Global retail players have already realized that retail turnover has been steadily growing in the first half of 2025 thanks to the implementation of Retail Media projects and digital signage in stores. Steady dynamics have been recorded both in traditional offline stores and in the online sales segment. However, offline still retains key positions: around 80% of purchases are made in stores, and almost two-thirds of them are impulse purchases. Modern DOOH (digital out-of-home) technologies allow brands to effectively influence customer behavior at the critical moment — when they are ready to spend money.  

 

 

Retail challenges and DOOH opportunities

 

The retail industry, in conditions of growing competition, faces a number of difficulties: customers expect a personalized experience, and businesses need to turn online interest into real store visits. Classic digital advertising no longer always works — it is ignored, blocked, or simply unnoticed at the right moment.  

 

In this context, DOOH advertising acts as an effective alternative. Screens accompany consumers in their daily lives: during commutes to work, in shopping malls, or while relaxing with friends. Thanks to the programmatic approach of Programmatic DOOH, advertising campaigns become more precise: the message is shown not abstractly, but according to specific conditions — time of day, weather, or even the behavior of the target audience.  

 

 

Why DOOH affects customer decisions

 

Research confirms: 42% of shoppers admit that digital out-of-home advertising influences their decisions in physical stores. People are more likely to choose brands they have already encountered on screens in the city or shopping areas. Directly in the store, about 75% of visitors pay attention to displays, digital banners, or interactive showcases.  

 

Moreover, global analytics demonstrates: 56% of consumers buy products they saw on DOOH media, and 65% of such purchases were unplanned. This proves that digital out-of-home in retail acts not only as a channel for building awareness but also as a powerful driver of conversions.  

 

 

Integration of technologies in retail

 

Modern retailers are increasingly implementing specialized software for video walls, interactive panels, and digital signage players that allow them to centrally manage the entire screen network. By adjusting displays in real time, businesses can quickly adapt content to specific promotional offers, in-stock items, or even local events.  

 

The combination of DOOH with pDOOH opens new opportunities for stores: for example, to demonstrate advertising zonally, in the most visited areas, or to show stimulating promotional offers during peak hours. This creates a link between online advertising and offline sales, making campaigns holistic and effective.  

 

DOOH as a bridge between online and offline

 

The main strength of digital out-of-home advertising in retail lies in the fact that it works precisely at the point of decision-making. A customer sees the message at the moment when the chance of conversion is at its highest. In this way, DOOH, Programmatic DOOH, and pDOOH become tools that integrate online marketing and real in-store sales, allowing brands to be not only visible but also maximally influential.  

 

 

How to direct foot traffic to the point of sale

 

In conditions of growing “digital noise,” it is becoming increasingly difficult for brands to attract audience attention using only online channels. This is why Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) takes on a key role. This form of digital out-of-home advertising works as the final element of a marketing strategy: it not only builds awareness but also directly affects sales in physical stores. Thanks to its flexibility and interactivity, DOOH can enhance contact with the customer in places where they are ready to make a decision — from shopping centers to urban transport hubs.  

 

 

Evidence-based effectiveness of DOOH

 

Research by Talon Outdoor shows: 59% of shoppers make a purchase within 30 minutes after contact with an outdoor advertisement. This result is linked to the unique ability of DOOH to reach the consumer at the moment of maximum readiness to take action. Advertising screens become a kind of “catalyst” for purchase — they launch the direct decision-making mechanism.  

 

 

Three key factors: proximity, time, and context

 

Effective digital out-of-home strategies rely on a triad:  

 

– Proximity — the digital screen or digital signage is located close to the place where a purchase or order is possible.

 

– Time — video advertising is synchronized with periods of highest audience receptivity. For example, in the morning near the subway — coffee ads, in the evening — restaurant offers.

 

– Context — the advertising message is adjusted according to situational factors. Near a gym, sports nutrition advertising will work more effectively, and near universities — educational courses or tech products.  

 

This format makes it possible to turn awareness and recognition into concrete actions, creating a steady flow of pedestrian traffic to stores and services.  

