Shining Bright in the Lone Star State: Why Big Tech Thrives on OOH

December 5, 2024

Once known primarily for its oil and gas industries, the Dallas-Ft. Worth region is now emerging as a powerful force in the tech world. Several major tech companies have relocated here, bringing not only innovation, and an entrepreneurial spirit that’s reshaping Dallas’ identity.

The area boasts two of the top ten tech cities in the nation, #4 Plano and #10 Frisco (SOURCE: Cloud Awards), and has attracted nearly 50,000 new tech workers between 2018 and 2023 (SOURCE: Dallas News).

As Dallas’ new identity forms, these big tech companies are utilizing competitive advertising strategies on large format out of home to make a BIG impact on their audiences.

They use OOH as a partner and platform to showcase their brand value propositions. Mullvad VPN recently ran a prodigious ad campaign in Dallas, Boston, Miami, and Los Angeles. Here, the company showcased its value proposition on four OUTFRONT wallscapes in the heart of downtown Dallas, combining clever copy and eye-catching yellow creative. This campaign was so massive you could see it from the airplanes flying in and out of the DFW airport. As they say, everything’s bigger in Texas.


One of the most powerful elements of OOH is its ability to target messaging to the intended audience. At OUTFRONT we use a proprietary data platform called smartSCOUT™ to match our assets to a vast collection of audience data ensuring our client messages are reaching their intended demographic.

It's interesting to consider that despite the rapid advancements in technology and the internet, major tech companies still rely on the world’s oldest form of advertising – out of home. It’s advertising’s most-trusted and best-liked medium (SOURCES: MFour, The Harris Poll) and these brands recognize that it can’t be skipped, turned off, or overlooked. It blends seamlessly into the fabric of the landscape. Take these Dallas street kiosks for example.


Anthropic recently ran a campaign for its Claude AI incorporating these kiosks, which capture the attention of both downtown pedestrians and passing vehicles. But it didn’t stop there, taking it further with localized messaging on a prominent Downtown wallscape. Localization is an especially effective form of contextual relevance; 85% of businesses report that it directly boosts revenue growth (SOURCE: Unbabel). By tailoring its campaign to the community, Anthropic tapped into this proven strategy for impactful brand engagement.


The hottest category in the technology space currently is artificial intelligence. Intuit has astutely taken to this localization strategy in its messaging, highlighting its AI tool on this digital billboard for Mailchimp, its email and marketing automation platform.


Dallas/Ft. Worth’s rapidly expanding tech scene encompasses a wide range of sectors, from telecommunications and e-commerce to software development and cybersecurity.

This diversity is reflected in the audiences advertisers can reach with OOH. For example, payment app Venmo successfully leveraged outdoor advertising by targeting Gen Z with straightforward creative on the Downtown Digital Network screens and a prominent wallscape in Downtown Dallas.


The technology industry is characterized by constant innovation and fierce competition, driving widespread growth in Dallas and beyond. The Dallas Business Journal recently highlighted these six tech trends in the Dallas region: Technology talent growth, technology business relocation, cybersecurity focus, growth in fintech, data center expansion, and innovation districts. With these growth factors in play we expect to see even more amazing out of home campaigns in Dallas in the near future.

Is your brand ready to reach this growing, affluent audience? Contact OUTFRONT today.

Author: Michelle Charalambopoulos, Marketing Manager @ OUTFRONT

Links to third-party content are not endorsed by OUTFRONT Media. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. OUTFRONT does not guarantee specific results or outcomes.