Deck the Halls —highways, bus benches, and airport terminals —(Why Advertisers Should Use Every OOH Format This Holiday Season)

By Brent Baer, Publisher, OOH Today. For this post, we consulted Allie Iverson for assistance

If there’s ever a time to go big, bold, and everywhere, it’s the holidays.

From billboards on the freeway to digital screens in movie theaters, airports, buses, and bus benches, the last quarter of the year is prime real estate for Out of Home (OOH) advertising. It’s when consumers are in motion, wallets are open, and attention is at an all-time high.

the last quarter of the year is prime real estate for Out of Home

🚗 Holiday Traffic Is Back — and Bigger Than Ever

According to AAA, more than 115 million Americans traveled during the 2024 holiday season — the highest number since tracking began. Highway traffic jumped 3.5% year over year, while TSA screened over 2.9 million passengers in a single day during Christmas week — a record.

🎥 Movie theaters are booming too — thanks to blockbusters and family releases, holiday box office attendance rises an average of 35% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s (Comscore).
🚌 Transit ridership spikes as shoppers, workers, and travelers move through cities for events and last-minute errands.
🏙️ Downtown foot traffic increases by 20–30% in major metros as local markets, parades, and public events draw crowds.

In short: this is the one time of year when everyone is out of home — and in a buying mindset.

this is the one time of year when everyone is out of home — and in a buying mindset.

📊 Why You Need All the OOH Formats

Each OOH format touches a unique moment in the consumer journey — and the magic happens when they work together:

• Billboards: Command attention on highways and shopping corridors. Perfect for brand awareness and high-frequency impressions.
• Transit Advertising: Buses, shelters, and benches keep your brand visible locally — where holiday errands happen.
• Airport Media: Reaches high-income travelers during dwell time — a captive, receptive audience ready to splurge.
• Cinema Advertising: Immersive storytelling right before the biggest films of the season — 80% of moviegoers recall on-screen ads (NCM).
• Street Furniture & Digital Kiosks: Perfect for hyperlocal messaging, guiding shoppers to nearby stores or events.

OOH is unskippable, brand-safe, and perfectly positioned for the surge in outdoor activity. It builds familiarity across formats, from a 14×48 billboard to the bus bench someone passes twice a day.

⏰ Time Is Running Out

The holidays don’t wait — and neither should your media buy. Inventory across major OOH formats starts tightening by early November, especially in high-traffic corridors and transit hubs.

Advertisers who secure placements now will dominate the season — while late planners get left out in the cold.

This holiday season, don’t just show up — show up everywhere.

🎁 Wrap It Up

This holiday season, don’t just show up — show up everywhere.
OOH offers unmatched reach, creative flexibility, and real-world engagement that no other medium can touch.

So deck the halls — and the highways, bus benches, and airport terminals — with your brand. Because the holidays are here, and time is running out to be seen.