“OOH needs to reinvent itself to stay relevant”

Dr Falguni Vasavada, Professor of Marketing, MICA, opened her session, titled ‘Does the consumer really see your ad and act on it?’, by questioning whether audiences are paying attention to outdoor advertising at all when they remain absorbed in their phones even while outdoors. She argued that visibility and traffic alone do not guarantee attention; OOH must earn it through relevance, strategic creativity and a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour.  

Drawing on campaigns from across the world, including Spotify’s hyperlocal billboards, British Airways’ flight-tracking installation, Barbie’s CGI spectacle, Netflix’s live billboard stunt and an interactive campaign against domestic violence, she demonstrated how technology, experiential formats, local insights and audience psychology can turn outdoor advertising into something people stop for, engage with and share. She also highlighted the need to understand OOH’s role in the brand’s media funnel and strengthen collaboration between brands and agencies across media channels. 

The full article on Dr Falguni’s session, exploring these campaigns and what they reveal about the changing possibilities of outdoor advertising, will feature in the December edition of Outdoor Asia magazine.