The debate has long raged as to which media channel is the ultimate powerhouse. Television, since its birth, has been the formidable powerhouse within the media world. Having the largest audience glued to the screen for decades.
Digital over the past 10 years has reared its head and threatened the livelihood of television with the explosive new age of social connection. Anyone to create and launch content – blogs, vlogs, posts, etc. Hundreds of millions of wannabe content creators have sprang onto our social feeds and desktop screens. We are now consuming more media than ever thanks to the digital era however it hasn’t killed the TV screen.
New research conducted by Dr Karen Nelson-Field, a professor of media innovation at The University of Adelaide has shown that our precious TV is still the most impactful place to build brands. The bigger the screen the bigger the impact.
The next big question – if outdoor digitally is set to run content, will it become the most powerful TV screen? Will this really big screen become the number one medium?
Let’s consider that bigger screens mean greater results for advertisers.
Let’s consider that outdoor now has the ability to run digital content in long form on big screens. For example, standing at the train platform or the bus stop, shortly you will have the ability to watch the 6pm news whilst you wait for your train on the outdoor big screens. Ad breaks will show advertising perhaps relevant to your journey home.
Let’s consider that once you hop on your train or bus then you will be able to continue watching the same content through the outdoor app.
But what about the sound issues? So many of us now carry headphones that the sound can easily be streamed through our smartphone. Apps can link to the outdoor big screen visual impact and crisp audio will flow through your headphones.
Digital outdoor in the near future will have the ability to broadcast the latest news stories, the biggest sporting events en masse through all of their big TV screens. With perfect sound quality through headphones. Big screen impactful advertising messages will stream next to quality content on the big outdoor television screen - at the bus stop, the shopping centre, in peak hour traffic. This could be a real game changer as to how we more powerfully engage with audiences on big screens. Audiences who are out and about making active purchase decisions during the commute.
Through the outdoor TV app, programmatic buying will enable marketers to engage unique audiences with relevant messages across a plethora of products. Pinpointing simultaneously the right individual in the right place en masse - in real time. Numerous brands will be able to use the power of the big outdoor screen when people are actively making purchase decisions.
Will TV continue to be the most powerful large screen en masse? Or is there a bigger audience on a bigger screen coming our way through content played via outdoor digital technology?
I believe that the best impact for marketers is yet to come.
Hyland founder Virginia Hyland