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.

We’re living in a distraction economy, where attention spans have dropped by 68% since 2012, and multi screening is now the norm. In a world of constant digital noise, attention is fleeting, and competition for it is fierce.

But while the digital world scrolls endlessly, Irish audiences are leaning into something more lasting: real-world experiences. Last year alone, Irish consumers spent €705 million on entertainment for concerts, gigs and theatre productions. The appetite for meaningful, shared connections is stronger than ever, and this summer, the stage is set for a bumper season.

At Talon, we believe Out of Home (OOH) media is perfectly positioned to meet audiences in these moments. Its strength lies in four key principles – Audience, Creative, Effective, and Sustainable – or what we call the ACES.

In this blog, we’ll take you through each of the ACES and show you how your media plan can deliver this summer.

AUDIENCE

As Irish consumers gear up for a busy summer, OOH media is uniquely placed to put your brand into everyday lives, reaching target audiences at key locations and moments. According to our latest insights 59% of people plan to use public transport this summer, while 29% intend to visit local markets. Cultural experiences remain high on the agenda too, with 21% planning to attend Electric Picnic and 14% heading to Forbidden Fruit. These audiences are active, mobile, and highly engaged – and they’re spending more time outdoors than ever.

With advanced tools like our programmatic DSP, Optimise, brands can now target specific audience groups. From Gen Z and trendsetters to time-poor inspiration seekers, OOH formats are analysed with the best ones chosen. And thanks to real-time triggers like weather, UV index or pollen count, creative can adapt in real-time to tap into these micro moments, delivering contextual messages that capture attention and boost neuro response by up to 32%.

CREATIVE

Now more than ever OOH isn’t just a canvas – it’s a stage. And with the right creative strategy, your brand can be the headline act.

According to the “Redefining human engagement” study by Neuroscience, OOH offers a uniquely powerful creative playground, one that doesn’t just capture attention, but earns it. When done right, standout creative can deliver a 35% lift in purchase consideration, increase consumer action by 17%, and drive 56% higher ad recall than standard OOH. Add a social mechanic and memory encoding increase by 5x, proof that great ideas don’t just land, they stick.

This summer, brands have the opportunity to break out of billboards, dominate spaces and turn OOH into an immersive storytelling platform. From bold murals that transform everyday walls into works of art, to special builds that help make the moment extra special, to real-world experiences that put your brand directly into the hands of your audience. In a season full of chances to show up, creativity is what elevates your message from simply being seen, to being shared.

EFFECTIVE

Deliver a standout performance.

OOH has long been trusted for its power to build brand fame and awareness, but today, it’s doing far more. As the media landscape evolves, OOH is increasingly delivering bottom-funnel impact, driving action and conversions once reserved for online performance channels.

In fact, Talon’s own brand uplift study shows that 56% of people feel OOH brings brands to life, while 59% say they find OOH ads appealing, and 53% say they reach them in the right mindset. OOH also has the highest reach among 16–34-year-olds, outperforming every other media channel. And the benefits don’t stop there. According to Peter Field’s analysis of the IPA databank, allocating just 15% of your budget to OOH not only drives business results, but it also supercharges the performance of your wider media mix: improving search effectiveness by 54%, social by 20%, TV by 17%, and press by 7%.

SUSTAINABLE

Sustainability is no longer a side act. With Coldplay in 2024, making global headlines with its Music of the Spheres sustainability report, while artists like Metallica and Billie Eilish are also following suit pushing for greener tours and concerts.  The message is loud and clear: sustainability matters, and it’s not going away.

Irish consumers are increasingly factoring environmental impact into their decisions. According to recent data, 43% are making more considered purchases to reduce overall consumption, and 68% say they would pay at least 20% more for products deemed sustainable. That sentiment extends to media. As a channel that lives in the public space, OOH carries a unique responsibility to contribute positively to communities and environments. It’s also smart investment, according to Outsmart and KPMG, per emission, OOH emits les carbon than all other media measured, accounting for just 3.3% of total UK advertising power consumption, and under 3.5% of the total ad carbon footprint.

From reaching high-impact audiences with precision via programmatic tools like Optimise, to crafting creative that puts your brand in the spotlight, OOH offers brands the chance to truly headline this season. It’s a channel that not only drives effective results across the full funnel but allows you to invest responsibly in media that gives back to communities and environments.

This summer, if your goal is to deliver meaningful outcomes – from awareness to action – OOH has earned its place at the heart of your media plan. Play your winning hand with OOH and take your brand centre stage.

**Research was conducted by Talon and Spark Market Research, if you have any further questions please reach out to a member of the Talon team.

The lines between Retail Media and Retail OOH are continuing to blur. According to IAB EU, Retail Media advertising spend in Europe is set to hit 31Bn by 2028, with a 22% growth in 2023 alone – far outpacing the total ad market’s 6% rise. While Retail Media has always played a role in shopper marketing, its influence is accelerating as customer data increases and retailers carve out their media solutions for the market.

