OOH offers a significant complement to brand marketing by providing a tangible and immersive experience that cuts through and resonates with consumers on a personal level. Even more so when it is designed to appeal to affluent consumers who follow luxury trends.
The way in which these luxury labels market their products is continuously changing to meet the expectations of their sophisticated and evolving customer base, and as they explore innovative ways to engage with their audiences, premium category advertisers are increasingly acknowledging the power of OOH.
While digital online platforms offer hyper-targeting capabilities, they also pose challenges such as ad-blocking, saturation and consumer fatigue. Meanwhile, OOH presents a unique opportunity for marketeers to break through the digital noise and create impactful experiences by leveraging the authenticity of real-world interactions to forge genuine connections with consumers.
What also sets OOH apart is its ability to provide a premium setting and platform for communication, which, combined with creativity, delivers a perfect mix for brands aspiring to be recognised as symbols of luxury and style, showcasing their products in an environment that aligns with their exclusivity and desirability.
When it comes to the Middle East, luxury brands are increasingly adopting OOH to create a full-funnel consumer journey, from awareness to purchase and beyond, by strategically using OOH and DOOH across different stages of the consumer journey:
Awareness
At the top of the funnel, luxury brands use large-format OOH platforms and high-visibility digital screens in strategic locations. These placements ensure maximum visibility and create a strong brand presence. An example is Louis Vuitton using large format OOH, in high-traffic areas to showcase their latest collections and brand collaborations. The sheer size and premium locations support a broadcast approach.
Consideration
To move potential customers down the funnel, luxury brands are incorporating interactive and engaging DOOH campaigns. These campaigns often include augmented reality (AR) experiences and QR codes that consumers can scan to learn more about the products. This was showcased with Dior’s virtual pop-up shop, that featured using AR to allow consumers to visualize products in a 3D environment.
Conversion
In the conversion stage, luxury brands are leveraging DOOH’s programmatic capabilities to deliver targeted messages and offers to consumers based on real-time data and location. This helps in driving immediate action, such as visiting a store or making an online purchase. A recent collaboration highlights this beautifully, between Yazle and Invenda, which used programmatic DOOH to serve personalized ads that drove foot traffic to nearby stores.
Advocacy
To encourage advocacy, luxury brands feature user-generated content and influencer endorsements on DOOH screens. This not only provides social proof but also encourages satisfied customers to share their experiences, thereby promoting word-of-mouth marketing. This was done very effectively by Bulgari’s e-commerce campaign in the UAE, which involved regional influencers who shared their experiences with the brand, which were then amplified through DOOH screens.
Integrated OOH Strategies
Luxury brands are combining OOH with other digital marketing efforts to create a cohesive and integrated marketing strategy. By syncing OOH campaigns with social media, mobile advertising, and in-store experiences, brands ensure a seamless and consistent consumer journey.
These brands are tailoring their OOH campaigns to resonate with the cultural and social nuances of the Middle Eastern market. This includes the use of local celebrities and influencers in advertising, as well as the incorporation of culturally relevant themes and visuals and we see that overall, the adoption of OOH by the high-end sector reflects a strategic approach to leverage the region’s dynamic consumer landscape, to connect with consumers in innovative and engaging ways, reflecting the region’s unique blend of tradition and modernity.
By Nabila Al Tuwal – Head of Sales at Viola Outdoor
