Talon Ireland has announced the appointment of Eoin Carroll as Head of Programmatic, marking a key step in the agency’s strategy to advance programmatic Out of Home (PrOOH) in the Irish market.

The role comes at a pivotal time for Talon Ireland, following the recent launch of Atlas, Talon’s proprietary programmatic platform, and increasing demand in programmatic capabilities as more media owners venture into the space.

Carroll brings over nine years’ experience within Talon Ireland, where he has been central to the development of Talon’s programmatic OOH offering.

In his new role, he will lead the next phase of growth where maximising the value of Talon’s data and technology stack, Atlas and Atlas Insights will be a core component alongside working closely with agency partners to embed PrOOH more effectively within omnichannel campaigns, ensuring that audience intelligence is applied consistently across client planning.

Andrew Sinclair, Managing Director, Talon Ireland, said: “Eoin’s new appointment is a major step forward in our mission to unlock the full potential of programmatic OOH. As the market continues to evolve, having dedicated leadership in this space is critical. Eoin brings nine years of expertise and is ideally positioned to help us continue to grow this area for our clients”

Eoin Carroll, Head of Programmatic, Talon Ireland, added: “Programmatic OOH is becoming an increasingly important part of how brands plan and activate campaigns. With ATLAS now live in Ireland, we’re in a strong position to bring together audience, planning and activation in a more connected way. I’m looking forward to working with our teams and partners to continue developing this space and delivering better outcomes for our clients”.

The Sunday Times has revealed its Best Places to Work 2026 in the UK, and Talon has once again been recognised as one of the winners.  

The nationwide workplace survey recognises and celebrates the UK’s top employers, showcasing organisations that are leading the way in employee engagement, workplace culture and overall employee experience. This year’s list features 567 organisations across industries and sizes, and our accreditation now covers our whole UK group, including Talon, Evolve and Grand Visual. 

Here’s what the judges said about us: 
 
“This independently owned London ad agency chooses benefits that support its 296 staff in real life, not just work life. New parents get six months’ paid parental leave and there are ten paid days for emergency childcare or carer support. Everybody receives a monthly “Feel Good Allowance” to spend on personal wellness, as well as access to therapy for them and their families. An annual global award of £10,000 for standout employees seals the deal.”

This latest recognition follows our Great Place to Work Certified™ accreditation across the UK, Ireland, USA, and Canada, and reflects our continued commitment to creating a workplace where people can thrive.  

Our basic philosophy is that a happy and well-motivated team deliver excellence and naturally go the extra mile. Therefore, we go above and beyond to ensure Talon is a great place to work offering a range of perks including a monthly “Feel Good Allowance”, summer/early Friday finishes, regular social events, free office breakfasts – alongside generous annual leave, maternity/paternity leave and flexible working as standard. 

Some of our policies and practices include: 

• Hybrid Work: Employees typically spend 3 days in the office and 2 days working from home, with “glide time” allowing staff to adjust their working hours.  

• Work from Anywhere: Allows all employees to work from anywhere for up to 2 weeks of the year.  

• 5 Employee-Led Committees covering Charity, Social, Belonging, Sustainability and People. Each has a board sponsor to represent them in the boardroom. 

• Buddy System: Provides new employees with a cross-department support system, introductory lunch and quarterly coffee check-ins 

• School’s Out policy: Supporting working parents and carers with additional flexibility during school holiday periods. 

• Progressive policies including pregnancy loss, menopause and menstrual leave alongside paid fertility leave. 

The Sunday Times partnered with employee-experience platform WorkL to deliver fresh insights into what makes a Best Place to Work. The 2026 survey celebrates employers that are leading the way in employee engagement, workplace culture and overall employee experience, with organisations recognised across different sizes and industry sectors.  

Read the full Best Places to Work 2026 list here. 

If you are interested in working at Talon, view our job openings here.

The role will focus on building a unified measurement framework across the U.S. and U.K.

The tightening link between media investment and measurable business outcomes is driving agencies to better demonstrate impactful results for its clients’ out-of-home investments.

