75MEDIA

Feb 6, 2023

by Chris Newbould Leeds-based out-of-home (OOH) media operator 75Media is reminding people of the power of billboards with data that reveals how powerful they can be. In its Effectiveness of Billboard Advertising report, 75Media has analysed data from YouGov which shows that almost one in four people (23 per cent) say they are likely to pay attention to billboards – a figure which has remained relatively unchanged for the last three years. Katy Conway, 75Media’s marketing and communications director, said: “Many of our billboards have approximately 350,000 people walking or driving past them every week, so if we know one in four of those is actively engaging with the advert, that’s a really strong figure just from one billboard. If that’s multiplied over lots of different locations, you can really get some cut-through. And unlike radio, TV or streaming ads, they can’t be skipped or switched off.” The YouGov data also looked at how effective other forms of advertising were. Streaming ads were the least effective, with just 11 per cent of people paying attention to them. Social media adverts reached 18 per cent of viewers. Radio adverts scored similarly to billboards and TV slightly higher – but at a significantly higher price point. Conway added: “If we compare the cost of producing and airing a TV advert compared to producing and displaying a billboard, they’re worlds apart. A billboard can be under £500 for a two-week campaign.” Delving further into the data, 75Media also highlighted that people in London were most likely to pay attention to billboards, at 10 per cent above the national average on 33 per cent, while those in the 25 to 49 age group were most likely to engage, with 28 per cent saying they regularly took notice of them. 75 also pointed to a separate study undertaken by Harris Media which revealed that, although social media ostensibly sits at the lower end of the scale for reach, 91 per cent of Gen Z-ers and 82 per cent of Millennials said they would reshare OOH adverts on social media, giving traditional billboard ads the possibility of a surprise digital second life too. 75Media holds a strong position in the out-of-home market along the M62 corridor, with well-established classic billboards in Hull, Leeds, Bradford, Manchester and Liverpool. The operator has also recently ramped up its digital OOH presence in these areas, with new screens launching on major arterial roads in Hull, Leeds, Bradford and Liverpool. In 2022 it entered a 10-year partnership with outdoor media infrastructure provider, Wildstone, as part of its ambition to become “the largest independent OOH operator in the North of England.”