Out of home (OOH) advertising continues to show its strength in the marketing landscape, with revenue increasing by 3.4% in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to the latest figures from the out of home advertising association of America (OAAA). This brings OOH revenue to a record-breaking $2.78 billion, marking the highest quarterly volume ever recorded and pushing first-half growth to an increase of 4.8%.
Digital out of home (DOOH) advertising has been a significant contributor to the overall growth of the sector. Accounting for 34% of total quarterly sales, DOOH experienced a 7.5% increase from the previous year. DOOH is now confirmed as a critical driver of OOH’s momentum, reflecting advertisers’ growing recognition of the medium’s capabilities and its ability to engage audiences in increasingly innovative ways.
The report also highlighted OOH’s resilience and its reflection of broader economic trends. The Transit category saw the most substantial growth, with a 13.7% increase from the second quarter of 2023. Seven of the top 10 product industries recorded increased quarterly volumes, led by Automotive Dealers and Services (+17.8%), Retail (+14.8%), and Local Services & Amusements (+10.1%). This broad-based growth is seen as a positive indicator of economic strength.
The top 10 OOH product categories by volume for the second quarter included Legal Services, Hospitals, Clinics & Medical Centers, and Domestic Hotels & Resorts. Spending in Online and Mobile Travel Services surged by 78%, while the Computer Software category saw a 46% jump,.
Among top brands, Hotels.com, Apple, McDonald’s, and Verizon led the charge in OOH spending for the first quarter of 2024. Two-thirds of the top 100 OOH advertisers increased their spend compared to Q2 2023, with 14 more than doubling their investments. Notable brands with significant spend increases included Ramp, Molson Coors, and Ford.
A significant portion of this spending surge came from technology and direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, with one-quarter of the top 100 OOH spenders belonging to these categories. Twelve of these brands, including industry giants like Apple, Amazon, and Google, ranked among the top 25 OOH spenders.
