Aaron Poole, marketing executive, PML Group with this week’s Out \ Look on Out of Home
As the highly anticipated Black Friday Weekend approaches, kicking off on the 29th of November and continuing through Cyber Monday, brands are gearing up to capture consumer attention during this pivotal retail event. Our latest iQ research with Ipsos B&A reveals that Outdoor advertising remains a powerful medium for influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions, especially during key shopping occasions like Black Friday.
Building on our previous iQ research, which found that 66% of consumers rely on advertising to inform them of Black Friday deals, our 2024 findings show that 54% of respondents consider OOH media—such as billboards, bus shelters, and shopping centres—as the most effective channels for staying updated on offers. This reinforces OOH’s dominant role in keeping brands top-of-mind, especially during key occasions.
Previous iQ research this year highlighted OOH’s ability to prompt seasonal spending. 63% of respondents rated bus stop ads as effective in driving purchases during key events, with 27% considering them extremely effective. Billboards and bus side advertising followed closely at 62%, solidifying OOH’s position as a lead medium during retail-driven moments like Black Friday.
Where Consumers Plan to Shop
This year, 36% of respondents plan to shop both in stores and online, with 23% choosing to shop exclusively in physical retail locations. Among younger audiences aged 16-24, 31% prefer shopping in stores during Black Friday, highlighting the ongoing importance of in-person retail experiences.
As we’ve seen in past research, younger consumers are particularly responsive to OOH during seasonal events. 61% of younger consumers rated bus stop ads as highly effective, highlighting the importance of OOH formats for connecting with digital-native audiences in physical retail environments during sales periods.
Who Consumers Are Shopping For
Consistent with previous years, most consumers will shop for both themselves and others during Black Friday:
41% plan to shop for both themselves and others, reflecting the dual-purpose nature of Black Friday as a time for personal deals and early Christmas shopping.
34% of respondents will shop solely for themselves, with this intent highest among the 25-34 age group at 45%.
With Black Friday signaling the beginning of the holiday shopping season for many, it’s no surprise that the period is seen as an opportunity to start Christmas shopping. In fact, 47% of those who previously made Christmas purchases said they start their shopping in November leading into December (TGI), making the period from Black Friday to Christmas Eve a crucial time for brands to reach seasonal shoppers. Brands can leverage OOH to capture the attention of these diverse shoppers, whether they are hunting for personal bargains or ticking off their holiday shopping lists.
OOH remains the strongest performer when it comes to prompting consumer action during high-stakes retail moments. Our Key Occasions research found that OOH formats are consistently rated as highly effective across all age groups, with 70% of 45-54-year-olds rating billboards as effective and 61% of younger audiences (18-24) favouring bus stops.
Digital and Dynamic OOH formats continue to be essential tools for brands, offering real-time messaging tailored to location and timing. Whether it’s in busy shopping centres or along high streets, OOH captures consumer attention when they’re most likely to act, providing a crucial touchpoint during the Black Friday sales weekend.
As consumers continue to favour less intrusive forms of advertising, Outdoor is the ideal medium for brands looking to stand out and capture attention during Black Friday. For more information contact info@pmlgroup.ie
OOH fuels Bank Holiday Weekend Events
As the October Bank Holiday weekend approaches, cities across Ireland are buzzing with excitement for key cultural and sporting events. Following a summer of event-based marketing, brands are once again turning to Out of Home to make a lasting impact. From the Dublin Marathon to the Cork Jazz Festival, brands are leveraging OOH to connect with audiences in vibrant, event-driven ways.
As the October Bank Holiday weekend approaches, cities across Ireland are buzzing with excitement for key cultural and sporting events. Following a summer of event-based marketing, brands are once again turning to Out of Home to make a lasting impact.
While Dublin is set to see over 20,000 runners take to the capital’s streets, it’s for events outside the capital that bands are using OOH to ensure visibility and engagement ahead of the weekend.
As Galway prepares to welcome top comedians for the Bulmers Comedy Festival, Bulmers is using OOH to capture the playful spirit of the event. The cider brand’s sponsorship has been visible throughout the city over the last week. Planned by Starcom and PML, Digivans engage festival-goers across the city with the mobile format ensuring Bulmers create excitement and engagement in key festival locations. Meanwhile a prominent banner at the Róisín Dubh advertises the venue as a festival hub.
The Cork Jazz Festival is one of Ireland’s most iconic cultural events, and as lead sponsor, Guinness is making a grand statement with an extensive OOH campaign. The brand’s presence in Cork is unmissable, with formats including T-Sides, 48 Sheets, Bus Shelters, Commuter dPods, Orbscreens, Urban Screens, Large Digital Screens, and Digivans.
These formats, displayed exclusively in Cork, ensure that Guinness is seen at every corner of the festival. The creative captures the smooth, soulful essence of jazz, aligning Guinness perfectly with the atmosphere of the festival. This campaign is planned by PHD and Source out of home,
Much like other key occasions throughout the year, the October Bank Holiday provides a valuable opportunity for brands to engage with audiences through immersive, event-driven OOH campaigns to create deeper connections during these high-attention moments.
For more information on how to harness the power of OOH for your brand, contact the PML Group team.
