The shifting terrain of OOH advertising in 2024

2024 was a tumultuous year for Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising, marked by contrasting narratives of resilience, transformation, and introspection. On one hand, the medium showcased impressive growth, with a 13% increase in advertising expenditure, crossing pre-pandemic revenue levels and touching new heights of Rs 41.6 billion, as highlighted by the FICCI-EY M&E Report 2024. On the other, safety concerns, such as the Ghatkopar billboard tragedy, triggered widespread calls for stronger regulatory oversight and industry accountability.

The tragic OOH collapse of a massive 120×120-foot hoarding at a petrol pump in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, on May 13, served as a sobering reminder of the importance of safety in the OOH advertising industry. The hoarding, allegedly weighing 250 tonnes, was brought down by a dust storm and unseasonal rains, resulting in the loss of at least 16 lives and leaving 75 others injured. This incident underscored the critical need for OOH agencies to prioritize safety and implement rigorous protocols to prevent such disasters.

Junaid Shaikh, Managing Director, RoshanSpace Brandcom Pvt Ltd, emphasised the necessity for OOH agencies to adopt a better approach in the wake of this year’s tragedy. He said, “In the aftermath of the Ghatkopar Billboard accidents, OOH agencies must implement a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to structural integrity and safety management. The primary focus should be on proactive risk mitigation rather than reactive measures.” 

He advocated for a rigorous technical assessment process that goes beyond standard inspections. This should include mandatory quarterly structural audits conducted by independent, certified engineering firms that specialize in urban infrastructure. These assessments would evaluate factors such as foundation stability, material fatigue, wind load resistance, and other potential environmental stressors.

Additionally, Shaikh highlighted the potential of technological innovation in ensuring safety. 

Shaikh said, “Technological innovation can play a crucial role in safety monitoring. Implementing real-time structural health monitoring systems with IoT sensors can provide continuous data on billboard stability, detecting minute structural changes or potential weakening before catastrophic failures occur. These systems can track factors like metal stress, corrosion, and environmental impact in real-time.”

Another key safety measure Shaikh recommended was the implementation of liability insurance as a mandatory requirement for OOH agencies. 

He said, “Liability insurance should become a mandatory requirement for OOH agencies, with coverage amounts directly proportional to the size and location of advertising structures. This provides financial protection and creates a strong economic incentive for maintaining the highest safety standards. Agencies should develop transparent documentation processes, maintaining detailed digital records of each structure’s installation, maintenance history, and periodic stress tests.”

OOH and advertisers’ negligence has cost many lives in the past. While the Ghatkopar tragedy has reminded us of the loopholes in the system this year and many suggestions have been made, 2025 will be about executing them. 

When rules are followed and better structures are implemented, OOH can be a powerful medium that helps advertisers stand out. Its hard-to-miss appeal and creative canvas offer significant promise. 

Why OOH?

This year, the industry has also demonstrated bouts of innovation by successfully adhering to established guidelines. The industry has capitalised on these strengths, delivering innovations that redefine what OOH can achieve.

Highlighting OOH’s distinctiveness, Shaikh said, “Brands are drawn to OOH for its unique ability to reach consumers during their daily journeys, offering unparalleled visibility in physical spaces where digital noise is minimal. Unlike the saturated online advertising landscape, OOH provides a refreshing opportunity for brands to cut through the clutter.”

According to Shaikh, one of the medium’s greatest strengths lies in its flexibility, allowing campaigns to scale from local to national levels across a variety of environments like roadsides, arterial routes, and entertainment hubs. He also emphasised that DOOH adds another layer of sophistication by enabling hyper-targeted advertising through advanced data segmentation and dynamic messaging.

“By leveraging strategic location selection, data-driven insights, and contextually relevant messaging, brands can achieve significant audience engagement at a relatively low cost per impression,” he added.

Building on these strengths, brands are increasingly using OOH for diverse objectives, ranging from brand awareness to hyper-local activations. It has the ability to integrate creative designs, strategic placements, and technology-driven solutions.

Sharing what makes OOH a go-to medium for brands, Rupali Chavan, Senior VP, Mudramax said, “Brands in India turn to OOH for its unmatched reach in public spaces, long-lasting visibility, and ability to target specific locations or demographics. Compared to digital, OOH can be cost-effective for reaching large audiences, with high recall value, especially in urban areas. The impact is often amplified with creative designs and contextual messaging.”

While digital advertising offers easily measurable success through clicks and impressions, OOH success is often gauged through more nuanced metrics that reflect the medium’s impact on real-world engagement. 

“Success is measured through metrics such as footfall increase, brand recall studies, and uplift in regional sales or online searches post-campaign. For digital-enabled OOH, real-time data and engagement tracking are also emerging as key indicators,” Chavan added.

Key sectors driving OOH advertising

OOH advertising has become an essential tool for a variety of industries in India, especially those seeking to maximize visibility in high-traffic areas. According to the FICCI EY report 2024, real estate and construction was the largest category to spend on OOH with a share of 19%; Top 5 categories were Real estate and construction, organized retail, consumer services, FMCG and financial services. These categories contributed 64% of OOH spends and 66% of growth.

