Modest dips or rises in total vehicle miles traveled across America will continue – up or down – depending on the season or other market conditions. In these difficult economic times, some national media are in decline because the audiences they reach are eroding. But, outdoor advertising remains a growth medium because it reaches mobile mass or targeted audiences day and night.
By far, people spend more time in the out of home space compared to the in home space. When they are outside the home they are consuming, mobile, and part of the outdoor advertising audience.
In today’s consumer environment, message overload has made it difficult for brands to cut through the clutter and get noticed. Fragmentation has changed the way consumers perceive media. Over the past 30 years, the number of television channels per household has increased dramatically while magazine and radio options have skyrocketed.
Today, consumers choose the ad content they will accept. TiVo has changed the way people watch television, satellite radio and iPods have changed the way people listen to music, and mobile devices have changed the way people find printed news. Outdoor advertising is benefiting from technological advances in communications.
Outdoor is an efficient media buy compared to other traditional media. In contrast, television and radio rates continue to climb as audience share erodes.
Outdoor advertising is there 24/7 and reaches highly mobile American consumers with effective advertising messages. The current economic downturn and resulting change in consumer behavior will have a negligible effect on the reach and frequency of outdoor advertising messages. In fact, during an economy in recession, outdoor advertising, with its high cost effectiveness, may be the best option for companies looking to increase brand awareness and maintain their competitive advantage during tough economic times.