 

 

How to strengthen the impact of DOOH

 

To increase the results of advertising campaigns, marketers use several proven techniques:  

 

1. Play on the desire to save. Limited offers, offline discounts, or promotional products quickly motivate the audience. 41% of shoppers are ready to switch stores or brands for the sake of savings.

 

2. Place ads in high-traffic points. Pillars, digital billboards, and digital signage create wide reach and brand recognition.

 

3. Focus on long-contact zones. Subways, queues, offices, or food establishments allow consumers to interact longer with the advertising message, which enhances the effect.

 

4. Create a sense of urgency. Information about nearby stores or reminders of pickup options encourage entering the point of sale “here and now.”

 

5. Tie to the season. Marketing waves like “Back-to-school” or New Year campaigns help convert consumers prepared to spend into real customers.  

 

SSP and DSP for DOOH

 

An important element of modern DOOH campaigns is the automation of ad space purchasing and impression management through SSP (Supply-Side Platform) and DSP (Demand-Side Platform).  

 

– SSP for DOOH provides inventory management and enables screen owners to monetize their advertising spaces as efficiently as possible.

 

– DSP for DOOH is used by advertisers to purchase impressions in real time, optimizing targeting and budgets.  

 

This integration allows campaigns to be configured flexibly — to define impression frequency, locations, and the timing of the most profitable audience contact.  

 

 

The technological basis of modern retail

 

Today, businesses are actively implementing software for DOOH that allows centralized management of digital screens, video walls, and interactive solutions. Along with digital signage players, such software ensures stable video ad broadcasting, the ability to quickly replace content, and performance analysis.  

 

These tools open up a new level of personalization and precision for brands. DOOH becomes not just a channel but a multifunctional ecosystem that helps direct foot traffic directly to the point of sale, turning passersby into buyers.  

 

 

How to combine online and offline customer paths

 

The growth of online sales often begins with a properly built offline strategy. It is DOOH networks that become the key to integrating these channels. If loyalty program data, purchase history, or customer behavioral analytics are used, brands gain the opportunity to create personalized campaigns in the format of DOOH Display Solutions. This makes it possible to launch ads targeted at specific audience segments, rather than “for everyone.”  

 

 

The use of digital technologies in outdoor advertising

 

Today, LED billboards and modern advertising screens have become the main media that combine online and offline marketing. By placing QR codes on such screens, a brand can instantly convert contact interest into action — the user goes to a website, a campaign page, or a mobile application. All this data (from the place of scanning to the time of interaction) is collected and analyzed, which allows work with DOOH to be brought to an entirely new level.  

 

Research by OAAA shows that 76% of people take certain actions on their smartphones after viewing DOOH advertising. This means that DOOH Display Solutions work not only on building awareness but also on increasing online sales, app installs, social interactions, or even repeat store visits.  

 

 

Audience segmentation for maximum efficiency

 

A universal advertising message does not exist. That is why the use of software for LED screens makes it possible to adapt advertising content to specific groups:  

 

1. Bargain hunters (55–64 years old). For this audience, saving money is important. They carefully follow all promotions, so LED billboards and screens with messages about discounts, bonuses, and special offers work best for them.  

 

2. Fans of daily discounts. A target group that responds to urgent, limited offers. The placement of QR codes and coupons on digital screens in supermarkets, cafés, or the metro stimulates them to make quick purchases.  

 

3. Seasonal shoppers. For them, simplicity and speed of choice matter. Screens near shopping areas with messages such as “gifts nearby” or “store open until midnight” help influence them precisely during peak periods — holidays, sales, seasonal promotions.  

 

4. Millennials and Gen Z. This generation expects vivid content and interactivity. In their case, LED billboards with bright video ads, QR codes, links to social networks, as well as values — eco-friendliness, inclusion, and comfort — work effectively. Placing ads in parks, coworking spaces, transport hubs, and near creative spaces captivates precisely this audience.  