Talon’s new Head of Effectiveness role is a story about where OOH is going – toward unified global standards, deeper analytics and a more accountable future for the channel. This is not a traditional analytics role; it’s a senior leadership position designed to formalize how OOH proves business impact at a time when marketers are demanding clearer ROI across every channel.

Qingxin Zhao, who will begin this role in April based in New York, will oversee research partnerships and leverage IPA accreditation to differentiate Talon and ensure better reporting for clients. Zhao comes from previous roles at IPG Mediabrands and Media Storm. Most recently, she was Head of Revenue Analytics at accessiBe. Zhao will report to Ryan Laul, North America CEO at Talon.

“Marketers want clarity, confidence and proof that their media investments are driving measurable outcomes — and OOH is in a position to deliver that at scale,” said Ryan Laul, North America CEO at Talon. “By adding Qingxin as our dedicated Head of Effectiveness, we’re doubling down on a core pillar of our offering. It’s a major step in shaping the future of OOH as a performance marketing channel.”

OOH agency Talon’s creation of its first Head of Effectiveness, North America role is a direct response to more measurable outcomes and deeper analytics. This comes as the category continues growing from a reach‑based channel into a performance‑driven one – backed by econometrics, mobile/location data, creative testing and MMM inputs.

This Talon U.S. hire signals that independent OOH specialists are now building the same measurement infrastructure typically associated with holding companies. This move also reflects a broader trend of OOH stepping into the same accountability arena as digital and CTV, armed with more robust data and cross‑market learning as part of the agency’s broader strategy.

Talon, the world’s leading independent Out of Home (OOH) agency, today announces the Irish launch of ATLAS, its intelligent OOH platform, bringing more precision and accountability to how brands plan and activate OOH in Ireland.

Already live and established in the US and UK, ATLAS is built specifically for OOH and connects programmatic activation with audience-first intelligence and real-time responsiveness. The Irish launch includes ATLAS Insights, Talon’s audience capability.

ATLAS Insights (formerly Zone) provides a deeper understanding of real-world audience behaviour, using privacy-safe, aggregated data to inform smarter planning, better screen selection and more effective targeting. This insight underpins ATLAS’ programmatic approach, enabling campaigns to respond to audiences, environments and real-world conditions.

The launch marks a step in Talon Ireland’s continued investment in the programmatic OOH space.

Programmatic OOH itself isn’t new — what’s new in Ireland is ATLAS, Talon’s proprietary platform, bringing our audience intelligence, planning and activation into one connected ecosystem,” said Eoin Carroll, Programmatic Lead at Talon. “By launching our own platform, ATLAS gives brands greater clarity, integration and control, while still being led by expert judgement.

As part of Talon’s global product roadmap, future developments to the ATLAS platform, including AI-accelerated planning via ATLAS Planner and creative execution capabilities via ATLAS studio will continue to evolve over time.

For more information, visit https://talonooh.com/products/atlas/

The FIFA World Cup 2026 may be taking place across the Atlantic, but for UK fans it’s already shaping up to be a summer that’s felt everywhere. On the streets, in pubs, on commutes and in everyday routines, the tournament will live far beyond the screen. 

With 48 teams and 104 matches, this will be the biggest World Cup ever. And despite the distance, the UK is fully tuned in. 81% of people plan to follow the tournament, one in five say they’re more excited than they were for Qatar 2022, and 69% of 18-35‑year‑olds expect to engage. The audience is there, the appetite is clear, and the opportunity is huge.

At a time when attention is fragmented and trust is harder to earn, one channel feels particularly built for the moment. Out of Home.

An Away Tournament, But a Home Crowd Ready 

Even when the World Cup isn’t hosted on home soil, engagement remains powerful. Qatar 2022 demonstrated that wider controversy doesn’t stop people showing up for the football. Despite 72% of UK adults holding negative perceptions of the host nation after the tournament, it still reached 51.2 million viewers in the UK and delivered a £2 billion boost to the UK economy.

Fixtures continue to shape daily routines, conversations and shared rituals. Few events cut through life in quite the same way, which is what keeps the World Cup one of the most culturally powerful moments on the calendar.

