A Call for Brand Safety: Using OOH to take Ownership of Advertising Environment

The platforms brands use the content they are adjacent to and their messaging or lack thereof reflect their truth and identity Brands must revisit their values and align their messaging accordingly to relate to the 2020 consumer experienceRecent research shows 43 of people wanted to hear from brands during this time and 57 of consumers think less of brands that remain silentOver the past few weeks we have been reminded that voice and content do not live in a vacuum over 800 brands are taking a pause from paid advertising across social networks because they don39t want to be associated with hate speech and extremist views that persist on some platformsPerhaps Marshall McLuhan the seminal media theorist predicted the power of platforms to shape the advertising that runs on them when he claimed quotThe medium is the messagequotContent especially paid promotional content is a part of an ecosystem and brands today need to be mindful where and how their voice is shared In an interview with CNBC Stephan Loerke CEO of the World Federation of Advertisers commented on the importance of media placement saying quotThe way you allocate your media spend where you put your ads talks about your companyquotIndeed a brand must resonate with consumers in a memorable and reassuring way while still reaching their target consumers in the right places to have a meaningful impact on their business In summary a tall and complicated order especially at a time when messages proliferate across the Internet and can show up next to unsavory content inconsistent with a brand39s vision of itselfEnter outofhome advertising The core of OOH advertising amp8212 big bold and highly public canvasses amp8212 creates a prime opportunity for sharing brand messaging Especially now after months of isolation in our homes there is a new sense of joy found outside amp8211 whether that39s our daily walks takeout pickups or meetups with friends for a socially distanced hangout We are all fatigued from digital scrolling and are hyper aware of what is going on IRL With OOH a brand39s message is the only content so brands can share their voice take ownership of an environment and shape it OOH is brandsafeThe impact of sharing a brand39s voice offline is real In June Calvin Klein used a single billboard in Soho a shopping district in NYC to align their brand name with actress model and activist Jari Jones a Black transgender woman Calvin Klein39s advertised voice and image was amplified organically online garnering well over 110M press and social impressions according to data reviewed by OUTFRONT Media About the campaign and its presence Jones commented quotI almost think the billboard is like looking into the futurequotWe are seeing many more brands align with different social movements in progressive ways through OOH media Twitter understands the power of the physical world and adjusted its advertisements to showcase voices of Black creators originally curated online on billboards in major cities where protests are happeningThese are just two of many examples OOH allows brands to deliver impact in communities directly with an authentic communication of their voiceBrands today are spending valuable time assessing and understanding the environments in which they exist and the communities they impact I expect that more brands will turn to OOH as we move closer to the election it is a oneofakind medium that provides a safe platform to share messaging while fostering conversations and shaping a local environmentMost importantly the tangible IRL impact of OOH provides a level of authenticity that amplifies voice and connects with people as they safely enjoy some muchneeded time outside of their homesThis article originally published on Street FightPhotos courtesy of OUTFRONTClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNetamp160

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A Call for Brand Safety: Using OOH to take Ownership of Advertising Environment

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Kiera Wood

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A Call for Brand Safety: Using OOH to take Ownership of Advertising Environment

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