I was asked to write an article about OOH. Anything I like! Sometimes a loose brief is more difficult to respond to, so I was thinking about it whilst walking to the station. In that time, two people bumped into me because they had their heads down looking at their phones whilst walking along. What could possibly be that interesting that you’re not looking where you’re going? Obviously, I shouted, “look up,” at them in a slightly aggressive way, which did make me happy. But it got me thinking about the article; looking up and being in the real world, so here goes!

There is a massive misconception about OOH, that it’s a traditional, old-fashioned medium trying to keep up with modern advertising. But (and hear me out) OOH combines the scale and visibility of the physical world with the targeting and flexibility of digital technology. OOH cannot be skipped, blocked or just scrolled past. And the best part: OOH lives where people live, work, shop and socialise. OOH reaches audiences when they are actively engaged in the world around them. This gives brands something increasingly rare: presence.

OOH remains one of the few truly shared media experiences

I think that one of the most important points about OOH’s place on a media plan is that it remains one of the few truly shared media experiences. It exists in public places and can become part of culture. The most memorable campaigns are discussed, photographed and shared on social media, amplifying them far beyond their original location. This ability to bridge the physical and digital world is becoming one of the channel’s greatest strengths. A striking billboard can generate millions of online impressions. A clever digital screen activation can become social content. I don’t think that OOH should sit at the edge of a campaign. Perhaps increasingly, it is becoming the creative spark that can drive wider conversations.

The future of advertising is already being shaped by technology and AI, but in a landscape where digital messages are limitless, the power of a physical presence and real-world attention will prove more valuable than ever.

OOH’s biggest competitive advantage is not technology but the fact that it inhabits the one place where consumers do not switch off: the world around them.