Samy Naidu says campaign objectives should set the static-to-digital split, with fame and awareness campaigns skewing to static and digital supporting as last-mile support.
Samy Naidu says VAC, visibly adjusted content, is the most accurate out-of-home measurement available, even though digital VAC numbers run lower because loops carry several advertisers.
Samy Naidu cites digital out-of-home passing 50% of global out-of-home inventory and programmatic digital spend above 1.3bn US dollars last year, while Kirsty Carlson says digital is about 49% of global out-of-home spend.
Why static billboards still anchor campaigns as digital screens spread
Static and digital out of home do different jobs, and the right mix starts from what a campaign must achieve. Static builds broad reach and lasting brand presence, while digital adds agility, triggers and pricing detail. With no direct industry comparison of the two, the speakers argue each format must be justified by its role in the plan rather than habit or screen counts.
Takeaways
Campaign objectives should set the format split. Samy Naidu says fame and awareness campaigns should skew heavily to static, with digital as last-mile support. Quick tactical promotions lean digital, though static still matters for top-of-mind presence. Liv Brown stresses there is no hard and fast rule.
Static is the headline, digital the story. Static brings broad reach, consistency and awareness in commuter environments. Digital supplies product and pricing detail and can change daily. Spotify's ad free listening campaign used static to raise a question that digital answered. Nielsen finds combining formats lifts reach up to 30%.
Buy digital for its capabilities, not screens. Kirsty Carlson says digital earns its place through dynamic triggers such as UV, weather, temperature and traffic, or adaptable multiple price promotions. Because screens carry a premium, Liv says agencies should make brands justify how often creative will actually change.
Shared screens matter less than strong creative. Loop-based digital sells one of eight or twelve slots of 15 or 30 seconds, which deters clients wanting always-on presence. Samy says consumers only care whether creative works. Passers-by may get three to seven seconds, so advertisers should ask what those seconds achieve.
VAC explains why digital audiences look smaller. Static is measured on single panel visibility, while digital VAC uses an impression model per flighting, so numbers run one in six or one in ten of static. Samy still calls VAC the most accurate measurement available.
No excuse left for skipping measurement. Kirsty says the RDS tool combines static and digital runs and uses satellite imagery to account for road speed and obstructions such as buildings. She argues every industry player can now measure out of home properly.
Digital is growing, but static isn't dead. Digital has passed 50% of global out of home inventory and programmatic spend topped $1.3bn last year. South Africa ranks tenth globally and first in Africa. Samy expects static to last for years, echoing Tom Goddard's call for its revival.
How brands divide static and digital in practice
Ford, Chrysler, Kia and Hyundai keep car brands top of mind through static, then use digital for model launches, pricing and dealer locations.
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On this episode 2
Show 1
ShopRite, Pep, SPAR and Pick n Pay use branded static for long-term affinity and digital for weekly price and product offers, with ShopRite's ads changing weekly on Provantage's transit TV networks.
Kirsty suggests QSR brands build the brand on static and use digital for breakfast, lunch, dinner and specials.
A Loeries-awarded Vaseline campaign showed a strong static image can work without any digital support.