There are few markets in the world as big as the entertainment industry, which produces everything from the hits of the silver screen to the next Mercury Prize winner.

To put the sheer size of this market into perspective, it’s estimated that global revenue from entertainment will reach a staggering $2.2 trillion by 2021. The music industry alone generated $43 billion in revenue during 2017, with number equalling the all-time peak for the sector set back in 2006.

This creates a competitive market for the brands that operate within the sector, who must invest their capital wisely if they’re to successfully reach their target market.

Outdoor advertising can help with this respect, and we’ll explore this below while offering some actionable advice on how you can create an effective campaign.

Why is OOH Media Suitable for Entertainment Brands?

In a competitive market such as the entertainment sector, one of the biggest challenges facing brands is how to stand out from the crowd.

This is crucial to the successful development of a brand, as without it businesses will struggle to build awareness and drive recognition in the future.

So how can OOH media help with this? In simple terms, large format ads and billboards can help to create a strong brand presence in strategically targeted locations, contributing to larger than life campaigns that genuinely engage potential customers in the process.

When combined with the use of consistent brand colours and messaging, this type of OOH ad can really generate awareness surrounding your brand and help customers to recognise it in the future.

Not only this, but large format billboards are also considered to boast relatively high levels of engagement, across both on and offline channels. Some figures suggest that OOH ads of this type are capable or driving a 38% increase in the mobile engagements between brands and consumers, for example, while a further 26% will visit on businesses website after interacting with a billboard.

Given that billboards can also be placed within close proximity to your local outlet (whether you own a trampoline park or a sports complex) , billboards represent an excellent way of directing footfall and optimising in-store conversions.

So when combined with the use of consistent brand colours and messaging, this type of OOH ad can really generate awareness surrounding your brand and help customers to recognise it in the future.

Another great facet of billboards (especially larger format ads that are 48 or 96-sheets) is that they can display bold and eye-catching images in a bid to capture the attention of customers. These can be used to present your brand and its core proposition in a visually appealing manner, and one that truly sticks in the mind of potential customers.

When such imaging is used on larger roadside billboards, this type of bold imagery can have an even greater impact. After all, adverts placed at busy junctions or along popular commuter routes can reach a target market in slow moving traffic, while the figures suggest that an estimated 68% of drivers make shopping decisions while travelling in the car.

A further 32% of motorists have actively visited a website or a commercial store that they’ve seen advertised outside during the week, highlighting the engaging nature of roadside billboards and the capacity for stirring the imagination of customers.

This makes for an extremely effective advertising technique for larger entertainment corporations like Xscape, which is a brand developed by X-Leisure and one that hosts outdoor ski slopes, leisure facilities and shops packed full of sporting gear and clothing.

These brands can often use explosive and energetic images to sell their products as aspirational, especially when they’re combined with active and concise messaging that has been tailored for specific segments.

Another prominent argument for outdoor advertising can be made by looking at the saturated nature of online advertising. While the claim that we see up to 4,000 advertisements online each day may be a little spurious, there’s little doubt that we’re constantly being exposed to promotional messages on our laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

This means that you may see hundreds of competing ads from the entertainment sector in a relatively short period of time, and this can create a significant sense of cynicism among consumers.

This is why around 12.2 million Brits currently use an ad blocker, with this number representing a hefty 22% of all Internet users in the UK.

Conversely, outdoor advertising is far less intrusive while it tends to blend naturally into the surrounding environment. This makes customers more malleable to branding and commercial messaging, while it also helps advertisers to differentiate themselves and stand out from a bustling crowd.

How can you Leverage OOH Media to Benefit your Entertainment Brand?

These points represent the main benefits of outdoor advertising for entertainment brands, from local operators to larger corporations that are striving to target regional audiences.

While understanding these can help to inform your OOH campaign, however, you’ll also need to translate them into actionable steps that impact positively on the design, presentation and placement of your advert.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at how you bridge the gap between theory and practice and bring the best-laid OOH campaign to life.

Use Traditional Rather than Digital Billboards when Building Brand Awareness

If building brand awareness is your game, then billboard advertising represents one of the best channels for your burgeoning entertainment brand.

However, not all billboards have been created equal, and the choice between digital and traditional ads will have a critical bearing on the effectiveness of your campaign.

In simple terms, traditional or classic billboards are best suited to cultivating brand awareness among an audience. The reason for this is simple; as these adverts offer optimal exposure as they constantly display your message throughout the day, regardless of the specific location in which they’re housed.

The same cannot be said for digital billboards, which tend to rotate between six different adverts during each 60-second period. As a result, your ad will receive 10 seconds of exposure at a time, while also being forced to compete with other brands and potentially more striking messaging.

Traditional billboards are also considerably cheaper than digital alternatives, providing a more cost-effective channel that boosts your final ROI.

Use Large-format Billboards that Allow your Messaging to Shine

We’ve already said that not all billboards have been created equal, and this can also apply to the size of advert that you use.

When looking to promote your entertainment brand and gain a competitive edge in the market, however, we’d recommend the use of large format (48 or 96-sheet) billboards that boast exceptional visibility and provide a huge platform for your messaging to shine.

These adverts work particularly well at roadsides, as slow-moving traffic is given ample opportunity to view your advert and absorb the core messages.

To optimise the impact in the minds of customers, it’s also worth investing in the design of your advert. Pay particular attention to the shades and the tones used, for example, as it’s important to strike a balance between paying homage to your brand’s palate and creating colour combinations that capture the attention of your target market.

You can also take advantage of large-format billboards by utilising bold and easy-to-read fonts, which present your messaging and key contact details as concisely as possible.

Pay Careful Attention to your Calls-to-Actions (CTAs)

On a final note, it’s important that entertainment brands both small and large pay careful attention to the CTAs that they use to direct customers and drive future interactions.

The same can be said of any medium, of course, but it’s particularly important given the organic and nonintrusive nature of billboard advertising. After all, there’s little point in using such an advertising channel if your messaging is overly aggressive or promotional, as this counteracts the effect and will disengage customers at every turn.

The key is to understand the main purpose or motivating factor behind your outdoor ad, whether you want to raise brand awareness, advertise a new store (or product) or market a real-time promotional offer.

Once you’ve done this, try to frame your CTA in an active and engaging manner, while ensuring that your message is concise and genuinely easy to understand. By using an active tone, you’ll strike the delicate balance between creating a sense of urgency and not adopting an aggressive sales approach.

Remember, billboards offer relatively high rates of engagement, both on and offline. To capitalise on this, however, you’ll need to follow our suggestions above and ensure that your CTA is purposeful, engaging and tailored to suit the intended audience.

The Last Word

The global OOH advertising spend is expected to increase exponentially between now and 2020, with the demand for integrated campaigns that encompass both on and offline channels at the heart of this.

Make no mistake; this type of advertising is also particularly beneficial for entertainment brands, who are forced to compete in a competitive market and for a relatively small piece of the pie.

Still, by following our guide you can understand the importance of OOH media and learn how to leverage to the advantage of your brand.