Why Out of Home Keeps Auto Brands Driving & Thriving

April 8, 2025

Out of home advertising and the automotive industry go together like engines and fuel - one powers the other and we’ll give you one guess at which one is the fuel!

We know what drivers and passengers are doing as they make long or short commutes, consuming strategically placed out-of-home ads while driving or riding in automobiles. In fact, nine in ten adults have seen an OOH ad in the past 30 days (SOURCE: OAAA). Out of home is a proven effective means for all tiers of automotive businesses to reach the target consumer, communicating details about their new and exciting models or features, giving drivers a nudge to imagine themselves in the driver’s seat of a new ride. At the local level, dealerships can boost engagement for their locations by highlighting available models, pricing, and service contracts.

Out of home advertising, which includes billboards, wallscapes, transit ads, digital assets, and more, has seen a resurgence in recent years, due to its effectiveness to reach audiences on the go and in an un-skippable format that circumvents digital burnout. As one of the leading OOH companies in the country, OUTFRONT’s 500,000 canvases reach over 75% of the US population on a weekly basis (SOURCE: Geopath).

 
Why is out of home a driver of success for the automobile industry?

• 1. Increased Consumer Recall: Up to 86% of consumers can recall seeing an OOH ad, beating out all other media types, and 78% of those consumers took action after seeing the ad. This is a testament to the ability of OOH advertising to leave a lasting impression on consumers, often driving them to visit a dealership or explore a car brand further (SOURCE: OAAA/Solomon Partners).


• 2. Drive Time Impact: Automobile ads on billboards, transit media, and digital canvases have a direct connection to their target audience: car buyers. This aligns with the automobile industry's need to reach people during their daily commutes when they are most likely thinking about upgrading their vehicle or making a purchase.


• 3. Digital Out of Home Growth: The DOOH market has seen an explosive increase in recent years, accounting for 34% of total OOH ad spend in 2024, a 7.5% year-over-year jump, with a significant portion of this growth driven by automobile advertisers (SOURCE: OAAA). The digital aspect of OOH allows for dynamic messaging and even interactive elements that increase consumer engagement. This can include features such as real-time pricing, special offers, or even the ability to schedule test drives, all of which make OOH advertising more impactful for automobile brands.

 
Creative excellence really puts you in the driver’s seat of your out-of-home campaign. Out of home’s ability to create a lasting visual impression contributes to its efficacy for automobile brands. Exciting visuals and engaging messages can quickly convey a car's features, design, and lifestyle appeal. Billboards and digital signage in strategic locations – such as near car dealerships, busy highways, and transit hubs – ensure that these advertisements reach the right people at the right time.

 
The relationship between OOH and the category has paid dividends for automotive brands who rely on this effective, high-impact platform to reach consumers where they are on the move, helping businesses drive brand awareness, consumer recall, and ultimately, vehicle sales. Especially given the shake-up auto brands currently face from new tariffs, delivering the right message to the right audience at the right time is more critical than ever.

We’re able to keep clients on track to hit their campaign performance goals using our measurement and attribution stack. Recently INEOS Automotive ran a campaign with the goal of raising the brand profile for its Grenadier 4x4 and to drive footfall to the dealerships. With an assist from our independent third-party measurement partner StreetMetrics, we were able to track an increase in visitation rate (+184% from pre-campaign to post), as well as improved ad recall (+31.7%) and brand awareness (+10.5%) (SOURCE: StreetMetrics).

 
Beyond just roadside billboards, automotive brands can also connect with audiences with transit advertising. An excellent example of this is Cadillac using Liveboards and Video Urban Panels to raise awareness of their Escalade IQ electric vehicle line. Additionally, they really put the pedal to the metal and executed a Times Square “roadblock,” taking over every screen available.

 
With the continued success of automotive brands on our billboards and transit media, it's clear that the future of this partnership is LED-headlight-bright. As automobile brands continue to innovate and consumers become more mobile and connected, OOH promises to remain a key player in shaping the way people experience and purchase cars.

Get on the road to success. Contact OUTFRONT today!

Author: Michelle Charalambopoulos, Marketing Manager @ OUTFRONT

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