Why the choice of format matters in Out-of-Home advertising

Choosing an advertising format is never just a technical detail. In out-of-home (OOH) advertising, the location and positioning of the displays are just as critical as the message itself. Street furniture, bus shelters, and standalone units create different types of encounters with consumers, directly impacting how OOH and DOOH perform against campaign objectives.

Street furniture encompasses surfaces embedded in everyday life: bus shelters, city information panels, and standalone units in pedestrian thoroughfares and town squares. Because they are located exactly where people move, wait, or navigate, they offer both proximity and time with the message. Multiple studies show that formats like bus shelters often generate high ad recall because they combine eye-level positioning with longer exposure times than large roadside formats. Eurosize panels at transit stops build recognition among commuters who see them day after day, while standalone units in squares and along pedestrian paths serve as clear, easily grasped signals in places where people naturally focus their attention.

Source: AdQuick, Bus Shelter Advertising – Plan, Buy & Measure; Alight Media, Is bus shelter advertising right for your business?; VCO Outdoor, Street Furniture in Chicago.

Larger formats, such as Supersize, perform a different role. They capture the attention of motorists and transit traffic along major arteries and entry roads, where contact time is shorter and the message must be extremely concise. Street furniture complements these by facilitating slower, more intimate contacts—where people walk, wait, or change transport modes. Together, these formats build both broad reach and everyday presence. For marketers, this means the choice of format must align with both the target audience’s movement patterns and the campaign’s role in the media mix: a network of bus shelters and standalone units can provide base reach, while “select” panels can reinforce presence around stores, events, or key areas in both OOH and DOOH.

Source: AdQuick; Alight Media.

A simple way to approach this is to work in layers. First, establish a broad street-level network to ensure visibility in everyday life. Next, supplement this with “select” panels where the target audience is particularly concentrated. Finally, if necessary, add larger screens, billboards, or “Innovate” solutions to generate extra attention. The goal is to move beyond merely counting impressions and GRP (Reach (%) × Frequency) to understanding the specific role each format plays in how people actually move through the city.