Memorable OOH? You're Having a Laugh!

Derek Thompson CREATIVITY, OOH

OOH advertising and comedy have such a lot in common. For starters, many people think they can do it well even though they can’t. And some of those people are still doing it! Secondly, they share one great secret: timing.

Timing encompasses many things – being current, relevant and understood.

Nowhere is that more apparent than in the DOOH sector, where it’s not merely a case of blink and you’ll miss it; there’s also the challenge of what to convey in those precious seconds before the lights change, or someone walks on, or another screen view competes for attention?

In our view, segmentation is crucial because one size or campaign definitely does not fit all. But let’s go back a step. How do you ensure your campaign will be a success before you’ve even coloured a pixel?

Once again, comedy has a lot to teach us.

  • Know your audience and what they like. Find us a joke for everyone and you’ve found a generic joke everyone will forget (Christmas cracker, anyone?).
  • It’s usually a one-shot deal. They either ‘get it’ or they don’t, but that can also work to a campaign’s advantage.
  • If they do get it, they’ll pass it on and spread your name as well.
  • There is an art to crafting successful gags, which also translates to writing memorable advertising copy. Too much preamble and the audience’s attention wanders; too much filling and the punchline gets lost in the side salad.

Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to quantify and/or qualify audiences, identify suitable locations and choose the right forms of advertising for your campaign. It’s all about using available data intelligently.

The core challenge after that is to produce an ad that sells the idea of a product or service, tells the consumer what you need them to know, and creates positive brand associations. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking and the lights are about to change!

DOOH rethought

Everybody realises that ‘terms and conditions apply’, but are they likely to read about them in the street or on their mobile phone? DOOH may be better deployed in conjunction with other forms of advertising, serving as a funnel to a specific webpage, a YouTube film, or printed information, where the viewer will have more time to consider the finer details of legal stipulations, fuel consumption, APR, et al. Once they’ve bought into the idea behind the brand, of course.

Our observation on DOOH is that it’s pretty risk averse right now, like an adolescent trying hard not to stand out for the wrong reasons. Brands fear the instant wrath of social media and public opinion, but there is a wide and nuanced middle ground between vanilla and Frankie Boyle!

OOH Campaign Library

Incidentally, if you want to see the latest OOH and DOOH campaign images, as well as well as past campaigns (and a rather splendid back catalogue that extends to 2003), look no further (click picture).

Whatever happened to those rhyming strap lines like Omo’s “Adds brightness to whiteness” of 1958, or slightly anarchic ads like “Hello Tosh, gotta Toshiba?” from 1984? [The latter especially memorable for anyone who recalls Alexi Sayle’s original ‘tropical fish’ lyrics to the same tune!]

Did agencies and brands simply lose their edge in their willingness to court favour?

It’s not too late. The good news is that some brands are bucking the trend and injecting a bit of bite into their campaigns. This Vauxhall Crossland X ad will get people talking and is guaranteed to divide public opinion. It also happens to be topical and funny.

Creativity can encompass wordplay, juxtaposition, exaggeration and other comedy tools and techniques. And sometimes, as with DOOH, less is more.