Outdoor
Outdoor advertising
Outdoor advertising – also called OOH – is printed ads in public spaces: billboards, bus shelters, posters, scaffolding wraps and large formats on buildings. It is a channel people cannot scroll past or block, and it reaches almost everyone who moves around a city. PR360 plans and buys national and local outdoor campaigns in Denmark, and combines them with digital screens when the campaign needs it.
How does outdoor advertising work?
Outdoor is bought as sites for a fixed period, typically one or two weeks. During that period the ad is visible around the clock to everyone who passes – pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and public transport users. Coverage builds quickly when sites are spread across the routes the audience actually uses.
Because the ad is seen briefly and often at a distance, outdoor rewards simple creatives: one message, a clear brand and a strong image. In return, the format gives a physical, unavoidable presence that strengthens awareness and makes other channels work harder.
Three typical outdoor formats
Street furniture
Bus shelters and city posters at eye level. Many sites, close to pedestrians and good for city-wide coverage.
Billboards
Larger roadside formats aimed at traffic. Strong visibility for drivers and on arterial roads.
Large formats
Scaffolding wraps and building banners in central locations. Few sites, but a dominant presence that is hard to miss.
Traditional outdoor or DOOH?
Printed outdoor and digital screens are both out-of-home, but they solve different tasks. Many campaigns use both.
| Aspect | Traditional outdoor | DOOH |
|---|---|---|
| Content | One printed design for the whole period | Digital spots that can change during the flight |
| Exposure | Usually the only advertiser on the site | Shares the screen with other advertisers in a loop |
| Visibility | Around the clock for the whole period | Can be limited to specific dayparts and days |
| Production | Printing, logistics and posting with longer deadlines | Digital files – no printing |
| Best for | A strong, sustained presence at fixed locations | Changing messages, offers and timing |
Choosing the right format
When is outdoor the right choice?
Outdoor is powerful for visibility, but it is not the right tool for everything. These are the situations we see most often.
You are launching a product or brand and need to be noticed broadly
Outdoor gives quick, physical coverage and is often the visible backbone of a launch.
You want to be present around specific stores, venues or areas
Local outdoor near the location reminds people at the moment they are close by.
The message changes often – offers, prices or countdowns
DOOH is usually a better fit, because content can be changed without reprinting.
Read about DOOH advertisingYou need direct clicks and measurable sales online
Combine outdoor with digital channels such as display that can carry the audience further.
Read about display advertising
What outdoor delivers
Unavoidable presence
Outdoor cannot be skipped, blocked or scrolled past – it is part of the environment people move through.
Fast coverage
A well-planned network of sites reaches a large share of a city's population within a short period.
Local precision
Sites can be chosen street by street, so the campaign is visible exactly where it matters.
Brand credibility
A physical, large-format presence signals scale and strengthens trust in the brand.
Creative and production
Outdoor is seen in seconds and often at a distance. We plan for these factors from the start:
One clear message
A short headline, a strong image and a visible logo. Anything that requires reading closely gets lost.
Legibility at distance
Large type and high contrast, so the ad works from across the street or from a passing car.
Print specifications
Each vendor and format has its own sizes, bleed and resolution requirements. We collect them before production begins.
Deadlines
Printed material has to be delivered well before the campaign starts, so planning needs to begin early.
Planning and site selection
In outdoor, the choice of locations is the targeting. Planning starts with where the audience actually goes.
Geography
National coverage, selected cities or a tight radius around a store or dealership.
Routes and traffic
Sites along commuter routes, arterial roads and around transport hubs.
Context
Locations near shopping areas, venues or events that match the campaign.
Number of sites
The balance between many smaller sites for coverage and fewer large formats for impact.
Period
Campaign weeks timed to launches, seasons and the rest of the media plan.
How we plan outdoor
- 01
Objective and area
We clarify what the campaign should achieve and where the audience is.
- 02
Sites and formats
We compare vendors, locations and formats against budget and coverage goals.
- 03
Production
We send specifications, check the creatives and coordinate delivery of printed material.
- 04
Documentation
After posting we collect proof of posting and report on the campaign's estimated reach.
Measuring outdoor
Outdoor is measured through estimates rather than clicks. It is important to know what the numbers represent.
Estimated reach
How many people are expected to pass and be able to see the sites during the period, based on traffic and audience data.
Frequency
How often the average person in the area is estimated to see the campaign.
Proof of posting
Photo documentation showing that the ads were posted on the agreed sites.
Brand and traffic effects
Awareness studies, branded search and store visits in the campaign areas compared with other areas.
Keep in mind: Outdoor reach is an estimate, not a count of people who actually looked at the ad. We therefore assess outdoor on coverage and its effect on awareness and other channels over time – not on the same metrics as online advertising.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Get advice on outdoor advertising
Tell us where you want to be visible and what the campaign should achieve. We will suggest locations, formats and whether DOOH should be part of the plan.