As this growth continues, OOH is emerging as the perfect partner – extending reach beyond in-store, reinforcing messaging in the physical world, and ensuring brands don’t lose shoppers at the last hurdle.

What’s fuelling the Retail Media conversation?

With 85% of all US retail sales still happening in store, Retail Media has become a critical way for brands to reach consumers at the right moment. Its ability to leverage first-party data from loyalty programmes like Clubcard’s allows advertisers to target shoppers with precision and measure campaign impact through closed loop reporting.

Secondly, Retail Media stands out for its effectiveness. With 61% of 16-34’s saying they’re more likely to spend more in-store than online, it’s clear how impactful this channel can be. Consumers are most receptive to advertising when they’re actively making a purchase decision, and Global’s Work.Shop.Play study found that 59% of shoppers are likely to buy after seeing OOH within 30 minutes of entering a store.

Thirdly, it’s hard to ignore this channel, given its current growth path. According to Group M Media Outlook study it accounted for 14% of global advertising spend and has doubled its share since 2018. It is also seen to be the 3^rd fastest growing channel globally and has been forecasted to exceed TV by 2028.

But retail media trends are now spilling into OOH, proving the importance of the retail environment as a whole. If a connected media plan is the goal, we can do better at aligning OOH and Retail Media.

The Purchasing Journey

The buzzwords dominating retail in 2025? Full Funnel, Omnichannel, Upper Funnel, Lower Funnel, Connected Media Plan.

A successful shopper marketing strategy isn’t about a single moment – it’s about multiple touchpoints with omnichannel approaches proven to drive better results. As highlighted in our Navigating the New Retail Experience piece, the consumer path to purchase is more complex than ever, with retail environments evolving from simple shopping destinations into multi-purpose hubs for experiences and activities.

In this landscape OOH acts as a perfect amplifier priming shoppers and building mental availability before they even enter the store. The focus should be on a Home to Store strategy – ensuring a unified message.

Priming Consumer: Out of Store

As a proven priming tool, OOH keeps brands top of mind in moments that truly matter. With 68% of consumers recalling OOH ads while they are out and about. Our DOOH Effectiveness research shows that consumers are out of home more, engaging in a variety of activities. Not only that, but they are doing these activities more frequently, with 39% driving their car daily, 33% visiting a shopping mall 1-3 times a week, and 34% going to retail stores on the high street 1-3 times a month. This highlights the importance of an omnichannel strategy, with OOH formats strategically placed along high-traffic routes, brands can drive that awareness as decisions are starting to be made. The impact of this priming step clear, with OOH exposure attributed to 54% of in-store visits – proving that driving early awareness in the journey plays a crucial role in converting shoppers at the final moment.

Persuade Consumer: Near Store

As consumers approach the point of purchase, OOH becomes a powerful last-minute touchpoint. 71% of shoppers notice ads right outside retail locations, and at least 48% of Irish consumers engage with retail formats, with main shoppers 12 times more likely than the average adult to take an action as a result of seeing a retail DOOH ad and 33% more likely to purchase a product. This proves that near-store OOH plays a crucial role in reinforcing brand messaging and nudging consumers toward action.

But not all retail environments are the same. Shopping habits, peak times, and consumer behaviours vary, meaning brands need to adapt their retail media strategies accordingly. With 45% of consumer’s daily trips dedicated to shopping and errands, 63% writing a list before they head in-store, and 56% opting for own-brand products – brands must work harder to stand out in those final moments.  

This is where creativity and smart targeting come into play. Audience first planning will help you get ahead in the retail environment. Dynamic and Programmatic OOH allow brands to adapt messaging in real-time ensuring relevance at every moment. Whether leveraging first-party data for tailored audience targeting through our in-house DSP Optimise, or responding to time of day, weather, location triggers with dynamic you can ensure the right message, reaches the right people, at the perfect time – proving OOH’s impact beyond upper levels of the brand funnel.

Convince Consumer: In-Store

Once consumers step inside the store, the final opportunity to influence begins. With 75% of consumers engaging with retail media and 42% saying these ads directly impact their purchase decisions – the chance to convert intent into action is now.

Shoppers are visiting grocery stores frequently, with 21% making supermarket trips 4-6 times a week, and 37% stopping by convenience stores 1-3 times weekly. Shopping habits also vary by demographic – 65+ consumers are 57% more likely to do their main shop during the day, while 25-34’s are 54 times more likely than the average adult to do their main shop in the evening, likely after work. Understanding these behaviours is key to ensuring brand messaging lands at the right moment and doesn’t miss the final hurdle.