Two Home Nations, One Big Moment 

With both England and Scotland competing, interest at home is only amplified. England arrive off the back of a quarter‑final run, while Scotland return to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. Group stages run from 11–27 June, with knockout football stretching through to the final on 19 July, meaning weeks of moments that matter. 

Late‑night kick‑offs, high‑stakes games and knockout drama will pull fans out of their homes and into shared spaces across the UK.

Fans Want to Experience It Together

The World Cup isn’t a solo sport. 71% of people prefer to watch matches in a group rather than alone, and 63% say they’re most excited about the atmosphere out in public. 

Plans vary. 55% expect to watch matches at home, 36% plan to watch in pubs or bars, and 27% at friends’ or family members’ houses. As the tournament unfolds, fans move between spaces, driven by fixtures, form and momentum. Wherever they choose to watch, one thing stays consistent – they’re out in the real world before and after kick‑off. 

Match Days Drive Real‑World Behaviour 

World Cups don’t just change viewing habits, they change how people spend. 70% of fans expect household spending to increase during the tournament, with 49% planning to spend significantly more on alcohol and takeaways. Match days also drive footfall, with 61% saying they’re likely to visit a supermarket on game days.

Preparation is part of the ritual. Stocking up, heading out, meeting friends and building anticipation all happen away from screens. That’s where OOH plays its role, placing brands directly into those high‑intent moments.

OOH Is Already Where Fans Are 

OOH doesn’t interrupt the fan journey, it moves with it. From towns and cities to transport hubs, shops and roadside routes, OOH is already embedded into everyday life. 

In fact, 95% of Brits encounter OOH weekly, more than TV, online or social. Around major sporting events, that presence matters even more. 77% of people notice brands surrounding sports moments, 59% say OOH ads referencing the World Cup make them pay more attention, and 48% say those ads influence their match‑day purchases. 

OOH doesn’t just deliver reach – it drives action. 

Smarter Media for a Tougher Advertising Game

 As pressures grow on traditional channels, brands need smarter tactics. Linear TV advertising has declined 7% year‑on‑year, with confectionery and snacks down 61%, and five of the twelve biggest LHF advertisers pausing activity entirely toward the end of last year. 

At the same time, HFSS‑compliant OOH panels are trading 30% ahead, creating an opportunity to maintain reach without compromising compliance. Programmatic OOH plays a key role here, allowing brands to rebalance investment as TV fragments.

Campaigns powered by Atlas deliver results across the funnel, including 2.3x higher brand preference, 15% higher brand relevance, and 1.4x uplift in purchase intent compared to traditional OOH norms. 

Relevance in Real Time

Programmatic OOH enables brands to react to the moment as it happens. By using real‑world triggers such as time of day, location, weather, temperature, pollen count and match progression, campaigns can stay contextually relevant throughout the tournament. 

That relevance delivers impact. Real‑world ads that leverage local context drive a 32% increase in attention, and in one example campaign, 99% of people said the messaging felt relevant. This responsiveness also translates into stronger brand outcomes. In a campaign running across both linear and RTB environments, the use of RTB delivered a 6ppt uplift in unprompted awareness and an 8ppt lift in perceptions of the brand being exciting versus linear OOH alone. 

With 66% of UK marketers planning to increase their use of dynamic creative in 2026, brands are clearly gearing up to respond not just to headline moments, but continuously as stories unfold in real life. 

Creativity That Connects 

The World Cup isn’t just about football. 38% of fans say they would enjoy the tournament even without watching the matches, 69% want historic or memorable moments, and 49% are drawn to the atmosphere and rituals that surround it. 

Creative OOH allows brands to tap into that emotional side of the tournament. 91% of people prefer funny brands, rising to 94% among Gen Z and Millennials, while 76% choose brands they feel connected to. 

That connection drives real results. 57% spend more with brands they feel connected to, while 41% will walk away from brands that fail to make them smile or engage. Creativity turns visibility into loyalty.

Creativity That Delivers Impact 

Well‑crafted OOH doesn’t just look good, it performs. Creative OOH can deliver a 35% increase in purchase consideration, 56% higher ad recall, and 17% uplift in consumer action. Adding social mechanics boosts effectiveness even further, delivering five times stronger memory encoding compared to standard formats. 