Chavan shared, “In India, industries such as real estate, entertainment, FMCG, e-commerce, and automotive heavily rely on OOH advertising. Its effectiveness comes from its ability to deliver mass visibility and target audiences in transit or high-footfall areas like malls, airports, and metro stations.” 

She shared that these industries use OOH to build brand awareness, announce product launches, or promote time-sensitive offers. The medium’s ability to localise campaigns, such as targeting specific neighbourhoods or regions, according to her, makes it particularly appealing for real estate developers and local businesses.

She further explained that metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru are leading the charge in OOH adoption, driven by rising demand from sectors such as real estate, FMCG, and entertainment.

Chavan noted that regional markets are also seeing growth, as brands increasingly target Tier-II and Tier-III cities with localised campaigns.

Campaigns that made a mark in 2024

This year, some campaigns have been able to stand out not for their visibility and ability to spark conversations. 

One recent campaign that created a buzz on social media was the Zepto x Shaadi.com ad, which leveraged humor in an OOH display.

The quick-commerce company Zepto and matrimonial platform Shaadi.com engaged in a witty brand banter that quickly captured attention. 

Chandan Mendiratta, Chief Brand and Culture Officer, Zepto, said, “The Manyavar ad was designed to announce Manyavar’s arrival on Zepto with the tagline, ‘Manyavar chahiye? Manyavar in 10 minutes,’ showcasing the seamless convenience of our quick commerce model in a relatable and witty way. The idea came from a Saturday-night conversation with Adhish Zaveri at Shaadi.com, inspired by an internet reaction to our Manyavar collab film: ‘Sherwani toh mil jaayegi, dulha kaun dega?’ By Sunday evening, the billboard was live. The campaign’s success wasn’t just about visibility; it became a viral moment across platforms, fueled by organic engagement from brands.”

Similarly, during Holi, Swiggy Instamart set the ball rolling with billboards with the most catchy Holi songs and brands such as Amazon Prime Video, Ajio, Vanish, Mamaearth, Bacardi Mix’r, and Surf Excel engaged in a joyful banter through billboards and social media.

Tide showcased the power of its product in a visually striking way through OOH medium. A massive billboard featured 644 washed white T-shirts with a tagline ‘JUST SOME HOLI CLOTHES WASHED WITH TIDE’ post Holi celebrations. 

In a different but equally creative vein, to break through the festive season frenzy in Tamil Nadu for Myntra, Talented India created ‘Palich Palich Pongal’, an OOH ad using light art.

Speaking about the campaign and how the agency broke through the festive clutter with OOH, Samyu Murali, Creative Talented, said, “With Myntra’s Palich Pongal OOH, we wanted to break through the festive-led advertising clutter by reimagining our approach to billboards. Sometimes, innovation in the category doesn’t mean going tech-first, but returning to our roots.”

She explained that light art structures aren’t new to TN, but they saw it as an opportunity to create an all-new advertising medium out of this local artform. The structures were built from scratch by native artisans of the craft, taking about 20 days for each piece to be made.

Murali shared an example of British Airways’ ‘A British Original’ series, where their latest billboards featured close-ups of people looking out of a BA flight, tapping into a behavioral insight. She emphasised that brands should consider adding OOH to their marketing mix when they have a clear, contextual message to convey.

“Outdoor works best when there is context—topical, cultural, hyperlocal, or behavioral.”
– Samyu Murali

The future of OOH

As we look ahead to 2025, the future of OOH advertising is set to evolve with advanced technologies and deeper integration into India’s rapidly expanding digital landscape. The industry is poised to harness artificial intelligence (AI) and real-time data analytics, paving the way for more personalized and immersive advertising experiences. 

Shaikh believes that these innovations will significantly transform the way brands connect with their audiences. He noted, “Looking ahead to 2025, expectations are high for even more sophisticated integration of artificial intelligence, real-time data analytics, and hyper-personalized advertising experiences. The industry is poised to further blur the lines between traditional advertising and interactive, technology-driven storytelling.”

Furthermore, Chavan also envisions a seamless fusion of OOH and digital platforms. She highlighted that, by 2025, OOH will be deeply integrated with digital ecosystems, powered by AI and real-time data for campaigns that can be tailored to individual audiences. “The continued growth of tier-2 and tier-3 cities, along with the expansion of transit infrastructure, will unlock new opportunities, making OOH an even more integral part of India’s advertising landscape,” she shared.

This combination of technological advancements and infrastructure expansion will allow brands to target consumers with unprecedented precision, offering hyper-relevant messaging in both high-footfall urban centers and emerging regional markets. 

The future of OOH advertising is bright, with a balance of innovation and safety taking center stage. As technology continues to evolve and more advanced solutions emerge, OOH will remain a powerful tool for brands, offering impactful and immersive ways to connect with consumers across India.