By Andrea Henley, Out of Home Media Veteran
In my 20 plus years in OOH, I have never experienced anything like the COVID-19 Pandemic and neither has anyone else.
Not the operators.
Not the agencies, brands or businesses.
Neither has the public.
We are about to step into an entirely new world with only shades of the past. There is no question we are going to need to make adjustments and the “We need to get back to the way things were” is not realistic, this is our new normal, good or bad it’s simply different.
As the world opens back up for business and carrying on with our lives, it will be important as buyers and sellers of OOH to remember that things have changed and as we forge ahead in this new landscape looking forward is the way, not looking back. Keep moving.
We know there will be advertisers pulling out. We know categories that have been some of the pillars of OOH are going to leave a huge gap in inventory. The irrefutable truth is that a pivot has to be made that will bring in customers to fill the gap of lost business and also be of service to our communities. We have an opportunity to be the voice to let the public know that businesses are open and that they understand the needs of the post COVID-19 era and are here to help in any way possible.
While some luxury brands are pulling back feeling it’s too risky to invest in bold over the top OOH campaigns, retailers like Walgreens, Rite-Aid, CVS, and even Grocery could benefit from helping the public know what they have in stock or provide POS messages on how to be prepared moving forward post COVID-19.
The market will be primed for a lower barrier to entry that offers a massive opportunity. Especially for small to medium sized businesses that are desperate to let people know they are open, they appreciate their business, and can afford to be on a highly visible stage like OOH that seemed out of reach before.
As our sales teams are leaner and the stakes to bring in sales are higher, we need to reach out to these smaller businesses and let them fill the gap opened by the huge household names pulling out. It will require strategic planning in all directions. As we know occupancy will drive rate in the upcoming quarters through the end of the year and beyond.
Take the time to look at local categories, create attention getting spec artwork that mirrors their current messaging and present the value of investing into reminding the local market that you are still here, you are open, and you are ready to help meet their needs. How brands and companies present themselves now will strengthen their position in the future.
A few things you can do immediately.
- Set up ongoing video conference calls select a category or topic and invite existing and brand new clients to attend. Share your market updates and bounce ideas to see how you can help.
- Engage with essential businesses to fill in the inventory gaps, short term.
- Create co-branding opportunities with multimedia packages. To offset the media investment and allow brands to maximize and reallocate budgets through collaborative efforts, versus cancelling.
Here are examples of business categories to consider.
Consumer products + Local/Regional Grocers
Airlines + Destinations
Restaurants + Food Banks
Weight loss programs + Fitness Centers
Gas Stations + State Lottery
Salons + Cosmetic Centers
Moving Companies + Real-Estate Brokers
Vitamin and Supplement companies + Research
Auto dealers + Insurance Companies.
As consumers re-enter their daily routines they will be more aware than ever in their environment looking for direction, solutions, and messages that provide information and things they need.
The other side of this historic event will provide epic opportunities for many that are looking to strengthen their already existing presence due to affordability and availability. Customers will appreciate the value of higher visibility and the operator benefits by driving occupancy that will help the rates recover faster.
The good news is the Out of Home Industry isn’t going anywhere, it has endured its ups and downs, but has always recovered, and the foundation is solid and the people within the industry are strong.
The key to fast recovery is offering help and proactive planning as we enter the Time of the “Signs”.
We got this!
[wpforms id=”9787″]
Paid Advertisement
