How programmatic digital out of home (DOOH) can target seasonal travelers

When it comes to a marketing strategy during the summer months, traditionally, advertisers would utilize local out of home (OOH) environments to reach potential travelers and tourists before they depart. Now with DOOH innovation and programmatic technology, buyers can unlock unique opportunities to reach and engage with audiences in a more contextually relevant way throughout their journey and even at their destination. 

In the traditional OOH advertising model, campaigns were bought weeks and often months in advance. Leveraging the benefits of programmatic DOOH, which include the use of audience movement patterns and privacy-safe location data, gives advertisers a competitive edge compared to a traditional and direct approach. In programmatic DOOH, ads can be triggered by a high propensity of target customers seen to be in close proximity to a specific digital screen. 

As audiences continue to travel - driving, traveling by airplane, or train to their destination, programmatic DOOH can help buyers find an easier way to connect with the right audience, at the right time. From a customer perspective, this integration is seamless and contextually relevant - what might seem like a coincidence, is actually a highly strategic form of buying and selling DOOH ads that allows advertisers to act quickly on key moments happening in real-time. 

Key examples of Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO)

• 75% of summer vacationers plan to drive this year*. Driving during a holiday weekend can be very tough for drivers but with DCO, marketers can help consumers by showcasing live road conditions as they start out on their travel journey.

• Another important consideration for travelers is deciding on lodging, whether that means staying with family, hotels or housing rentals. With 66% of vacationers planning to stay at hotels this year, there is a great opportunity for hotel and booking sites to reach potential customers on the road*. Hotel brands can reach consumers by serving them the most relevant hotels based on their location. While on a road trip, this can help consumers who may not be familiar with the area they are in.

• Air travel continues to be a popular mode of transportation, with 59% of summer vacationers planning to fly*.Travel brands can reach travelers creatively whether they use real-time weather updates for specific destinations or promote more than one route throughout the airport. 

Source: OAAA, The Harris Poll (2023). OOH Opportunities: Summer Vacation Travel 2023

There is no better time for advertisers to leverage programmatic digital out of home (DOOH) to connect with summer travelers as they move across the country, or the globe. Being able to leverage the importance of a moment to reach consumers in real-time with contextually relevant creative allows marketers to authentically connect with the right audience, every time.