Colum Harmon, marketing director, PML Group with this week’s Out \ Look on Out of Home
Attention grabbing campaigns from many of the leading advertisers in the country were to the fore on OOH in Q3 and across the entire year, and the medium remains in rude health ahead of its traditionally strongest period in November and December.
Diageo continues as the top spending advertiser on the medium in 2024, despite a decrease in investment by the drinks company. Among its campaigns in Q3 was the standout launch of the Guinness and Guinness 0.0 association with the Premier League. Approximately ten Diageo brands and variants account for just over 5% of OOH display value so far this year.
Unilever is close behind, having almost doubled its display value in 2024, compared to last year. Another advertiser with a similar leap in display value is Vodafone, jumping into third place, ahead of Mondeléz and McDonald’s. Between them, the country’s top ten advertisers have increased their OOH investment by just over 25%, from Jan-Oct.
When it comes to categories, Retail is the dominant presence in 2024. One in every seven euro of display value this year has been placed by a retail brand, and prominent among them is IKEA. In a category dominated by Supermarket activity, IKEA has seen a step-change in its OOH investment to break into the top ten advertisers and help maintain Retail’s preeminent position. Supermarket brands Tesco and Lidl also feature among the top advertisers.
Food follows Retail, with an 8.5% SOM. Tirlán (Avonmore, Mooju) and Valeo (Batchelor’s, Jacob’s) lead the way in the category.
Media has seen a big jump in investment this year with Vodafone, Sky and Disney the major OOH players in the sector. Noteworthy though is investment in the channel from new media such as TikTok and Instagram, as well as newspapers and radio stations. Personal Care & Wellness also increased its display value by almost 50%. P&G, L’Oreal and Reckitt featured strongly in this category, which was led by Unilever.
59% of OOH investment so far in 2024 has come on Roadside formats including Bus Shelters and 48 Sheets. Retail, such as Adbox and Mall Digital accounts for 21% while Transport environments such as bus and train stations, along with the vehicles themselves, made up 20%. Digital OOH accounts for 38% of the market, with the majority of spend, 62%, on Classic formats.
IKEA Creates a Room Outside
We all have our own ideas of what makes a bedroom daydream-worthy. IKEA is helping people to create the bedroom they’ve always dreamed of and is showcasing the results in a nationwide OOH campaign.
Planned by dentsu X and PML, the campaign is running on classic and digital OOH including Adshel Live, Bus Shelters, Digipanels, Digipoles, Digishelter, Commuter dPods and Transvisions. The messaging sought to target commuters when they might be feeling tired. Focusing on sleep has been a key area for the brand as sleep hygiene is a real focus for people now to increase their sleep quality.
The creative by Mother shows a bedroom as a part of a miniature doll’s house featuring IKEA furniture items which create ‘the wonderful everyday’.
A highlight of the activity in Dublin is the Camden Corner takeover incorporating a banner and a state-of-the-art curved LED screen at street level.
The OOH media was provided by Clear Channel, Global, JCDecaux and Micromedia.
The burst continues IKEA’s long term use of OOH. While short campaign bursts can catapult a brand into the spotlight, true brand fame is built over time through repeated, impactful exposures. The three key components to this are reach, creative impact, and frequency.
Tayto ‘Cornados’ whirlwinds onto OOH
Tayto has expanded its iconic snack range with the launch of Cornados, a light and crispy corn snack with a distinctive spiral shape and bold flavours Smokey Bacon and Sour Cream & Onion.
Supporting the launch is a robust Out of Home campaign, planned by Source out of home and Starcom, which spans multiple formats to ensure strong brand visibility in high-traffic areas.
Strategic placement in high-footfall areas introduces Tayto’s latest snack to potential customers at scale. Digital Golden Squares and Digital Bridges reinforce brand presence in urban areas, while Commuter points, such as Transvisions and Digital Station Galleries, reach on-the-go audiences. Near points of purchase, mall digital formats—including Adshel Live Retail, iVisions, and Tesco Digiscreens—target consumers during their shopping journeys. Traditional formats, such as Bus Shelters, Adboxes, and 48 Sheets, ensure comprehensive coverage of the roadside environment across the country.
Adding a touch of innovation, select convenience locations employ the Adbox Extra format featuring the Cornados spiralling out of the frame to pique consumer attention while passing by. Meanwhile Dublin’s Heuston Station has been hit with a Cornado Whirlwind of its own, adorned with hanging banners featuring the new snack varieties that grab the attention of travellers who might be deliberating over what snack to indulge in on their train journey.
“Out of Home advertising is a powerful tool for new product launches, offering immediate and widespread visibility,” notes Carol McCaghy, Marketing Manager at Tayto Snacks, “Collaborating with our media agency, Starcom, and PML Group, we implemented a strategic plan to boost mental availability for Cornados. Using a mix of formats, including commuter specials, we ensured Cornados became a part of consumers’ daily routines, building brand recognition and driving interest right from launch. Early results show a successful launch, and I’m confident that our OOH campaign has been crucial in generating consumer excitement.”
For new product launches like Cornados, OOH plays a pivotal role in brand discovery and awareness. According to our IMPACT Attention series, 67% of consumers have discovered new brands through OOH ads. This impact is particularly strong among younger (16-24-year-olds) and middle-aged (45-54-year-olds) audiences, with 75% and 73% of these groups, respectively, encountering new brands via OOH.
“New product launches are always and exciting time for our team,” notes Emma Daly, Business Director at Starcom, “Working with our clients to launch Tayto Cornados, we knew OOH would be the perfect channel to support the launch and create visibility, standout and awareness with consumers.”
