OOH eyes opportunity as holiday travel poised to stay ‘robust’
Nearly three in five Americans (59%) plan to travel for the holidays, creating strong opportunities for out-of-home advertising, according to the latest survey data conducted by The Harris Poll in association with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA).
Personal vehicles (64%) and planes (48%) are the preferred modes for transportation among those traveling.
Consumers also reported that OOH advertisements were catching their attention during daily travel (+49%) and special occasion trips (+45%) more than this time last year.
Inflation is nevertheless impacting holiday plans, with two-thirds (67%) of consumers saying that it will affect their decisions in some way. Namely, 44% of respondents said inflation would impact the distance they are willing to travel and the food served at gatherings. Those numbers rise for Gen Z, with nearly two-thirds (62%) saying inflation will impact their food expenditure, while more than half of Boomers (52%) say it will impact their distance traveled.
“Americans will be taking to the road and the skies this holiday season, offering opportunities for brands to capture their attention enroute,” said Anna Bager, President and CEO, OAAA. “With on-the-go consumers noticing OOH advertising more than even a year ago, marketers who invest in out of home will find their media mix ROI to be ‘merrier’ than ever.”
The poll also looked at holiday shopping intent. 24% of respondents stated an intent to begin holiday shopping earlier this year compared to last year, though a plurality (30%) still intend to shop in November. In terms of products, a plurality (48%) of respondents are most interested in spending on clothes.
However, 83% of Americans say they will be adjusting their shopping to account for inflation, using a variety of tactics to cut costs or stick to a strict budget. 76% of respondents said they were “more concerned about staying ‘on budget’ this year compared to past years” and 77% said they would “choose to buy from companies who recognize the impact of inflation.” Half (50%) stated they are looking more to OOH ads for information on discounts/sales this year compared to last year.
As such, three-fourths (75%) of Americans said advertisements about savings are most relevant to them.
“Both holiday travelers and shoppers are pricing in inflation, but holidays plans are going forward with zeal,” said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll. “One third of holiday travelers intend to travel further — a third also expect to spend more on gifts this year compared to last — and another third plan to spend a lot more. And with high awareness levels shown in our data, out-of-home is more likely to grab the attention of consumers than just a year ago.”
The report, titled OOH Consumer Insights & Opportunities Q4 2022: Holiday Travel and Shopping was sponsored by 501 (c)(3) non-profit The Foundation for Outdoor Advertising Research and Education (FOARE).