Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising has evolved from a top-of-funnel awareness channel into a critical driver of connected commerce, according to new research from the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) and Winterberry Group.
The report, The Power of Proximity: OOH Media and its Evolving Role in Connected Commerce, finds that 98% of marketers now view OOH as a core or supporting component of their connected commerce strategies, with 86% planning to increase OOH investment over the next two years.
Midnight Oil, an Imagine Group Company, is a leading provider of Out-of-Home and visual communications solutions, co-sponsored the research, reinforcing its role in helping brands activate OOH across both digital and physical environments.
Key Findings Underscore OOH’s Unique “Power of Proximity”
The research highlights OOH’s growing influence across the customer journey, particularly its ability to bridge digital engagement and real-world action:
- 86% of marketers say connected commerce is an enterprise-level priority
- Marketers cite cost-effective reach (52%), retail traffic lift (51%), and consistent cross-channel messaging (51%) as OOH’s top benefits
- Digital OOH formats lead adoption, including digital billboards, in-store screens, and point of purchase displays
- Proximity-based OOH is increasingly used to influence consumers at, near, and on the path to purchase
Imagine and Midnight Oil Enable OOH at Scale
As brands look to expand OOH’s role while navigating challenges around measurement, addressability, and execution, Imagine brings together strategy, production, and scale to support modern connected commerce programs.
Through Midnight Oil, an Imagine Group company known for iconic custom billboards and in-the-wild executions, Imagine helps brands turn OOH into a performance-driven channel—delivering speed, flexibility, and national reach across digital and physical formats.
“This research confirms what we’ve seen firsthand—OOH is no longer just about visibility, it’s about impact,” said Bill Rosenthal, President of Midnight Oil. “Brands want to reach consumers in moments that matter, close to where decisions are made. When Out-of-Home is executed with the right mix of creative, proximity, and scale, it becomes a powerful connector between digital strategy and real-world results.”
Looking Ahead
The report concludes that continued innovation in measurement, programmatic access, and addressable OOH formats will further accelerate adoption. With deep expertise across both traditional and digital OOH, Imagine is positioned to help brands unlock the full value of proximity as connected commerce strategies continue to mature.
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