From murals that generate 10x more brain stimulation than prints and reduce cortisol levels by 22%, to experiential activations where 98% of people say they’re more inclined to purchase afterwards, OOH allows brands to be genuinely felt.

Trust Is Built in the Real World 

In an environment where fans are vocal and scrutiny is high, trust matters. 72% of people say bad ads hurt brand perception, 66% say intrusive ads reduce trust, and two‑thirds would boycott a brand if that trust is lost. 

Public messaging helps counter that risk. Ads seen in public are 43% more believable, and one in three people say they trust OOH advertising. Trust‑building campaigns also deliver 65% greater business impact, proving credibility and effectiveness go hand in hand. 

A Responsible Place to Show Up 

The scale of the 2026 World Cup brings responsibility. The tournament is projected to generate 3.7 million tonnes of CO₂, while only two of eighteen climate commitments have been completed, and no bi‑annual climate reports have been published. 

Fans expect more. 87% believe major sporting events must act on ecological issues, 89% expect more sustainable kits and equipment, and 66% say football still needs to do more on sustainability. 

While only 29% of people currently perceive OOH as a sustainable channel, the reality is different. OOH produces lower carbon emissions per impression than other measured media, operates with transparent supply chains, and 46% of its revenue is reinvested into public services and community infrastructure. 

Why OOH Is Built for This World Cup 

The World Cup will be felt far beyond the pitch. It will live in routines, gatherings, purchases and shared journeys across the UK.

OOH reaches fans wherever they are, speaks to them in the moments that matter, builds trust at scale, delivers creativity people remember and does so responsibly. 

That’s why, this World Cup, we’re big fans of OOH.

Built on years of proprietary audience intelligence and proven benchmarks

Talon, the world’s leading independent Out of Home (OOH) specialist, today announced the launch of Atlas Planner, an AI-powered planning engine that brings greater intelligence, agility and accountability to programmatic digital OOH (PDOOH).

Through an intuitive, conversational interface, Atlas Planner can interpret a brief – uploaded or written in natural language prompts – to build a campaign framework instantly, surfacing recommended audiences, environments and buying parameters within seconds. Its interactive map then visualizes how these choices influence available screens, impressions, CPMs and delivery in real time — giving planners and clients a clear, intuitive view of how a campaign comes to life across locations.

The launch of Atlas Planner represents a significant next step for Talon’s programmatic capabilities. No longer a standalone demand-side platform (DSP), Atlas Planner becomes a core component of a fully connected pDOOH tech-stack that now combines years of behavioural intelligence from Talon’s audience data platform, AI‑powered planning and dynamic creative optimisation into one connected workflow.

Built on years of proprietary data, proven benchmarks and real‑world client success, the Atlas suite creates a single intelligent ecosystem under the Atlas brand:

• Atlas Insights (formerly known as Ada) identifies who to reach
• Atlas Planner determines how to reach them most effectively
• Atlas Studio (powered by Grand Visual) ensures the message resonates in context

Atlas Planner is the newest innovation at the core of the Atlas suite, using AI to interrogate Talon’s deep behavioural datasets, generate smarter audience strategies, refine targeting and forecast performance in real time.

It supports advanced optimization and trigger‑based buying, real‑time programmatic activation, with seamless integration into the wider programmatic ecosystem, enabling connected planning at global scale.

True to Talon’s people‑led, tech‑enabled philosophy, Atlas Planner is designed to elevate expert judgement rather than replace it, surfacing insight at speed while keeping strategy and creativity firmly with Talon’s teams.

Andy Stevens, Global Chief Product Officer at Talon, said: “Atlas Planner is the next step in our journey to reach people in the real world with more precision, more relevance and greater impact. Powered by an AI planning engine, it brings multiple OOH-specific data sources together and puts them directly in planners’ hands, so teams can move faster and make better decisions. Crucially, this isn’t automation for automation’s sake. It’s people led, tech enabled planning that gives our clients clarity, confidence and clearer ROI.”

Atlas Planner launches immediately in the United States, where demand for enhanced programmatic OOH continues to accelerate. The UK and Canada will follow in July, with other Europe and international markets rolling out through 2026 as part of Talon’s global product roadmap.

