If you want to reach Americans to ask for their vote, Go Outdoor!

Although there are many OOH media options, it’s not a surprise that when people run for a political office, they first think of billboards.  Once thought of as the last form of “mass media”, keep in mind that today’s out of home can provide highly-targeted strategic options as well.

Here are some additional topline considerations if you are planning a political OOH push.

Large scale – reach the whole market

Running full general market coverage is still the most common practice for many campaigns.  Candidates want as many impressions as possible to solidify their base, sway those “fence sitters”, and possibly even convince the other side to surrender their vote.  Imagery and a url address continue to be prominent features of these ads, along with a short and effective —some might say provocative— tag line.  Don’t forget that your voter only has about 7 – 10 seconds to read your message.  Think it through: what are your goals, and what is the most important take-away that you don’t want them to miss?

Target the right local audience

With the advancements in big data it’s now possible to have more highly-targeted out of home placement based on your specific criteria.  Where do your “fence sitters” live? Where do they work? Also be sure to consider other out of home media that might be available—and highly effective—at reaching your target. With out of home you can concentrate your media where you need it to be, and make the most of your available budget.

Perfect for you, but will it go up?

One of the most interesting steps in finding the right locations, is getting space owners to approve an ad.  Don’t forget that no matter which side the candidate is on, about half of the country is on the other side.  If a great location is available, keep in mind that the property owner still has the right to refuse the ad.  One interesting thing to watch is which is more important to a space owner, their political preferences or the revenue stream generated by their investment.  More often than not, it’s the money who gets the vote.

Connect your OOH to online and social

Online and social media are key parts of any modern political campaign, and out of home is well situated to interact with those elements.  A recent study shows how effective out of home can be at driving traffic to websites and search. When you add in the ability to rapidly change creatives on digital out of home spaces, OOH can quickly become an integrated, evolving part of your overall media strategy. Take advantage of this strong combination, making the sum greater than the media parts.

A history of prompting action

For years, the Outdoor industry has shared an observation about how effective OOH can be in sparking an emotional response and prompting action, and this couldn’t be more true than with political and cause-based advertising.  Assisting in this effort is the fact that Outdoor Advertising can’t have its channel changed, be clicked passed, or thrown away.  Your media and message will be securely visible in the heart of any market your select.  What will you say on the medium to prompt the action you need?

Need some help with your media planning this political season? Please reach out to me at rs@emcoutdoor.com I’d love to discuss the benefits of OOH with you!