Retail Media screens and in-store OOH formats, provide the last opportunity to influence decisions, keeping brands top of mind as consumers navigate the aisles. Whether through clever dynamic copy on Tesco Digiscreens or activating at end of aisle with high-impact creative, Retail Media & OOH ensures brands remain visible, relevant and persuasive right at the point of purchase.

At Talon, we understand the evolving retail landscape and how to pair it with shopper behaviour to create the most effective media mix. Brands that get ahead now will be best positioned to reap the benefits. But success in this space isn’t just about in-store presence – it’s about connecting with consumers across multiple touchpoints along their shopper journey.

By working in tandem, Retail Media and OOH ensure a seamless, full-funnel strategy that primes awareness, persuades consideration, and drives conversion.

Reach out to a member of your Talon planning team to learn more.

At a time where trust is in short supply, and rising concerns about brand safety online, brands are in a constant battle for authenticity. Trust is now at the top of every marketer’s agenda – while only 34% of consumers say they trust the brands they use, 81% consider trust a key factor in their purchase decisions. This presents a major opportunity for brands looking to bridge the divide – and this is where Out of Home (OOH) comes into its own.

Placed in the real world – OOH is uniquely positioned, it can’t be turned off, ignored or blocked – instead OOH can dominate public spaces in a brand-safe, high reach way. At a time when trust is more important than ever, OOH delivers the visibility and authenticity brands can rely on.

HERE’S WHY OOH WINS ON TRUST…

Trust in the Public Space

Operating in the public sphere, OOH has an inherent responsibility to be a platform for good, with 1 in 4 consumers recognising it as a medium that reflects progressive and social values. OOH has never been a more exciting space for advertisers. It has consistently proven to be a stable and trusted channel for authentic brand communication. OOH has earned its longstanding reputation for building trust with consumers, offering a genuine, real-world presence that strengthens brand credibility. According to “The Moment for Trust” study by Clear Channel and JCDecaux, 1 in 3 (31%) of consumers say they trust OOH advertising, with 49% going so far as saying OOH is more trustworthy than social media.

A Proven, Positive Medium

A recent study by Kantar has shown a significant shift towards in-person ad experiences, with both OOH and DOOH ranking among the top 5 consumer preferences. There’s a 90% correlation between the channels that capture consumer attention, and those in which they prefer seeing advertising. This suggests that consumers actively prefer in-person ad experiences.

Advertising campaigns are seven times more impactful among receptive audiences, which underscores how important consumer perceptions of media channels are to their effectiveness. Trust plays a key role in this, with DOOH standing out as the most innovative and trusted channel among both consumers and marketers.

Resonating with the Next Generation

Trust is a key factor in how Gen Z engages with advertising, and OOH stands out as a medium they believe in. According to JCDecaux UK, 84% of Gen Z’s pay attention to OOH, reinforcing its strong presence in their daily lives. While social media remains the most consumed medium for 16-34’s, OOH comes in second – offering brands a powerful way to connect with this audience. Nielsen reports that 59% of Gen Z trusts OOH , making it one of the most credible channels for reaching this audience.

As a non-disruptive and passively consumed medium, OOH offers a welcome relief from screens while maintaining its reputation as a trusted space for brands. Constantly on the move, Gen Z is 16 times more likely than the average adult to have seen OOH in the past week. They’re engagement goes beyond viewing – this audience is also 25 times more likely to have interacted directly with a brands page as a result of seeing an OOH ad, and 19 times more likely to have shared content about a brand/downloaded an app.

A Foundation for Cross-Channel Trust

OOH doesn’t just build trust in isolation – as a passively consumed channel, we know that OOH primes all other channels, increasing brand trust more than any other media (+7%). Its public and tangible nature makes brand messaging feel more authentic and trustworthy.

For example, when a café ad is seen on OOH, and then again on social media, consumers are more likely to act. This repeated exposure across both channels creates a stronger, more trustworthy connection and reinforces the message in the consumers mind, increasing the likelihood of engagement. According to IPA Databank, Peter Field and Rapport, when used alongside other media channels, OOH amplifies their effectiveness – boosting the impact of Search (54%), Social (20%), TV (17%), Radio (17%), and Press (7%).

In today’s world, trust is in short supply. Whilst other media channels have their role in the overall media mix, OOH stands out as a medium you simply can’t fake. Operating in the public sphere – where messages can’t be turned off, ignored, or blocked.

The facts speak for themselves:

• Consumers are looking for authenticity – 34% trust the brand they use, while 81% consider trust to be a key factor in their purchase decisions. (Clear Channel & JCDecaux UK)
• OOH & DOOH ranking among the top 5 consumer preferences – with a 90% correlation between the channels that claim capture consumer attention, and those that they prefer. (Kantar)
• Gen Z trusts OOH advertising – with 84% saying they notice OOH, and 59% saying they trust it. (JCDecaux & Nielsen)
• When used alongside other media channels, OOH amplifies effectiveness – increasing the impact of Search (54%), Social (20%), TV (17%), Radio (17%), and Press (7%). (IPA Databank, Peter Field & Rapport)

Reach out to a member of your Talon planning team to learn more.

