In the world of outdoor advertising, there are many formats, and one of the main questions for business remains the choice between traditional billboards and modern digital boards. In particular, companies increasingly consider DOOH advertising as an alternative to classic media. Both options have their own advantages, which may become decisive depending on the goals of the advertising campaign. Let us consider how to choose the best format for your business.

Traditional billboards: a time-tested classic

Traditional billboards are static advertising boards that can be seen along roads, in city centers and in other public places. They still remain popular thanks to high visibility and large-scale audience reach.

Main advantages:

Wide reach. Billboards are placed on busy highways and in central districts, where thousands of people pass every day. This helps brands remain in the field of vision of a large number of potential clients.

Long-term impact. The static format allows advertising to be visible around the clock and to operate throughout the entire campaign period without changes.

Association with prestige. Placement of advertising on large surfaces in central parts of the city contributes to increased trust in the brand and creates a sense of company scale.

Disadvantages:

Limited flexibility. Content on traditional billboards cannot be changed during the campaign, which may become a problem in case of the need for a prompt reaction to market changes.

Lack of interactivity. Such a format does not involve interaction with the audience. Unlike digital formats, in particular digital billboards, static constructions do not allow adaptation of the message depending on the time of day or the situation.

Digital advertising structures: flexibility and innovation

Digital boards, LED panels and media facades open new opportunities for brands thanks to the use of dynamic content and video content. This is a format that combines technological advancement and marketing flexibility, allowing companies to quickly adapt messages to market changes. For this reason, digital boards are increasingly integrated into urban infrastructure and become a key element of modern communication strategies.

Unlike static media, digital structures function as a full-fledged media platform. They allow the brand to change display scenarios, launch several creatives within one campaign and promptly react to consumer behavior. As a result, advertising becomes not simply a message, but a tool for managing audience attention.

It is also important that digital boards better fit into the rhythm of the modern city. Bright images, movement and light effects organically combine with the urban environment, strengthening visual impact and contributing to increased brand recognition even in a competitive informational space.

Main advantages:

– Content flexibility. The message can be changed remotely within a few minutes. This allows adapting advertising to the time of day, weather conditions or seasonal changes in demand, and also promptly implementing visualization of offers and promotions without additional expenses for printing and installation.

– Dynamism of presentation. Moving elements, video and animation attract attention significantly more effectively than static images. Such a format forms emotional contact with the audience and increases the level of memorability of the message.

– More precise work with the audience. The use of tools such as geolocation targeting allows broadcasting different messages depending on a specific location or type of traffic. This is especially important for network brands that operate in different districts of the city.

– Analytics and data. Modern software for DOOH integrates with systems of statistics collection, which creates opportunities for measuring the effectiveness of DOOH and optimizing campaigns in the process of their implementation. Additionally, Wi-Fi monitoring may be applied for evaluation of the real flow of people, time of stay near the screen and potential reach.

– Scalability and centralized management. The campaign can be launched simultaneously on dozens of screens, adjusting the schedule and content from a single interface, which simplifies control and planning.

Besides the marketing effect, digital constructions allow testing new creative approaches more quickly. The brand can analyze the reaction of the audience and change the strategy without stopping the campaign. Such flexibility is especially valuable in conditions of high competition and rapid changes of consumer trends.

At the same time, digital advertising constructions also have certain limitations.

Disadvantages:

– Cost of placement. Investments in digital formats are often higher than in traditional surfaces, especially when it concerns central locations or large screens with high brightness and resolution.

– Competition for attention. On one medium several advertising blocks may be broadcast, therefore the creative must be maximally concise and visually strong.

– Technical dependence. The operation of screens is connected with the stability of power supply, internet connection and software infrastructure.

Despite these factors, digital advertising constructions remain one of the most dynamic segments of outdoor advertising. They combine creativity, technologies and analytics, providing brands with more control over communication and the possibility to work with the audience more precisely and effectively.

And also there is the technology of programmatic DOOH which transfers outdoor advertising to the level of automated management and purchasing of impressions. It allows brands to buy inventory not manually, but through digital platforms, optimizing budget and reach depending on campaign goals. As a result, city advertising becomes more manageable, transparent and predictable from the point of view of effectiveness.

