‘Digital drives action, but OOH builds trust’

For Blue Buddha, the shift in media strategy is not about choosing between digital and outdoor, it is about understanding what each medium delivers. 

“OOH is mainly for branding and to drive footfall to stores,” says Sahil Gohel. In Gujarat’s retail landscape, where trust continues to influence buying decisions, outdoor plays a clear role in building presence and credibility. It is less about immediate action, and more about long-term recall. 

That role, however, is becoming more defined as digital takes the lead on performance. “With digital, we know exactly what we are spending, what the clicks are, and how it translates into sales,” Sahil explains. This clarity has shifted budgets over the past year, with digital becoming a more dominant part of the mix due to its measurability and speed. 

Cost further sharpens this divide. “If I spend ₹1 lakh on digital versus ₹1 lakh on a hoarding, digital directly translates into measurable outcomes.” In markets like Mumbai, where scale is necessary for visibility, the economics of OOH become even more challenging. 

DOOH, meanwhile, remains limited and highly contextual. “Case to case, mainly in malls or controlled environments,” he notes, pointing to the importance of attention and environment over format alone. 

Yet, OOH continues to hold its place. “If we want to build the brand and elevate it, then there is no option apart from OOH or TV.” It remains a complementary layer, one that supports digital rather than competing with it. 

In a price-conscious market like Gujarat, this balance becomes even more important. “Many brands still see this as an expense, not an investment,” Sahil says. While this mindset is gradually shifting, it continues to influence how and where brands spend. 

For Blue Buddha, the approach is clear, digital drives action, but OOH builds trust. And in a market navigating both performance and perception, both continue to have a role, just not the same one anymore.