Sue Frogley, Global CEO at Talon, added: “Atlas Planner’s powerful AI architecture is designed to elevate, not replace, the expertise of our world-class OOH talent. By surfacing richer data, faster insight and more flexible activation into a single platform, we’ve created a full OOH tech‑stack that gives our teams, and our clients, a huge leap forward in capability. Launching first in the US reflects the scale of opportunity we see there.”

Author: Caroline Decourcy, Effectiveness Director

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

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

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

Who we’re Really Talking To: Fans

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

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

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

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

The Pre-Match Rituals for the FIFA World Cup 2026

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

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

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

Then there’s the mid-week shift.

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

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

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

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

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

Outdoor Advertising: A Broadcast Medium Where Consumers Choose to Engage

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

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

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

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

But Here’s the Surprising Power of OOH Advertising

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Future of OOH Advertising

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

The alliance aims to strengthen transparency and accountability for Digital OOH campaigns. 

Talon, the leading Out of Home (OOH) advertising agency, today announced a strategic partnership with UniLED Software, a trusted third-party verification provider, to strengthen transparency and accountability in Digital OOH campaigns.

The move will bolster digital verification for Talon clients by providing an intuitive and market leading UI experience alongside providing access to verify 100% of the UK OOH market via PlayOut and other connections to Media Owners content management systems. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to transparency and trust, giving advertisers consistent, independently validated standardised reporting.

PlayOut, launched by Outsmart in July 2023, is the UK OOH sector’s industry-wide data warehouse that manages and enables the sharing of Out of Home Media Owner playout data – delivering daily updates, real-time visibility, and accurate reporting through a standardised framework.

UniLED’s award-winning platform, UniLIVE, will enhance PlayOut by seamlessly integrating and validating campaigns against Route-verified impacts, adding third-party assurance beyond simple play counts. This ensures extremely high levels of accuracy, consistency, and credibility whilst providing a single source of truth within the OOH market.

By partnering with UniLED, Talon strengthens its commitment to transparency, trust, and innovation in Digital OOH while driving the industry toward greater accountability and operational efficiency.

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. The Return to Brand Building

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

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

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

The OOH Advantage:

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

2. Joy and Humour Turns Viewers to Fans

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

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

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

The OOH Advantage: 

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

3. Context that Connects, Not Creeps 

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

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

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

The OOH Advantage:

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

4. Cultural Relevance is Critical

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

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

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

The OOH Advantage: 

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

5. Trust Becomes the Ultimate Currency

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

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

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

The OOH Advantage:

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

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

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

Sources

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

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

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

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

Big Ideas in OOH and Digital OOH

British Airways – Hidden in Plain Sight 

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

With MG OMD & Uncommon Creative Studio

Uber Eats – When You’ve Done Enough 

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

With PHD & Mother London

Bringing Brands to Life with Special Build OOH

Canva – Playful Takeover at London Waterloo 

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

With OMD UK, Stink Studios & Grand Visual

Waitrose – Pie Max

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

With MG OMD, Wonderhood Studios & Grand Visual 

Howden – British & Irish Lions 

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

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

McDonald’s – Grinch Hijack 

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

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

When OOH Became an Experience

Pepsi – Sweet Room

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

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

The AA – It’s okay, I’m with the AA 

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

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

With the7stars, The Gate London, NEWSUBSTANCE & Grand Visual 

Red Bull – Tetris® 

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

With Arena Media, Grand Visual & Ocean Outdoor 

Mr Doodle x Kleenex 

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

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

When OOH Reacted to the Moment

BBC – The Traitors

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

With Havas Media UK 

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

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

With OMD UK & Mobile Media 

Specsavers – Oasis Blur 

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

With MG OMD, Specsavers UK & Open Media UK

Jaguar Land Rover – Defender

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

With Hearts & Science, Grand Visual & Global Street Art

Looking Back and Moving Forward

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

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

Talon, the world’s leading independent Out of Home agency, is proud to announce it has been officially recognised as a Great Place to Work Certified™ organisation across the UK, Ireland, USA, and Canada. 