The essence of the approach consists in automatic interaction between the sides of the market. Through SSP and DSP for DOOH an auction of impressions takes place, where the advertiser can set audience parameters, frequency of contacts, geography and time intervals. This simplifies the planning process and allows launching campaigns faster, without long approvals and manual booking of surfaces.

It is important that programmatic DOOH is closely integrated with analytics tools and systems of management of the digital boards network. Thanks to this, content management in real time becomes possible: creatives are updated automatically depending on data about traffic, time of day or effectiveness of previous impressions. Such an approach minimizes budget losses and increases accuracy of communication.

The technological basis of the process is supported by a CMS for content management, which synchronizes with advertising platforms and ensures stable broadcasting of materials on all screens of the network. At the level of equipment, a key role is played by the player for digital signage, which is responsible for correct playback of creatives and quick application of changes without physical intervention.

Thanks to automation and centralized control, programmatic DOOH significantly simplifies work both for operators and for advertisers. Campaigns can be scaled, adjusted or paused in a few clicks, receiving at the same time detailed statistics regarding impressions and audience reach. This makes digital outdoor advertising more flexible, measurable and adaptive to modern business tasks.

In addition to this, the automated purchasing model allows brands to move from mass placement to more strategic management of inventory. The advertiser can test different creatives in separate locations, оперативно redistribute budget between screens and focus on the most effective contact points. Such an approach increases control over the campaign, reduces time for decision making and makes the planning process more flexible in a dynamic urban environment.

When to choose traditional billboards?

Traditional billboards are best suited for long-term campaigns that are oriented toward stable brand presence in a specific location. If the task consists in building trust and gradual increase of recognition, the static format works effectively thanks to constant visual contact with the audience.

Such a format is appropriate in cases when the message does not require regular updating. For example, image campaigns, navigation prompts or brand communication with a simple and clear message can remain relevant during a long period without changes.

Traditional media are also often used in cities with high automobile traffic, where it is important to ensure maximum reach without complex technical infrastructure. In this case the focus is made on scale and repeatability of contact.

When to choose digital advertising?

Digital formats become the optimal choice for campaigns that require flexibility and quick adaptation. It is exactly here that Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) and video advertising allow brands to work with dynamic scenarios, change messages depending on the time of day or events and test different creative solutions.

Especially effective is advertising on digital boards in central districts of the city, where a bright screen with video content attracts more attention than a static image. Such an approach works well for the launch of new products, short-term promotions or seasonal offers.

Digital boards also open possibilities for integration with analytics and centralized management of the network. Thanks to the implementation of a centralized video management system it is possible to synchronize content on different screens, change the schedule of displays and control the effectiveness of the campaign without physical access to the constructions.

Special attention is deserved by media facades for shopping and entertainment centers. They allow combining the advertising function with the architectural component, forming a powerful visual accent in the urban space. Such a format is suitable for brands that strive not only to inform, but also to create a bright image effect.

Combined approach

In many cases the most effective solution becomes the combination of formats. Traditional billboards ensure stable presence of the brand and constant reach, while Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) and video advertising allow promptly promoting temporary promotions or new products.

The combination of tools gives the possibility to balance the budget, distribute the load between different channels and strengthen the overall effect of the campaign. As a result, the brand receives both long-term recognition and flexibility in the implementation of marketing tasks.

So what to choose?

The choice between traditional billboards and digital formats depends first of all on the strategic goals of the brand. If the priority is stable presence in a specific location and long-term reach without the need for frequent updating of messages, classical constructions remain an effective tool.

If flexibility is important for the business, a quick reaction to market changes, the launch of promotions in short terms and the possibility of more precise control of the campaign, it is more advisable to consider digital solutions. They give more space for creativity, analytics and scaling.

In practice, the optimal option often consists not in the choice “either-or”, but in a well-thought-out combination of formats. Such an approach allows ensuring both stable recognition and prompt promotion of specific offers, creating a balanced and effective strategy of outdoor advertising. But in any case DOOH advertising shows effectiveness around 80% in comparison with static advertising on an ordinary board.

Advision is a content management system for remote control, media planning of video and audio content broadcasting, and a supply-side platform for monetising advertising time. We also implement a Wi-Fi tracking system to measure quantitative indicators of the advertising audience. We help Digital Signage owners and DOOH advertising operators earn money from advertising, automate work processes, and build a reliable media infrastructure using AdTech and MarTech software solutions.

Contact us if you want to increase your profits and implement the latest technologies to solve your problems!