Airport advertising uses out-of-home (OOH) and digital out-of-home (DOOH) formats across terminals, lounges and transport routes. Campaigns can reach travellers at repeated points in a journey, with context shaped by terminal, destination and waiting time.
Out-of-home (OOH) advertising reaches audiences in public places. Airports carry OOH formats across approach roads, terminals, gates and lounges, where passenger movement and waiting time change how long someone can read a message. Common formats include posters, banners and large display panels.
Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising, particularly in the case of airports, has built upon the success and advantages of traditional OOH. Digital out-of-home advertising is another booming market, with Statista predicting that DOOH spend will increase from $6.7 billion in 2019 to $15.9 billion in 2027. DOOH adds data feeds, video, and programmatic capabilities to the mix to produce an incredible experience. With airports continuing to grow and more airlines flying to a more extensive network of destinations, airports provide the best location to engage in DOOH. As millions of passengers visit and transit through these major airports, they engage with digital advertising, which creates a unique experience.
Key Trends in DOOH at Airports
Here are some of the latest trends in DOOH at airports:
Cost-effective advertising is essential
DOOH at airports allows the digital displays to rotate between different advertisements within a single confined space. Hence, the media unit saves up on space and rent for the installer. It allows the advertiser to save up on print costs and other expenses, creating a mutually beneficial solution for all parties involved.
Data is king
DOOH provides valuable consumer data to the advertiser, allowing key insights to be generated while also flagging areas for improvement. Several DOOH installations allow analytical data on key metrics such as playing time per ad, locations of DOOH installations, total spend, etc. In providing these key data points, DOOH can allow marketing and advertising to continue becoming more data-driven and customer-oriented
Durable solutions
DOOH at airports provide extremely durable solutions. By eliminating wear and tear, repair, and replacement costs for traditional advertising units, DOOH allows 24/7 brand visibility, proving to be an efficient advertising solution.
The Future of DOOH at Airports
So what exactly does the future hold for DOOH at airports? Here’s what we think:
Creating an experience
DOOH at airports will continue to be developed into a more interactive and engaging tool for passengers at all major international hubs. These ads can be further used to allow passengers to interact with devices such as phones and tablets.
Tailored ads
According to Nielsen, 60% of DOOH ads that resonated with travelers were based on electronics, followed by hotel and travel services at 58%, while frequent flyers were interested in information about travel amenities and services. These studies and statistics can be sued to ensure that tailored advertising is continued at airports to target and attract specific audiences and demographics.
The right message
DOOH can also be used to share messages about specific social issues or create awareness among people. One of the best ways this was done was by The National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) in the UK to run a digital campaign to create awareness about domestic violence and abuse.
Conclusion
Airport advertising remains tied to passenger volume, terminal location and the travel context. Digital screens make it easier to schedule creative and update a message, while the site and audience still determine value. Buyers should use current traffic and inventory data for the airport and campaign period.
Plan airport media around the passenger journey
An advertiser should match the message to where travellers see it: a roadside screen, security queue and departure lounge support different reading times. Digital screens add scheduling and creative flexibility, while placement and passenger mix still determine relevance. Compare inventory using the airport, terminal, campaign period and measurement method.