Our managing director, Chadi Farhat, was interviewed by Campaign Middle East, where he discussed Talon’s journey so far, its path forward, and how Talon focuses on data-led OOH planning strategies, technology, creative and executions.

“At Talon, we understand that achieving measurable results is crucial, and we know the key strategies to deliver those results effectively” he said.

Read the full article here

Reflecting on 2024, OOH experienced remarkable growth with many of the trends we anticipated coming to fruition.

Looking ahead to 2025, advancements in the channel have firmly positioned OOH as a strategic powerhouse for brands, capable of addressing multiple objectives across both the upper and lower levels of the marketing funnel.

1. The rise of Retail Media

According to Group M, Retail Media accounted for 17.5% of global advertising spend, having doubled its share since 2018. It is the third-fastest growing channel and is expected to surpass TV by 2028. As the lines between retail media and retail OOH continue to blur, alignment between the two has never been more important. According to our own consumer behaviour research conducted in December, 89% of consumers continue to spend in brick-and-mortar locations where retail OOH and retail media formats are front and centre. As supermarkets continue to build their own internal media teams, we anticipate a growing interest from advertisers seeking opportunities in this space.

This shift highlights the critical role OOH plays in the shopper marketing strategy. By combining the targeting capabilities of retail media with the precision of retail OOH, we can help brands reach consumers at key moments in their shopper journey – from priming to persuade to convince, OOH can drive measurable results across both upper and lower funnel objectives.

2. OOH and Experiential will converge

2025 is shaping up to be a year where creativity in Out of Home (OOH) advertising takes centre stage. Advertisers are moving beyond the ordinary, embracing simplicity with bold, imaginative creative solutions. OOH allows you to use the public space as a canvas, and studies show that this approach enhances a brands legitimacy in the eyes of its audience. A Talon UK study shows, 40% of people say they trust brands with this format of advertising, showing OOH’s strength in building brand trust compared to other media channels.

Brand-building is an important strategy to continue pursuing, and non-traditional locations are stepping into the spotlight offering new opportunities for advertisers to break the mould and connect with audiences via experiences. But Creativity isn’t just about being different – it’s about being effective. In 2025 expect to see more campaigns that harness the power of impactful design and innovative placements to drive results and connect with audiences like never before.

3. Continuous measurement of Attention Metrics

In 2025, OOH effectiveness will be increasingly driven by a growing focus on attention metrics. Kantar’s recent Media Reactions is a key example of how attention is coming to the forefront of conversations around media effectiveness, citing a 90% correlation between channels that claim capture their attention and those that they prefer, with global consumers placing OOH and DOOH in their top three attention grabbing channels, and top five preferred channels. Further studies on advancements in measuring “attentive reach” are also enabling advertisers to better understand how audiences engage with campaigns. Findings from our DOOH Effectiveness study show that nearly 70% of respondents pay attention to DOOH ads, with over 40% likely to engage across a diverse range of DOOH ads and formats. Looking ahead to next year, with a new best in class OOH measurement system imminent, the industry is preparing for even more robust ways to demonstrate OOH’s accountability and measurement.

With all media channels now referring to attention as the “new metric”, by comparison, OOH has been researching and quantifying this concept for some time and will continue to – cementing its role as a vital channel in the omnichannel media mix and achieving measurable and impactful results.

4. Big screens and first-party data will drive Programmatic OOH

The continued expansion of programmatic capabilities in OOH is reshaping how advertisers engage with audiences. With some large-format digital screens now becoming programmatically enabled, advertisers have an opportunity to integrate their online and offline strategies seamlessly – bridging the gap between the digital and physical world.

This evolution has fuelled growing appetite across categories, driving innovation and precision in campaign execution. In 2025, we anticipate advertisers leaning further into programmatic OOH, using the likes of first-party data to deliver contextually relevant, impactful messages in real-time. It’s a space where creativity and technology converge. Our Optimise programmatic solution offers sophisticated targeting and precision at scale, providing access to premium inventory in real-time trading opportunities. By leveraging advanced technology and automation, we deliver scalable, flexible, and highly measurable OOH campaigns for maximum impact and efficiency. It’s never been a better time to THINK OUTSIDE.

5. OOH solidifies itself as a critical power play in multichannel strategies

In a world grappling with ad blockers, privacy concerns, Google adopting a more updated approach to user tracking and privacy and increasingly fragmented audiences, OOH is solidifying its place as a critical power play in 2025. With its unique ability of being an unskippable medium, OOH offers unmatched visibility across multiple touchpoints. This highlights OOH’s value as a cornerstone of multichannel strategies.

