2024 is the year of sport – here’s how to maximize your advertising strategy with DOOH

For brands looking to effectively reach their audience during 2024’s major sporting events, DOOH should be top-of-mind, says Diederick Ubels (managing director, Vistar Media EMEA).

In 2024 sports enthusiasts worldwide will come together in excitement as two monumental events unfold: Euro 2024 football and the Paris Olympics. Beyond their athletic significance, these occasions present a golden opportunity for advertisers and marketers to engage audiences on a global scale through digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising.

With the opening game of Euro 2024 expected to draw 67,000 football fans alone and the Paris Olympics attracting an estimated 15 million visitors, these games will undoubtedly be on consumers’ minds - those who are present for the thrilling matches and those watching from the comfort of their homes. Enter DOOH. A media channel that’s out there, in the world and in the moment, giving brands the ability to reach a specific audience with personalized, game-related messaging that makes an impact.

Here’s how.

Reach a global audience

Euro 2024 and the Paris Olympics attract fans from all over the world. This makes it crucial for brands to properly identify where their target audience is globally, what their movement patterns are like and what sports-centric messaging they will be most receptive to.

Fortunately with DOOH, advertisers can leverage audience targeting technology to deliver tailored messages at the right times and places, ensuring their ads are seen by and resonate with sports viewers worldwide.

For example, advertisers can tap into ready-made audience segments (think sports fans or Millennial males ages 18-34) and align their brand's message with the specific passions of the audience they want to reach. By understanding audience behavior and leveraging programmatic technology, meaningful connections with global sports viewers can be created, driving long-term brand loyalty.

Create dynamic ads

Enhancing ads with dynamic creative elements can help advertisers integrate their brand into the sports narrative in real-time. This strategy positions the brand as an active participant in the conversation, evolving messaging and creative details alongside the unfolding events. There are a few ways to bring this to life:

Pre-game buzz

Brands can use dynamic creative to generate buzz in the months, weeks and days leading up to the big sporting matches and events. This can include countdowns to encourage tune-in intent or even special promotions that unlock on certain days in anticipation of upcoming events.

Example: As the official sponsor of the Rotterdam Marathon, Decathlon implemented a live countdown in their DOOH creative leading up to race day.

Game day excitement

Lean into fans’ real-time engagement by integrating live sports updates, scoring and social commentary into ads, placing a brand right in the middle of the gametime action.

Example: The NBA leveraged multiple dynamic creative tactics, including live sports scoring and live social feeds, to drum up excitement around the 75th NBA Playoffs season.

Post-game

Consider tailoring creative messaging based on the different match and game outcomes – this is an excellent way to sustain relevance and lean into fans’ emotional connection with a team.

Example: New Balance celebrated Femke Bol's success during the Budapest championship by dynamically adjusting campaigns on DOOH displays across Dutch cities. This agile approach resonated with audiences in real-time, amplifying brand engagement in the process.

Overall, dynamic creative can take an ad to the next level – integrating hyper-relevant, contextual factors like weather, time, cultural events and location to resonate with an audience on a deeper level.

Tap into DOOH screens near and far

Programmatic DOOH advertising allows brands to reach a diverse audience across different regions on a national and global scale. In addition to smart audience targeting capabilities – ensuring a brand’s message is reaching who matters most – DOOH has an extensive digital inventory network. Think about it – there are screens everywhere. In malls, shopping centers, grocery stores, airports, you name it. The expansiveness of digital signage is what connects advertisers with consumers, in the real world, when the moment is right. Examples of signage advertisers can leverage for their sports marketing efforts this year:

Large format

Large format media includes the billboards, such as those in Times Square or along highways, and urban panels, such as bus shelters and sidewalk displays. These are the big, splashy boards that can be seen by drivers, pedestrians and even street-level traffic – casting a wide net of people who may see an ad. This format could be great for displaying real-time scoring updates to encourage fans to tune-in, or to direct people to nearby restaurants to watch the big games.

Place-based

While billboards get a lot of attention, the majority of DOOH actually exists as place-based media. This is the digital signage people are coming into contact with during everyday life – think malls, gyms, office buildings, gas stations, and bars and taxis, to universities, banks, restaurants, doctors’ offices and other locations where people regularly spend time. This presents a huge opportunity for brands to reach consumers where they’re already spending time, and is a great type of out-of-home media for sports-related messaging.

Conclusion

As anticipation builds for Euro 2024 and the Paris Olympics, strategic DOOH advertising can help marketers and advertisers connect with audiences when and where it matters most.

By using personalized strategies that resonate with viewers' interests and preferences, brands can create memorable campaigns that leave a lasting impression beyond the big games and events. There’s a reason OOH is on the rise – and these pinnacle sporting events will further demonstrate DOOH’s ability to engage, inspire and connect with audiences around the world.