This prestigious certification is based on validated, anonymous feedback from employees across Talon’s group of companies (including Evolve and Grand Visual), gathered through the globally respected Great Place To Work® platform. The accreditation, which requires a minimum of 65% of employees in each qualifying market to report a consistently positive experience, is a testament to Talon’s ongoing commitment to fostering a supportive and empowering workplace culture. 

This latest recognition builds on Talon’s strong track record as an employer of choice, having previously been named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work and featured in Campaign’s Best Places to Work list. These accolades reflect Talon’s people-first philosophy and dedication to creating an environment where every individual can thrive.   

Sue Frogley, Global CEO at Talon, commented: “We are delighted to receive this recognition, which reflects the genuine experiences of our people. Their positive feedback about working here, across teams, leadership, and roles, means a great deal to us. This is not a moment to rest, but a benchmark from which we will continue to enhance our employee experience and maintain our position as the number one destination for the best talent in our industry.” 

Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place To Work® UK, added: “We know that prioritising the employee experience leads to building trust among employees, fostering a remarkable workplace culture, and ultimately achieving exceptional business outcomes. Congratulations!”

By Andrew Sinclair, Managing Director at Talon Ireland

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

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

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

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

AUDIENCE: BEYOND DEMOGRAPHICS

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

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

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

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

CREATIVITY: OOH’S SUPERPOWER

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

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

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

EFFECTIVENESS: A NEW ERA FOR MEASUREMENT

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

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

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

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

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

SUSTAINABILITY: A GREAT STORY FOR OOH

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You just need to play your cards right. 

With the spotlight firmly on brand resilience and growth, this report by renowned media analyst Ian Whittaker urges advertisers to rethink their approach to media allocation. It advocates for greater investment in brand-building channels amid ongoing economic uncertainty and digital disruption. 

The analysis demonstrates that shifting spend towards Out of Home (OOH) and other brand-building platforms could unlock billions in savings and create significant shareholder value. The focus is on long-term brand equity rather than immediate sales, showing how trusted public media supports stronger visibility and credibility in an increasingly crowded digital landscape. 

Why OOH Matters

Currently, OOH accounts for just 3% of UK advertising spend, yet it remains one of the most attention-grabbing and trusted channels for brand communication. As AI driven content increases and digital noise grows, OOH offers a public, credible space to reach audiences meaningfully. 

Even though online channels will represent 78% of UK ad spend by 2025, consumer spending has remained largely flat for two decades. This shows that digital dominance alone does not drive broad economic growth. The report highlights that reallocating budgets to brand-building platforms like TV and OOH can improve efficiency and deliver long-term value. 

Inside the Whitepaper

• The Key Mega Trends: Explore the economic, technological, and market forces reshaping advertising. 

• Why OOH Fits These Trends: Learn why OOH provides trust, visibility, and impact in a digitally saturated world. 

• UK Advertising Growth to 2030: Understand how the market is evolving and the implications for brand strategy. 

Play for Profits: Practical guidance on optimising media allocation to 2030 to strengthen brands and maximise value.

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

But it hasn’t.

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

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

HOW IRISH CONSUMERS SHOP DURING THE FESTIVE SEASON

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

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

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

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

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

OUTDOOR ADVERTISING DRIVES IN-STORE GROCERY PURCHASES

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

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

WHY OOH ADVERTISING MATTERS DURING THE FESTIVE PERIOD

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

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

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

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

The Power of Out of Home (OOH) Advertising 

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

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

Inside the Guide:

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

Ready to elevate your next campaign?

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

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

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

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

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

Moving with the moment

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

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

Where precision meets presence

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

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

Trust is built in the real world

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

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

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

Why Nostalgia Works in Christmas Advertising

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Smart Audience Targeting for Christmas Advertising

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

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

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

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

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

Creative Ideas to Make Christmas Ads Magical

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

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

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

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

Measuring the Impact of Christmas Outdoor Advertising Campaigns

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

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

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

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

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

Why Sustainability Matters in Christmas Advertising

Sustainability is a top priority for consumers this Christmas.

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

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

Play your ACES this Christmas

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

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