A recent study by WARC and JCDecaux revealed that OOH significantly amplifies the performance of other media channels, enhancing search by 54%, social by 20%, TV and Radio by 17%, and press by 7%. As the ultimate digital primer, OOH pairs seamlessly with mobile, delivering an 11% boost in memory encoding and a 13% increase in emotional impact. With brands increasingly seeking unified messaging and amplified presence, we expect to see more campaigns in 2025 leveraging OOH and DOOH within 360 strategies to drive cohesive and impactful results.

6. Data-driven strategies will become the standard

As consumer behaviour evolves rapidly, often influenced by external factors, data-driven strategies have become essential. We predict this trend to continue to evolve over 2025, driven by various economic and social factors all set to influence consumer behaviour in some form. At Talon, our audience remains at the heart of every strategy we create. Through bespoke consumer behaviour research, conducted alongside our partners at Spark Market Research, we gain deep insights into evolving trends and preferences, feeding them directly into our campaign planning. Utilising our mapping system, Talon Zone, we can develop highly tailored strategies that truly connect with audiences. This data-led approach ensures campaigns are relevant, impactful, and adaptive to real-life factors.

7. Repurposing and education will fuel Sustainability

In recent years, we’ve seen a significant shift across all sectors towards sustainability. Consumers are becoming more environmentally aware, and as such it’s our role to ensure we are all playing a part for our planet. Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword. In 2024 the OOH industry has made some positive strides in this space from using fully recyclable paper for large and small formats, while 90% of OOH formats are using renewable energy to charge sites.  In addition, a powering down initiative was introduced whereby we worked collaboratively with our media owner partners to encourage powering down at off peak times, an initiative adapted by a majority.

Looking ahead for 2025, the OOH sector has a pivotal role to play in spreading the message of sustainability and driving public awareness. At Talon, sustainability is a top priority, and as members of AdNet Zero, we are actively contributing to a key working group.  We predict that in the coming year many advertisers will increasingly focus on repurposing their OOH campaigns to align with sustainability goals. With many brands already showcasing this shift, as they incorporate reusable elements from their campaigns for future use, setting the stage for a growing trend in eco-conscious advertising.

As we look ahead to 2025, we remain optimistic about the continued growth across the broader media landscape, particularly in OOH. OOH is expected to maintain its strong trajectory, outpacing the wider market. With the launch of the new industry research on the horizon, we believe it will further solidify OOH’s role in the media ecosystem and attract new advertisers to the channel. This optimistic outlook sets the stage for a dynamic year ahead, where retail media, creative solutions, effectiveness, multichannel integration, data-driven strategies, programmatic and sustainability will shape the year ahead.

Building on our earlier pieces discussing “What is Programmatic OOH?” and “Why Programmatic OOH this Christmas?”, we turn our focus to 2025 and explore the trends we expect to shape this space in Ireland. Programmatic OOH (PrOOH) continues to push the boundaries of OOH, evolving PrOOH from a tactical add-on to a strategic cornerstone for advertisers. Here are our four trends to watch out for in 2025…

1. Big Screens as a growth driver

Programmatic OOH (PrOOH) will continue its rapid growth in 2025, with big screens emerging as a key growth driver. With 9 large-scale digital screens now available to buy programmatically in Ireland and more on the horizon – spend in this space has seen an impressive YoY growth. Our OPTIMISE_ programmatic solution offers sophisticated targeting and precision at scale, providing access to premium inventory in real-time trading opportunities. By leveraging advanced technology and automation, we deliver scalable, flexible, and highly measurable OOH campaigns for maximum impact and efficiency. It’s never been a better time to THINK OUTSIDE.

2. Brands will lean further into 1st party data

In 2025, we believe brands will lean further into 1^st party data. The availability of rich audience data has empowered brands to go beyond demographic targeting. In Ireland, advertisers are recognising the value of leveraging their own customer data – from app downloads to footfall metrics – to create more relevant and engaging messaging.

By extending digital strategies into PrOOH, brands can not only deliver more contextually tailored campaigns but also expand their reach and build strong consumer trust. OOH has long been regarded as one of the most credible advertising channels, largely because its messages are displayed prominently in the public sphere for all to see. In an era where trust is under increasing scrutiny, leveraging PrOOH’s reliability ensures brands not only capture attention but also reinforce reliability.

3. Programmatic as a core component of media strategies

In 2025, Irish advertisers will increasingly integrate PrOOH into their overarching media strategies. This shift is fuelled in part by research highlighting the effectiveness of Out-of-Home (OOH) and digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) when combined with other media channels. Studies such as Kantar’s Media Reactions show that OOH and DOOH consistently perform well among global consumers, ranking within the top three most preferred advertising channels.

