Digital is dynamic

The fate of static outdoor displays may soon be much the same as CDs and VHS tapes.

Digital outdoor displays are quickly becoming one of the best mediums for cost-effective, high-impact advertising.

With the ability to change a client’s creative frequently and immediately, digital outdoor displays allow you to target your consumer with the most time-relevant message.

Another advantage of digital displays over traditional static displays is consumer retention. Research shows that while only 43 percent of respondents have any kind of recall of traditional static displays, more than 94 percent of respondents actually recall the message on a digital display. This is remarkable, given the fact that the message on a digital display is usually shown for only eight seconds at a time as part of a continuous rotation.

While this is an important difference by itself, it’s even more important when you consider the findings of recent studies that show that, without the use of outdoor advertising, those companies that use outdoor advertising would lose up to 20 percent of their business.

Digital outdoor advertising competes directly with TV, newspaper and radio advertising, and is arguably the least likely to be ignored. We can ignore TV commercials thanks to DVR and TiVo, we can skip radio ads with the use of both satellite radio and in-car iPod/MP3 usage, and we’re avoiding newspaper ads altogether by turning to the web for up-to-the-minute news coverage.

Digital outdoor display prices are becoming more affordable, and their energy efficiency and national acceptance (80-plus percent of states) are increasing. Combine this with the fact that digital billboards offer a very low — if not the lowest — CPM, and their effectiveness and efficiency in a media mix cannot be denied.

Given all their advantages from both a purchasing and consumer standpoint, the fate of static outdoor displays may soon be much the same as CDs and VHS tapes.