• by Aaron Baar , March 5, 2013

Boosted by technological improvements, the election year and its ability to reach young and affluent Americans better than many other media, out-of-home (OOH) advertising spending jumped more than 4% last year -- reaching nearly $6.7 billion, according to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA).

“OOH is one of the fastest growing adverting media around, constantly evolving and adapting to new markets, formats, technology, and opportunities,” Nicole Hayes, communications director for the OAAA, tells Marketing Daily. “OOH is also becoming a key strategy for complementing social media and mobile advertising efforts.”

Not surprisingly, the top growth category for last year was government and political organizations, which accounted for 30% of the overall growth last year, although sectors such as retail, miscellaneous services & amusements, and schools, camps and seminars also posted strong gains for the year. OOH revenues in 2012’s fourth quarter were up 3.4% over the same period in 2011. 

Of the top 10 advertisers that increased their OOH spending last year, four were communications brands: Verizon, Samsung, AT&T and MetroPCS. Samsung, which has become a leader in the mobile phone market, increased its OOH spend by 400% in 2012. 

“OOH audiences are young, affluent, mobile and connected – exactly the demographics who are using smartphones and tablets,” Hayes says. “OOH also provides the perfect opportunity for consumers to interact with mobile and social technology when outside the home.”