Antifragile: How Advertising's Oldest Medium Became Stronger than Ever in the Digital Age

As author Nicholas Nassim Taleb outlines in his seminal book we don39t have a word in English to capture this counterintuitive conceptamp160 So he coined a new termamp160amp160He called it antifragileamp160 It means quotgaining from adversityquotIn the context of modern media and the advertising landscape we find many striking similarities to this antifragility concept when looking at the outofhome OOH medium from a broader perspectiveamp160amp160OOH as a medium is no stranger to disruptionamp160 Perhaps because of its history many marketers over the years have tended to discount OOH39s enduring legacy of effectivenessamp160amp160While other mediums suffer from increasing upheaval fragmentation declining reach fraudamp160and other transformative hurdles OOH has continued to do what it does best localize connections with huge reach and scaleTo put it succinctly Publicis Groupe39s brilliant Chief Growth Officer Rishad Tobacowalla has suggested that OOH isamp160quotthe last mass media livingquotWe may even take it a step further to say that OOH is quotthe last mass media thrivingquotMany might debate that idea given OOH has seen fairly conventional growth in topline spending over the past decade when compared to the headline grabbing ascent of digital and mobileFor those at the forefront of the industryamp160however the outlook is far brighteramp160 After all past performance is not indicative of future results though more recent reports are indeed already trending rather wellIt begs the questionamp160amp160quotWhy should we believe that OOH is antifragilequotOne foundational reason comes down to simple economicsamp160 OOH is a quotreal worldquot medium that relies on finite physical spaces indicating a fundamental limitation of valuable inventory which is not easily replicatedBuilding on that cornerstone quality and matched with OOH39s wide array of creative possibilities the integration of mobile data is also unlocking more intelligent locationbased marketing measurementamp160and engagement capabilities to empower marketers in exciting new waysConsidered holistically OOH presents a unique annex of opportunity for savvy brands to reach and engage their target audience in alignment with the customer journeyamp160 Beyond just resiliency in the face of the changing times OOH is gaining in strength and exhibiting an antifragility that becomes more selfevident almost dailyLet39s set aside the topline fact that 25 of the top OOH ad spenders in the US are datanative organizations including all five FAANG brands in addition to other blue chips such as Disney McDonald39s CocaColaamp160and Samsung rounding out the top 20Major press outlets including Ad Age The New York Times AdExchangeramp160and many others have reached a broader realization that OOH is not only a viable ad channel but an extraordinarily effective marketing tool driving very real business results in the digital ageA recent article in MediaPost analyzing Millennial and Gen Z consumer habits articulates this well in describing OOH39s appeal both from a consumer and marketer perspectiveamp160amp160quotOutdoor ads have a steadfast evergreen quality that appeals to most younger consumers and in contrast to other media channels cannot be overlooked by skipping fastforwarding or paying more to avoid ads amp8230amp160Outofhome media is a fullfunnel solution providing mass awareness with comparable low CPMs while also providing a last touch opportunity before consumers reach their destinationquotSo what39s holding back more brands from grasping the opportunity before themamp160amp160For many it39s the outdated view of OOH as just static billboards on the side of the roadamp160 While ecommerce and digital marketing have tended to dominate headlines over recent years this legacy perception has caused OOH to get lost in the media mix and mindset for many brandsThat said amidst the disorder and disruption happening in other traditional and digital mediums OOH continues to express not just a resiliency to change but a true antifragility both in the present and futureAs our technological capabilities and toolsets in location data dynamic creative 5G connectivity social monitoringamplificationamp160and augmented reality continue to progress more marketers are taking notice of the medium39s unique strengths and exceptional valueamp160 For any brand still viewing OOH as just an afterthought it39s time to think differentamp160and reconsider how that legacy viewpoint can become antifragile tooClick the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Antifragile: How Advertising's Oldest Medium Became Stronger than Ever in the Digital Age

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Nathan Winston

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Antifragile: How Advertising's Oldest Medium Became Stronger than Ever in the Digital Age

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Nathan Winston

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