 

 

Technological foundation of integrated campaigns

 

For the effectiveness of DOOH networks, hardware and software solutions play an important role. The use of centralized software for LED screens, in combination with flexible advertising screens and media platforms, allows the entire network of LED displays to be managed in real time. This means:  

 

– dynamic content updates (promotions change throughout the day);

 

– point-based adaptation of messages to a specific location or audience group;

 

– automatic integration with online analytics for tracking results.  

 

Such DOOH Display Solutions transform outdoor advertising into part of an omnichannel strategy that works equally well for traditional shopping and online purchases.  

 

 

The essence of the approach

 

The main principle remains simple: the advertising message must “speak the language” of its audience. If LED billboard technologies, QR codes, and online data are combined into a single DOOH network, then any campaign receives a double effect — influencing emotions here and now and stimulating purchases both offline and in the digital environment.  

 

 

How to measure the effectiveness of DOOH advertising and why it matters for business

 

Just a few years ago, it was believed that outdoor advertising worked exclusively “for image”: if people saw it — good, if they didn’t pay attention — also not a catastrophe. But with the emergence of DOOH advertising, the situation has changed drastically. Modern digital out-of-home campaigns make it possible to measure not only reach and number of contacts, but also concrete actions. Business can now track store visits, increased traffic, sales levels, or even the number of mobile app downloads. This transforms outdoor advertising into a clearly measurable tool that influences the customer journey from interest to conversion.  

 

 

What metrics work in DOOH

 

Various sets of data are used to measure the effectiveness of DOOH:  

 

– Mobile location data. They show how a person interacts with the screen: whether they just walked by, or went into a nearby store within 30 minutes.

 

– Sales lift. This is already a direct financial metric — it demonstrates how digital out-of-home influenced sales of specific products or categories.

 

– Brand lift. Shows how much the campaign changed brand awareness, purchase intent, as well as general attitude towards the company.  

 

It is precisely thanks to such approaches that DOOH advertising has ceased to be “a medium for presence” and has become a tool that delivers measurable benefits.  

 

 

The use of innovative data collection technologies

 

For greater measurement accuracy, solutions such as Wi-Fi sniffers for tracking are applied. This is a technology that analyzes mobile activity near the screens and helps track whether passersby took further actions: going to a store, visiting a website, scanning a QR code. The combination of Wi-Fi analytics with mobile data creates a multi-level system for evaluating the effectiveness of DOOH.  

 

Integration with Supply-Side Platform

 

Another key point is automation through the Supply-Side Platform (SSP). The use of SSP allows screen owners to better manage advertising inventory, analyze which formats work best, and sell impressions in real time. This creates a transparent ecosystem for both advertisers and media operators.  

 

Thanks to SSP, data on the effectiveness of DOOH is integrated into the overall media strategy, and business gains the ability to optimize advertising spend based on actual results rather than assumptions.  

 

 

The role of a centralized video management system

 

To ensure the stability of media networks, modern companies are actively implementing centralized video management systems. Such solutions make it possible to remotely control content playback on dozens or even hundreds of media carriers simultaneously. As a result, advertising messages can be optimized and changed depending on the time of day, location, or sales dynamics in a particular region.  

 

This flexibility makes digital screen networks much more effective: content is constantly aligned with consumer needs and business objectives.  

 

 

Why this matters for companies

 

The secret of DOOH’s success lies in the fact that it organically combines two worlds — offline and online. Advertising screens on the street motivate a person to take a step: enter a nearby store, download an app, or go to a website. And most importantly — all this interaction is now tracked and converted into data, which makes it possible to calculate ROI.  

 

In essence, DOOH advertising today transforms a brief contact with a medium into a concrete action, and business gets from it what traditional outdoor advertising could not provide — a measurable and proven result.


Advision — Content Management System for remote management, media planning of video and audio content broadcasting and Supply-Side Platform for monetization of advertising time. Additionally, we are implementing a Wi-Fi tracking system to measure the quantitative indicators of the advertising audience. We help Digital Signage owners and DOOH advertising operators earn on advertising placement, automate workflows and build a reliable media infrastructure using AdTech and MarTech software solutions.

 

Contact us if you want to increase your profit and implement the most modern technologies to solve problems!