Out of home advertising (OOH) has long been associated with visibility. Today, however, it is increasingly proving its ability to drive real consumer action.
In a recent episode of BIA’s Leading Local Insights Podcast, I spoke with Dave Rivera, VP of Channel Partnerships at Vistar Media, about this shift. We discussed the growing role of digital out of home (DOOH) and how the medium is evolving from a traditional awareness channel into a driver of engagement, search activity, and purchase decisions.
Our U.S. Local Advertising Forecast offers context for the discussion. It shows steady momentum in the OOH category, with local OOH spending projected to grow more than 3% annually, reaching about 5% growth between 2025 and 2026.
Much of that growth is being driven by DOOH, which now represents roughly 42% of total OOH spending as digital screens continue to expand across highways, airports, retail environments, transit hubs, and other everyday locations.
For advertisers, the increasing availability of digital screens has transformed how OOH can be bought, measured, and integrated with other media channels.
These advancements challenge one of the biggest misconceptions about OOH—that it is only effective for building brand awareness. As Rivera explained during our conversation, the medium’s impact often goes much further.
Rivera notes that DOOH exposure can trigger measurable action, including increases in search activity after consumers see an ad, sometimes up to an 80% lift. DOOH can also strengthen performance across other channels, increasing engagement when audiences later encounter the brand on social media, in display advertising, or on connected TV.
Rather than competing with digital media, DOOH often amplifies it.
Another advantage of OOH is the context in which audiences encounter it. OOH reaches people in an unobtrusive way as they move through their day—commuting, traveling, shopping, or exploring their communities. In many cases, consumers encountering these messages are in a positive mindset and open to discovering something new.
Our conversation also highlighted an opportunity that many local media companies have yet to fully capitalize on. As traditional media companies look for ways to diversify revenue, DOOH can become an important addition to their marketing solutions. Many broadcasters, publishers, and local sellers already maintain strong relationships with advertisers, and their sales teams could help bring DOOH opportunities to more local businesses.
As our discussion made clear, OOH is increasingly driving action, strengthening digital campaigns, and creating a growing opportunity for marketers and local media sellers as digital screens expand and buying tools improve.
Listen to the Podcast
Hear the full conversation with Dave Rivera, VP of Channel Partnerships at Vistar Media, where we also touch on the company’s acquisition by T-Mobile—and why magenta is their color. You can also learn more about Vistar Media at VistarMedia.com.
