Thursday, October 22, 2009

Have you watched an ad at a gas station lately?

10/22/09

Have you watched an ad at a gas station lately?

How about a grocery store or a mall? Or even an elevator? In 2009, Advertisers will spend $2.6 billion on digital out-of-home advertising. The industry is expected to grow +15% over the next 4 years and 42% of agency and brand managers have reported that they plan to increase expenditures. (Sass, 2009)

The reason is pretty clear. Digital out-of-home advertising reaches 67% of Adults 18+ every month. But, that doesn’t mean that it’s effective. Personally, I can’t recall a single ad that I saw while riding an elevator, even though I was a captive audience.

What about you? Do you recall seeing ads in these unusual places? Did they stimulate a purchase?

Sass, E. (2009, October 16). Survey: 42% of Marketers to Increase DO Spend. mediapost.com. Retrived 10/21/09, from
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=115588

4 comments:

theresa said...

I have not been to a gas station or a mall in many years but I have been held captive by monitors in elevators. While I am sure there was advertising on many of them, I don't recall any ads. I do recall seeing what the DOW did for the day, perhaps because I have a vested interest.

Sara Hantman said...

I rarely pay attention to the electronic ads in taxis, bus stops, or elevators. I think a lot of that has to do with living in the city...you tend to block out most of the out-of-home advertising because it becomes a part of everyday living; there are so many that I rarely take the time to stop and look, at least consciously. I wonder if I have ever subconsciously bought something because of an "implicit memory" due to this kind of advertising, because I definitely don't recall one.

Melissa Miller said...

I hardly ever pay attention to electronic ads, or ads in unusual places at all. I am usually too busy to give it an invested interest. I am usually on my phone, talking with people I am with, or have a million other things on my mind to actually pay attention. Personally, I think that magazine ads are the most effective for me. When I sit down to read a magazine, I am LOOKING for new products and ideas. I want to see ads of new products that are out. When you catch me on the street, however, I don't look twice.

Unknown said...

Hi Professor Lehrer! Thought I would check out your blog, haven't visited for a while!

Personally, I have noticed a huge influx of ads in unusual places. I can't say that any specific ad has stimulated a purchase though.

It is quite surprising reading the amount of money that is spent and will continue to be spent on these ads. There MUST be some value in this kind of advertising/entertainment.

I think all these dollars spent achieves a level of brand recognition that must be worth the money. In many ways I think that is what a product needs- the constant recognition and awareness that it's out there.

I don't think many of us really realize how effective ads can be. I don’t think a light bulb goes off instantly in our head. I know for me I very rarely see an ad and then feel the impulse to go buy the product. It seems like advertising just has a very subliminal, subconscious effect on us.

When I think about products I like, I realize that the ads sometimes do play a big part. For example, I love Aveeno products. The reason I love Aveeno products is primarily because I feel like they have very natural, effective, healthy products, and they are at a price point where I feel like they aren't too cheap or too. And where do I get this idea? Well, I don’t remember one specific instance or advertisement that gave me this idea, but rather a collective opinion I now have that was likely based not only usage but also on their ads.