Outdoor ads can engage, says YouGov research

The public find outdoor advertising can be “clever, humorous and entertaining”, according to a YouGov poll.

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The research on behalf of the Outdoor Media Centre shows that 63% of respondents agreed that outdoor can be entertainingly engaging, with this figure rising to 70% among the 18-24 group.

The medium is supportive of brand awareness with 60% of the poll agreeing it keeps brands and products in the public eye, rising to 66% in the younger set. Londoners are the largest geographic group to agree outdoor keeps brands and products in the public eye, with 68% agreeing.

The importance of outdoor advertising to helping funding public amenities like bus shelters is also understood by a good portion of the poll at 41% and 47% of the younger group agreeing with the proposition.

The most recalled sector for specific outdoor advertising activity was entertainment (61%) with telecoms next (52%).

The YouGov survey was conducted online with a representative panel of 1,692 adults.

The latest forecast for UK ad spend growth from WPP’s GroupM media division predicts that outdoor expenditure will rise 2% in 2011, compared with 12.5% recorded last year.

The forecast sees growth of 5% in 2012 when the London Olympics is set to give a boost to the economy.