OOH’s big year: MegaBrands drive record growth in 2024

The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) has released its 2024 MegaBrands report, and it paints a picture of a medium that is not just surviving the digital age, it’s evolving with it. With over $9.13 billion in total OOH revenue for the year, a 4.6%

increase from 2023, the report highlights how leading brands are leveraging both scale and innovation to stay visible and relevant in real-world environments.

Total industry snapshot: $9.13 billion and growing The full-year OOH revenue of $9.13 billion marks a healthy 4.6% growth over 2023. Billboards dominated the revenue mix, contributing 72% ($6.57B), followed by transit media (16.8%), place-based (6.1%), and street furniture (5.1%). Digital OOH (DOOH) now makes up 34% of the total share, highlighting how technology is reshaping how advertisers approach outdoor media.

Top spending categories: Local and Retail reign supreme Across all four quarters, Local Services & Amusements retained the top spot, accounting for over 30% of total OOH spend in multiple quarters. This was followed closely by Retail, which recorded consistent double-digit growth, including a 17.7% YoY spike in Q3, reflecting brick-and-mortar businesses’ reliance on OOH to drive footfall. The Government & Politics category showed the most dramatic rise, up 27.6% in Q4, indicating increased investment in public campaigns and voter outreach. Communications also soared, up 76.1% YoY in Q4, as brands like Verizon and AT&T doubled down on market presence.

Who’s spending big? The 2024 top advertisers

The Top 10 OOH advertisers of 2024 were led by: Apple – $68.3M, McDonald’s – $61M, Amazon – $55.1M, Coca-Cola – $46.8M, Verizon – $44.2M, Disney – $41M, Morgan & Morgan – $38.6M, Hotels.com – $33.9M, Google – $33.4M, and Samsung – $27.7M. These brands span categories from tech and food to travel and legal services, showing the widespread effectiveness of OOH media in building everyday visibility.

OOH share in media mix: Subtle but strategic

Though OOH typically makes up a small slice of total media budgets, its share is growing in strategic importance. For instance, Apple allocated 5.8% of its total media spend to OOH the highest among top advertisers. Disney spent over $104.5M on OOH, making it the top-spending parent company overall. Amazon, despite its heavy digital focus, still invested $55M in OOH to round out its media mix. This shift underscores how brands use OOH to bridge digital saturation with tangible, high-visibility messaging.

DOOH’s rise: Data-driven and dynamic

Digital formats accounted for more than a third of total OOH revenue, and the momentum is expected to grow. DOOH offers flexibility through programmatic buying, dynamic creative updates, and geo targeted content making it attractive for brands that want to blend storytelling with responsiveness. Transit and place-based formats, in particular, are seeing more DOOH integration, especially in airports, subways, and high-end retail zones.

Emerging advertiser segments: Legal and government gain ground

Aside from traditional sectors, law firms, political campaigns, and health services made noticeable gains in the rankings. For instance, Morgan & Morgan Attorneys ranked 7th with nearly $39M in OOH spend. Sweet James and Rubenstein Law also appeared in the top 50. The U.S. Government, individual states like California, New York, and Florida, and political campaigns like Trump for President and Harris for President made significant use of OOH for voter outreach and public awareness. This broadening base of advertisers demonstrates the platform’s reach across public, private, and service-driven sectors.

OOH agencies and execution: Specialists drive impact

The report also sheds light on key agency partners supporting these massive campaigns. From full-service networks like Talon US to specialist media arms under dentsu, Havas, and Horizon, these agencies help brands maximize ROI through placement precision, data analysis, and localized creative strategy.

Looking ahead: OOH is built for visibility, built for now

OOH in 2024 proved itself not just durable, but dynamic. As digital ad fatigue grows and privacy regulations tighten, OOH offers a high-impact, brand-safe, non-intrusive format that meets audiences in the real world. Its resurgence fueled by digital innovation, creative versatility, and consistent ROI makes it a vital part of modern marketing mixes. With growing trust from mega brands, increased share of media budgets, and expansion into smart, responsive formats, OOH is no longer a supporting player. It’s a lead channel both in spend and strategy.