While the ideal mix of media channels depends on the campaign objectives, PrOOH frequently works alongside other programmatic channels like online video, display, mobile, connected TV (CTV), and audio. Media planners are increasingly blending traditional OOH with PrOOH and digital channels, creating fully integrated campaigns – bridging the gap between online and offline strategies. With in-person experiences more vital than ever, this integration allows brands to connect meaningfully with consumers in their everyday environments – driving engagement and reinforcing messages across multiple touchpoints.

4. Creating micro moments to deliver bottom funnel metrics

With PrOOH advertisers can now target audiences with greater precision, analysing their behaviours. This contextual and real-time bidding enables brands to create impactful micro-moments by leveraging dynamic triggers such as time of day, weather, or location. By tailoring creative messaging to these real-world contexts, PrOOH has pushed OOH further down the purchasing funnel, effectively driving those critical bottom funnel metrics like conversions and sales.  

Programmatic OOH (PrOOH) is set to transform media strategies in 2025, evolving from a strategic add-on to a critical component of overarching media strategies. It’s flexibility, real-time capabilities, and ability to use audience data have driven its rapid growth. By combining with other programmatic and digital channels, PrOOH enables more precise targeting and impactful results across the entire brand funnel – cementing its role in future-forward advertising strategies.

We’re excited to share our Managing Director, Chadi Farhat’s, perspective on the evolving world of OOH in his article “The Global Locals: Bridging Borders” for Campaign Middle East.

He discusses the strategies that we, at Talon MENA, employ to drive global OOH expansion for our clients while staying rooted in local insights. As the GCC and MENA regions shape their ambitious futures, he explores how tailored, data-driven, and creative approaches are key to delivering compelling results.

Read the full article here

2024 was another strong year for Out of Home (OOH), and 2025 is poised for even greater growth and innovation. The sector continues to evolve, consistently delivering exceptional creativity, data-driven strategies and technology-powered results for advertisers.

With global OOH revenue projected to reach US$41.82bn in 2025 – and digital OOH (DOOH) growing 8.44% to reach US$22bn – further expansion is on the horizon, largely driven by increased investment and rising programmatic OOH (prOOH) adoption.

As OOH evolves, several priorities will continue to shape its direction in 2025. These include leveraging econometrics to maximize ROI, supporting brands navigating new HFSS regulations to maintain reach, aligning DOOH with retail media networks to enhance the path to purchase, and harnessing AI to drive efficiency and creativity. Together, these focus areas will ensure OOH remains innovative, adaptable, and a key player in the advertising ecosystem. 

Beyond these priorities, we believe 2025 will be defined by seven key trends shaping the future of OOH: 

1. The fabric of real-world connections creating micro-moments
2. Continued growth of prOOH 
3. Data-driven OOH anchors omnichannel campaigns 
4. Supporting sustainable marketing strategies with OOH 
5. OOH’s credibility building consumer confidence 
6. The convergence of experiential and OOH

1. The Fabric of Real-World Connections

In a world saturated with digital interactions, consumers are craving authentic, real-world connections; and spending even more time Out of Home. People are seeking depth, authenticity and sensory richness in their experiences.   

They want to engage with the world in meaningful ways, finding textural experiences that connect them with their environment and each other. Accenture has termed this “social rewilding” – a quest to reconnect socially in the real world, often but not always around nature, and to balance technology’s role in the moments that bring people joy and well-being.  

In 2024, people did more physical and ‘real-world’ activities with a recent Kantar survey finding that 48% spent time outside, 47% hung out with friends in real life and 46.9% shopped in physical grocery stores. Advertising on OOH puts brands at the centre of this, woven well within the fabric of people’s everyday lives.  

2. Creating Micro-Moments: OOH Delivers Broad Reach and Personal Resonance

Leveraging audience-first planning and real-time data in OOH to deliver highly contextual and targeted messaging will become mainstream in 2025. This approach will enable brands to create campaigns that feel like personalised one-to-one connections, even when reaching a wide audience across a one-to-many platform.  

Personalisation in OOH is transforming how brands engage audiences – audience-first planning through Ada; and Atlas for real-time triggers such as location, weather and time of day to dynamically adapt OOH campaigns to their environment. 

This enables highly relevant and impactful messaging that bridges the gap between broad reach and personal resonance. For example, kids’ sunscreen ads appear on digital OOH locations during sunny weather, placed where parents of school-aged children are more likely to see them. Similarly, protein coffee promotions day-parted in the morning on commuter routes and delivered programmatically to those more likely to go to the gym. 

3. Continued Growth of Programmatic OOH

PrOOH will continue its rapid growth, as more brands embrace its precision, flexibility, and real-time capabilities at scale. 

By combining the flexibility of digital platforms with the unparalleled reach of OOH, programmatic allows advertisers to enhance their media plans and buy and optimise ad placements in real-time and aligned to audiences. This precision enables brands to deliver highly relevant messages to targeted audiences at the right moment and place. 

