Contrary to some views in the direct marketing industry, consumers do respond immediately to OOH advertising, a new international research study for the worldwide association of outdoor advertisers, FEPE International, has found.

The research showed that 79 per cent of consumers have taken some action after seeing an OOH ad, with 62 per cent doing so after seeing a digital OOH ad.

It is also clear that OOH advertising can work well in collaboration with online and mobile communications. According to the research, 40 per cent of urban consumers have looked up information online immediately as a result of an OOH ad, with the figure rising to 62 per cent for urban consumers who are most engaged with their smart devices while travelling.

Furthermore 59 per cent are interested in digital OOH advertising specific to a time of day or location, and 65 per cent interested in digital OOH ads that reward interaction, for example through discount vouchers or prizes.

However OOH also plays a role in providing relief from the immersive, pressurised world of digital communications, since even the most “device obsessed” need a break. 53 per cent of urban commuters said they “sometimes feel the need to get away from phone calls, emails and text messages and switch off”.

And 48 per cent said that when they find themselves with ten minutes of ‘downtime’ in the city, they are most likely to just “take in the surroundings”.

The research was carried out by Future Foundation for FEPE International in the northern hemisphere summer 2014. A 20-minute questionnaire was undertaken online with a sample of 1000 consumers aged 18-64 living and working in the largest cities in the UK, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Brazil and South Africa. This is believed to be the biggest international study into OOH advertising so far undertaken.

FEPE International executive director John Ellery says: ”This major research study shows that Out Of Home has both separate and complementary roles to play in this age of digital, on-the-move communications. The simplicity, power and memorability of OOH clearly strikes a chord with most modern consumers.”