Location Location Location
Yes this is the exact same post from Friday. We had pushback Friday regarding the Location verses Creative debate. We spiced up the photos and Titles and are back with the same story. Did you read it Friday? Stop.Or continue and share your thoughts. We don’t repeat posts very often.
Thank you for opening.
Location Location Location
Those 3 words may work for real estate, it does not work as an absolute for OOH.
Location does not carry the day for OOH in terms of the absolute truism, people often credit to it.
Location is not the number one determinant of OOH success. Location is important, however, it is not number one.
Creative is the number one
Creative is the number one determinant to OOH success. I believe I have, an answer to silence the location proponents of this endless debate.
Creative is the number one determinant to OOH success.
OOH Today is suggesting of all the elements which are critical to planning and executing a great OOH campaign, creative is most vital to success. Not location. Not number of faces. Not total impressions. Not data! Not length of contract.
Creative is the single most important element as it will attract the consumer’s attention, creating a memorable impact selling a product or service. And yet, we do not include it in our measurement.
This has been a career long debate.
Consider this simple example to demonstrate the absolute superior value of ‘creative over location’ in every OOH campaign.
The solution is a real one, you can take it to the streets of your OOH market.
Choose your ‘worst location’ in the market. I know, you “don’t have any bad locations. They are all good.” Select one which is less than ‘perfect’. To be reasonable, do not select the unit which is 100% blocked by trees or other obstructions. (Yes, OOH ads can be blocked, contrary to all the opinions and posts people headline otherwise). Select a ‘poor location’, partial obstruction is acceptable.
… a totally nude man and or woman. Show total frontal nudity.
Post a billboard, poster, transit ad or any OOH media, with creative which is a totally nude man and or woman. Show total frontal nudity. Do not block selective body parts. The full image. Got it?
Next, take an award-winning design from last year’s Obie’s, post it the same day. Install on your ‘best location’. Install on your strongest, dead ahead, right reader, so close to the road you can touch it in the drive by and with hundreds of thousands of daily impressions.
Now wait…
Wait, for the phone to ring. Wait, for the internet to crash. Wait for social media to explode! Wait… for the newspaper and news stations calling. Perhaps the city attorney. Wait, for your mom to phone. That will determine the winner. Agreed?
They will not be calling about the Award Winning Obie design. Tell me which is more effective?
The nude creative on the poor location? Or the ‘award winner’ on the best location?
What? You can not post a totally full frontal nude man or woman on any of your OOH locations? By virtue of the effect in the marketplace, the nude creative will create, you can not even allow our little competition to commence? Any further discussion which is most important element to OOH? Creative wins.
Creative always wins. I have never once heard someone say, “hey did you see that awesome location with that horrible creative?”
Creative wins
Creative always wins. I have never once heard someone say, “hey did you see that awesome location with that horrible creative?” Unless they know the parties involved. But when great creative hits the street, even colleagues come in to the office talking about it. Yet, we still don’t factor in creative in measurement.
This is a clever, ‘SPACE AVAILABLE’ design. Copy, “The sooner you advertise here, the better.”
We are not advocating nudity on OOH of any kind. Through the extreme example, we are illustrating the secondary importance of location and the primary importance creative plays in the success of Outdoor.
No amount of great locations, strategic data targeted for maximum impressions delivery or latest software, hardware will save a campaign if the creative is not effective.
No amount of strategic data targeted for maximum impressions delivery or latest software, hardware will save a campaign if the creative is not effective.
Our example was to define creative as the single most important element of Outdoor Advertising. Too often, poor management decisions are based on the perceived value of locations.
We know the asset valuation a location brings to the financials. We understand the opportunity a great location provides. Open, unsold faces, void maximizing the value of the opportunity and assets. Mediocre or poor creative cripples the entire effort. Support great creative, together with the other elements mentioned above, for the most effective OOH campaign. Bring creative measurement into OOH ratings.
Creative must always be ‘winning’ in your OOH ‘store’. Keep uncompromising creative, the focus in your office/market/company with your entire team, not just the creative staff.
Where do you stand on the argument? Creative or location? Which is most important?
What say you?
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I say put great creative on a static or digital billboard truck and have the best of both worlds. Yes (one of) the other OOH choices not only brings the larger than life images down to earth but is the most flexible option when it comes to location location location.
Hi Rod. Are you in the billboard truck business by any chance? 🙂 Regards to the article’s challenge, Will Bulldog place a fully frontal nude on your truck side?
I most certainly am in the billboard truck business. I won’t put full frontal nude on my trucks. PG 13, R and X designations control what the under age can and can not see in the theaters. We can not control what a minor sees on a truck in public so it is up to the owner to monitor content.
Of course you will not. We would have been surprised if you had answered any differently. Creative always trumps location, no matter the medium. thank you Rod.