In the UK, PrOOH spend will continue to grow, rising from an estimated £86.8 million in 2024 to £105m in 2025. We’ll see more advertisers using prOOH, with an estimated 36% of media plans set to include prOOH and a +29% average increase in prOOH campaign spend over the next 18 months.

4. Data-Driven OOH Anchors Omnichannel Campaigns in the Real World

The linchpin between physical and digital touchpoints, data-driven OOH will play a pivotal role in omnichannel marketing strategies in 2025. 

OOH works as the link between consumers’ digital footprints and experiences, delivering holistic campaigns. Creating connections across screens, OOH cements brands in consumers’ day-to-day lives, seamlessly, linking campaigns across mobile, social, and in-store. Connection between screens increases engagement and enhances brand recall.   

Marketers can achieve cohesive messaging that resonates across touchpoints by syncing OOH with digital channels like social media and mobile ads. 

5. Supporting Sustainable Marketing Strategies with OOH

As sustainability becomes a core priority for consumers and businesses, OOH advertising continues taking significant strides to reduce its environmental impact. OOH has a unified carbon methodology to provide transparency and plan sustainability-focused campaigns. Industry initiatives like unified carbon methodology offers brands access to increased transparency as industry data aligns to the methodology, providing the ability to plan campaigns with lower carbon footprints

Sustainable practices, such as green-energy powered DOOH and recycled classic poster materials, are now commonplace. Industry initiatives like unified carbon calculators offer brands transparency and the ability to plan campaigns with lower carbon footprints. When compared with all other media measured, OOH accounts for 3.3% of all UK ad power consumption and <3.5% total UK ad carbon footprint. 

Consumers increasingly value brands prioritising sustainability, and OOH can deliver on this expectation while maintaining the scale and impact needed to influence public perception.  

6. Credibility of OOH will Help Build Consumer Confidence

OOH is proven to build trust in an era of digital misinformation, offering a credible and tangible medium for brands to utilise. Consumers are struggling to discern genuine content online, underscoring the importance of trusted offline media.  

OOH has remained a stable, trusted medium for authentic brand communication. Unlike digital platforms where content credibility is often questioned, OOH offers a physical presence that reinforces trust in the real world. OOH’s tangible nature positions it as a reliable foundation for cross-channel campaigns, amplifying trust in both physical and digital spheres.  

7. Experiential and OOH Will Converge

In 2025, OOH and experiential channels will become increasingly converged, blurring the lines between static media and live brand experiences. As consumers crave immersive, memorable interactions with brands, OOH will evolve to incorporate more experiential elements, turning physical spaces into interactive stages where audiences can actively engage with content.  

2025 will see us reimagining physical spaces as experiential stages, blending OOH creativity with interactivity. From gamified billboards to immersive art installations, experiential OOH campaigns invite audiences to engage directly with the brand. At the end of 2024, Campaign listed its Top 10 Experiences, signifying that brand experiences have a firm place on the agenda.  

These tactile, sensory-driven experiences not only enhance brand recall but also foster emotional connections, making the consumer feel part of the story and positioning OOH as a leader in creating meaningful interactions.

Out of Home is changing fast, and Talon is at the forefront of that change. We’re passionate about OOH and are on a mission to drive the growth of this sector within the media industry through its key strengths – Audience, Creative, Effective & Sustainable. 

In this blog, our team reflects on new initiatives, launches and more.

If you missed part 1, please click here. 

The Evolution of Atlas

In 2020, we announced the launch of Atlas, our intelligent automated digital OOH buying platform that facilitates audience-first planning programmatically. This year, Atlas launched in Canada.

Speaking about the recent rollout, Sarah Kim, Senior Vice President, Client Partnerships, said, “It’s been very exciting to bring Atlas to life in Canada. Now we have more options for the Talon team and clients in the marketplace and can continue to provide integrated plans using Talon tools.” 

Echoing this, Daniel Mak, Managing Director, Client Partnerships, added, “It has to be Canada’s launch of the Atlas DSP. We’ve had some growing pains getting Atlas set up and working the way we like, but the fact that our agency has an in-house DSP with access to multiple SSPs is a key differentiator in the market with significant upside for the business.” 

In 2024, the platform has now advanced to offer real-time executions for our clients.

Nicola Fox, Head of Programmatic, said, “Selfishly, I have to highlight the transformative work we’ve done with our partners this year to elevate programmatic OOH. The significant enhancements we’ve made to our Atlas Real-Time offering represent the biggest step change to the product since its launch in 2020.These enhancements have empowered brands to activate national campaigns in real-time, fuelled by data, and the rapid uptake from our clients is proof of its impact. 

