead to budget more carefully, with 92% spending less, with a third spending between €200-€300. As a result of this there has been a notable decrease in higher spenders (down 20% in the €500-€1,000 range).

Timing as always remains crucial, with August emerging as the preferred shopping month as families prioritise summer vacations in June (21%) and July (17%) delaying back-to-school preparations. Women exhibit greater organisation, with only 2% waiting until the last week, compared to 12% of men.

Think CREATIVE

Retail environments are growing increasingly more creative, making it the perfect time to craft a recipe for success. Today’s consumers are inundated with advertisements, demanding that brands stand out. This is where the magic of creative solutions come into play. By thinking beyond traditional billboards, you can create truly immersive experiences that resonate deeply with shoppers.

Research underscores the effectiveness of impactful and unconventional OOH, which can drive up to 7x higher brand recall compared to standard media. These creative solutions don’t just elevate brand recognition by 5.9%, but also amplify emotional responses by an average of 120% and boost purchase intent by a substantial 176%. Digital OOH takes this a step further, enabling brands to deliver tailored messages dynamically and programmatically, achieving a 32% increase in brain response by displaying contextually relevant content.

OOH is EFFECTIVE at reaching back-to-school shoppers

Irish consumer confidence is on the rise this month – marking it the first uptick since January, signalling an opportune moment for brands to leverage Out of Home (OOH) advertising to effectively reach back-to-school shoppers. This positive shift indicates increased consumer optimism regarding spending and economic outlook. OOH plays a pivotal in driving consideration, particularly for items such as clothing (34%), footwear (35%) and tech (25%), which see rapid purchasing decisions within a day of exposure to an OOH ad.

Retail environments naturally spur consumer action, with OOH ads prompting 25.5% of consumers to discuss brands with family and friends, 21.6% to research a product on their mobile phone, and 15.1% to make a purchase. Point-of-sale ads further catalyse both in-store visits and online shopping, with 58% of consumers likely to visit a physical and 59% to shop online post-exposure.

Identifying the optimal OOH formats to capture back-to-school shoppers requires a nuanced understanding of their unique purpose. Roadside formats excel in raising awareness (+8%), while transport ads are the most liked advert (64%), and digital formats are effective in driving bottom-funnel metrics (57%). Each format serves a distinct role in engaging and influencing consumers throughout their purchasing journey.

SUSTAINABLE OOH

But OOH advertising is not only about reaching your audience – it’s the medium that gives back to communities. When planning your campaign, consider using sustainable practices such as opting for eco-friendly transportation methods like electric buses and adopting sustainable printing methods to minimise landfill waste. Additionally, ensure your digital campaigns are powered by renewable energy sources and that digital screens are powered down at night.

Why should we care? It matters to consumers, with 82% willing to stop buying from brands perceived as unethical. It’s also crucial for business success, as 72% of investors screen for sustainability risks. Furthermore, sustainability is significant for attracting talent, with one-third of GenZ rejecting jobs with poor sustainability credentials. Clients are also prioritising sustainability, with 43% of brands making it a key priority in their marketing strategy, up from 26% in 2021.

As we approach the back-to-school season, it’s essential for brands to leverage the power of Out of Home (OOH) advertising to connect with consumers in meaningful ways. By focusing on the ACES – Audience, Creative, Effective, and Sustainable – you can craft campaigns that not only capture attention but also drive action and foster positive brand associations. With consumer confidence on the rise, there’s no better time to think OOH’s ACES to ensure your media plan delivers this back-to-school. Reach out to a member of your Talon team to learn more.

Brands have an opportunity to reach vast audiences attracted by the Euros and Olympics with targeted DOOH.

Nicola Fox writes for The Media Leader on the opportunity brands can harness with audience led Programmatic DOOH. As the Euros and Olympics draws closer it can be a great occasion to precisely advertise.

15m visitors to Paris and 2.5m football fans to Berlin opens the door to a vast audience of sports fans. With the use of Programmatic OOH as part of an omnichannel strategy allows for brands to serve ads in a way which ensures maximum cut-through.

Read the article and learn about the power of OOH.

OOH has been ahead of this game for a long time, going cookieless is not a problem for a channel that never relied on them.

Emily Alcorn writes for Campaign on how first party data has been the key for DOOH over the past decade. Variables such as weather temperature, car traffic and programmes that will be on TV later that evening allows for the DOOH to be reactive. These layers of data are used dynamically to push business objectives even further than before.

Studies indicate that using postcode-level location data, OOH ROI can be improved by up to 42%. OOH valuable data within a targeted campaign sets the standard for innovation and effectiveness.

Read the full article here and understand the strength of data within OOH advertising

Read the article and understand the strength of data within OOH advertising.

Summer’s finally here – the season of sunny weather, or so we’d like to think! It’s that time of year when outdoor events are in full swing, and audiences are always OUT OF HOME. Despite the proven effectiveness of Out of Home (OOH) advertising, several misconceptions persist. Numerous studies have shown how impactful OOH can be, yet outdated myths continue to cloud its true potential.

