Ziad Issa, CEO, IPSOS MENAAdvertising is no longer a race for visibility only. It is a competition for attention, and attention has become the most valuable asset in marketing. In a world where audiences are more selective and more empowered than ever, the brands that succeed are those that earn this attention rather than demand it.
Across MENA, consumers are surrounded by content from morning to night. They scroll, swipe, skip, and mute at record speed. Ipsos research shows that almost 75 per cent of viewers decide within five seconds whether to continue watching an ad. That fleeting moment now determines whether a message connects or disappears.
The underestimated engine of impact
While many advertisers chase short-term digital metrics, out-of-home continues to prove its long-term value through both efficiency and effectiveness. Ipsos data shows that OOH delivers one of the lowest global average costs per thousand impressions at $6.41, nearly half the $12.20 all-media average. For marketers facing constant pressure to justify every dollar, that difference directly translates into stronger return on investment.
But cost efficiency is only part of the story. OOH’s strength lies in how it combines reach with relevance. It meets commuters, shoppers, and travellers in the real world, at moments when attention is highest and distraction is lowest. Unlike digital formats, it cannot be skipped, scrolled past, or muted. It demands a pause, not a click.
The creative advantage: where ideas meet context
OOH’s true power lies in creativity. Ipsos’ global creative effectiveness database shows that when OOH ads are perceived as unique, they can deliver a 21 per cent lift in memory encoding, driving stronger long-term brand recall.
Campaigns that evoke empathy, making people feel ‘this is for someone like me’ can increase behavioural change by 53 per cent. Those that introduce new or unexpected ideas drive a further 38 per cent uplift. When empathy and novelty come together, OOH becomes one of the most effective platforms for both emotional connection and message retention.
From illuminated facades on Sheikh Zayed Road to digital screens along Riyadh Boulevard, great OOH campaigns turn familiar spaces into shared experiences. They transform architecture into storytelling and everyday commutes into moments of engagement.
The tactics that drive results
Ipsos data identifies two consistent levers of success in OOH execution.
The first is the use of distinctive brand assets such as logos, colours, taglines, and product visuals. Including a tagline can lead to a 24 per cent increase in behavioural response, while showing the product or its packaging drives an even higher 61 per cent uplift. Recognition begins with familiarity, and OOH excels at turning familiarity into trust.
The second is simplicity. Campaigns built around one clear message outperform multi-message executions by 44 per cent in driving behaviour change. In a world of fragmented attention, clarity is not only a creative discipline, but also a commercial advantage.
The strategic mandate for marketers
OOH is no longer a complementary channel. It has become a strategic pillar that connects efficiency, creativity, and credibility in one place. It creates shared public experiences in an era dominated by private screens and fleeting impressions.
For decision makers, the numbers are persuasive. OOH delivers broader reach than other mediums. It offers almost 50 per cent lower cost per thousand impressions (CPM) and contributes to more than half of award winning campaigns worldwide. Yet its value is not just numerical. OOH restores something the industry has lost: the ability to make people feel part of a collective moment.
In a world where so much media disappears the second it appears, physical visibility still builds permanence. It gives brands a presence that audiences can literally see, feel and remember.
The next chapter of marketing effectiveness will belong to brands that balance analytical precision with creative ambition. OOH offers the space to do both. It turns fleeting attention into lasting memory, memory into action, and action into measurable growth.
In a marketplace overflowing with noise, that might just be the most valuable outcome of all.
By Ziad Issa, CEO, IPSOS MENA