This success has been a team effort. Our internal teams have embraced a massive upskilling effort to lead from the front in educating the market. Our agency and client partners have been instrumental in embracing and testing new capabilities and driving innovation, while our media owner, data, and technology partners have provided invaluable collaboration and support. 2024 has been a year of incredible progress, and I’m excited to see where we can take it next.” 

Jamie Finn, Head of Planning Operations UK, added, “Without a doubt the evolution of Atlas, and the opportunity where we can now offer Real-Time executions for our clients. 

It’s brilliant – not only does it massively benefit clients and advertisers by providing new routes to market through data driven planning- but it also boosts the overall technological offering of the OOH industry in general – particularly areas such as real time availability and direct media owner booking.” 

Out of Home’s ACES

“For me, it has to be the aces,” said Luke Willbourn, Managing Director UK. “At the beginning of 2024, we launched OOH’s ace cards which we play to make sure our clients’ media plans deliver.  

Covering all key pillars – Audience, Creative, Effective & Sustainable – when played right, these cards will ensure you have the winning hand for your media plan. It’s been fantastic to showcase OOH’s strengths to our clients, agencies and partners and I’m looking forward to seeing how we elevate this in 2025.”

Effectiveness, Econometrics and OOH 

“It has to be our rollout of content around Econometrics. This has been a core focus for us in 2024 and we’ve made great headway! Effectiveness, Econometrics and OOH – this work showcased the latest research around the importance of location data in econometric modelling and our new MMM template that sits within our tech stack to ensure OOH is measured robustly and fairly,” said Head of Effectiveness, Emily Alcorn.   

“Talon has worked hard this year to develop an automated MMM template that sits within Plato, to ensure we are able to provide the rich granular data from Route at the click of a button to improve modelling accuracy. We also worked with JCDecaux and Nielsen this year to supply data for their ‘Location Matters’ research which looked at utilising granular location data in MMM modelling, which can increase OOH ROI by up to 42%. This data is fundamental for brands seeking more payback on their investment.

I presented our work on Effectiveness, Econometrics and OOH at the World Out of Home Organization in Milan to showcase how brands are evaluating OOH and the ‘Location Matters’ research we worked on with JCD was awarded gold in the Econometrics category at the Media Week Awards and won the Applications & Impact of Data award at the MRS Awards.”

ShopConnect Launch

Earlier this year, Talon partnered with Assembly and Place Exchange to activate a first-of-its-kind connected commerce solution designed for all brick-and-mortar retailers. The tool was designed to connect Assembly’s media activation capability to DOOH inventory located inside, outside, and in proximity to retailers across the United States. 

Patrick Murray, VP Marketing, said, “The rise of retail media has been such a huge part of the conversation throughout the industry in 2024. The launch of ShopConnect in partnership with Assembly and Place Exchange enables brands to tap into DOOH screens, both in-store and along the path to purchase, to reach ready-to-buy consumers and influence their purchase decisions.  

Not only has the platform given advertisers the capability of activating DOOH inventory at or near the point of purchase, but the campaigns have delivered results that have earned award nominations.” 

Programmatic OOH in Ireland

“As we approached 2024, one of the key priorities for the Irish business was to harness innovation and maximise the unique potential OOH holds to captivate, engage, and delight audiences,” said Talon Ireland’s Managing Director, Andew Sinclair. 

“Through both programmatic and standout special builds, we have grown these areas exponentially and executed award-winning campaigns, setting the standard and inspiring clients with the limitless possibilities the channel offers.” 

Deputy Managing Director, Aoife Hudson, echoed this, “In 2024, the demand for Programmatic OOH surged, marking a pivotal shift in the industry. Talon cemented a leadership position, actively educating clients and partners on the transformative benefits of PROOH and its strategic value within the media mix. 

To drive this momentum, we launched a comprehensive three-part series to the market, showcasing the potential of this cutting-edge technology. Our efforts also succeeded in attracting a wave of new advertisers to the channel, further solidifying Programmatic DOOH as a dynamic and integral part of the advertising landscape.” 

Beyond Pints

“Our Beyond Pints initiative really stood out as a highlight for Grand Visual in 2024,” said its Managing Director, Jay Young. “Beyond Pints was launched to strengthen our team culture and invest in our people by organising unique experiences outside of work that foster creativity, curiosity, and connection.

The aim was to create opportunities for our team to bond, recharge, and experience inspiration beyond the usual agency setting—whether through art exhibitions, immersive installations, or other culturally enriching activities. 

The response has been incredible. It’s allowed us to form stronger connections across departments, sparking conversations and fresh ideas that feed back into our work. This initiative is already proving its value by bringing energy and new perspectives into our creative process, making it an invaluable part of the Grand Visual experience.” 

To get the first look at our trends and predictions for 2025, make sure that you are following us on LinkedIn. You can also keep up to date with the latest Talon news and views by signing up for our monthly newsletter.