It’s time to set the record straight, debunk these myths, and expose the real truths about OOH’s year-round impact.

THE PROVEN POWER OF OOH ADVERTISING

OOH advertising has consistently proven itself as a powerful tool for brand visibility and engagement. Recent research from our DOOH Aces reveals that nearly 70% of respondents pay attention to DOOH ads across various environments. Moreover, over 40% of respondents are more likely to engage with a diverse range of DOOH ads and formats.

Caroline Decourcy, our Insights Director, emphasises “OOH advertising continues to demonstrate its effectiveness by reaching diverse audiences with impactful messages that resonate. With the evolution of DOOH, what was once primarily a brand-building medium now drives consideration and action, making OOH a versatile channel capable of achieving multiple objectives in a brand’s media mix”.

DEBUNKING THE MYTHS

Myth 1: “Everyone Goes Away in the Summer”

To clear up the confusion: Yes, people do jet off during the summer months, but here’s the kicker – people are travelling throughout the year at nearly the same levels. The only noticeable dip? That tends to be around the Winter months.

Our consumer behaviour research this year reveals interesting insights. Despite the perception of widespread holidays, only ½ are planning a vacation this year. The 45-54 age group shows the highest inclination to travel. However, our countries beauty might be a factor as well, with 28% of respondents opting to stay in Ireland. Among them, 16–17-year-olds will be enjoying a local summer. Financial considerations are also shaping travel plans, with the 25-34 age bracket favouring staycations over international travel.

And with our nights beginning earlier and ending later – according to Hospitality Ireland, we now prefer going out in the early evening, and with the government considering legislation to extend nightclub hours – there really is a grand “aul stretch” in the evening. Meaning audiences are always OUT OF HOME.

Myth 2: “Summer campaigns lack creativity”

If you think summer campaigns are snooze-fests, THINK AGAIN! We’ve had multiple campaigns active throughout the summer that have captured consumer engagement. Here are a couple of standout examples:

Specsavers: Driving Appointments with Real-Time Data

To drive appointments at key moments, Specsavers executed a campaign around smarter planning and data-driven content. The strategy included:

• Geotargeting based on proximity to Specsavers stores
• Leveraging audience data to optimise targeting
• Dynamic creative linked to Specsavers’ live appointment data feed
• Triggering a sunglasses version of the creative based on real-time weather conditions

This approach was so successful that it won gold at both the Media Awards and the Digital Media Awards.

Lynx: Launching their Bold Fragrance Range

Most recently, Lynx took a bold approach to launch their fine fragrance range through a variety of special executions:

• Strategic Location Dominations: By targeting key locations, Lynx ensured maximum visibility and impact.
• Special Builds & Sensory Advertising: Creating immersive experiences through sensory advertising, Lynx connected with their target audience in memorable and engaging ways.

Summer campaigns aren’t just about playing it safe – they’re about being bold! With everyone in a good mood attending events and concerts, it’s prime time to connect. Summer rivals Christmas in events and opportunities. Break free from the billboards, dominate spaces and make OOH a more immersive experience.

Myth 3: “Summer campaigns are ineffective”

Hold onto your sunscreen, folks! OOH doesn’t melt away in the summer heat. In fact, OOH and DOOH are top picks among global consumers, commanding attention with their larger-than-life presence. According to Kantar’s latest study, there’s a 90% correlation between channels that grab consumers’ attention and the ones they prefer. Away with digital distractions – Consumers love in-person ad experiences, making campaigns seven times more impactful when they resonate.

But here’s the kicker: shutting down your brand strategies during the summer might dim your long-term brand metrics. Keep those campaigns running to build your brand and spark future demand. Peter Field’s research backs this up: brands that maintained or boosted media spend during a downturn saw a 63% stronger ROI and a 60% year-on-year growth.

Myth 4: “There are Better Channels to Spend Budget On”

Sure, there are plenty of media channels vying for your attention, but what’s better than investing in a medium that gives back to its community and serves as an ad platform for brands?

OOH operates in the public sphere, carrying with it an inherent responsibility to positively impact our local communities and environments. At Talon, we’re committed to helping brands create more sustainable campaigns. According to a recent Outsmart UK study, OOH emits less carbon per impression than any other measured media – comprising only 3.3% of UK ad power consumption and under 3.5% of its carbon footprint.

In this blog, we’ve busted through the myths surrounding Out of Home (OOH), proving its effectiveness and creativity even under the summer sun. OOH doesn’t just survive – it thrives, grabbing attention and creating memorable brand moments. We’ve debunked misconceptions about summer travel and showcased standout campaigns such as Specsavers and Lynx, proving OOH’s power year-round.

Choosing OOH isn’t just smart – it’s impactful and responsible. It’s a medium that gives back. As we navigate summer 2024, don’t get burnt by myths. Ensure your brand is fully covered with OOH.