Exposure to outdoor advertising and the impact of outdoor advertising on consumer habits
In September 2024, a study was conducted to better understand the extent to which passersby notice outdoor advertisements, how they react to them, and how such advertising influences their consumer habits.
The survey covered the adult population aged 18 to 63, with an average age of 34.4. All survey participants live, work and/or study in Croatia.
Below are seven key insights:
- The car is the dominant means of transportation – 66% of respondents traveled most of their time by car in the last month, either as drivers or passengers.
- 98% of respondents noticed a billboard in the last month
- 88% of passers-by notice outdoor advertising at least once a week, including billboards, digital citylights, wallscapes, advertisements on scaffolding and public transport stops.
- 57% of respondents actively notice OOH ads on a daily basis.
- 62% of people take action after being exposed to an ad. They most often search for a product/service online or visit a brand's website and social media.
- 75% have purchased a product, service, watched a movie, or visited a restaurant because of an OOH ad within a month.
- The entertainment industry is the most affected, with 77% of respondents saying they bought a ticket to an event after seeing an ad.
Global perspective: what does international research say?
According to the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), 85% of American adults notice outdoor ads during the week, and more than 66% take some kind of digital action after seeing them. Whether it's scanning a QR code, visiting a website, or searching for a product on Google.
A study published on ResearchGate reveals that consumers perceive outdoor advertising as less intrusive than online ads. They value it more because it does not “interrupt” the content, and it can also be visually attractive and creative.
Also, according to the statistics and research platform Statista , OOH advertising had one of the highest ROIs among traditional media in 2023, with growth particularly visible in digital OOH formats.
SOURCES:
OAAA – Out of Home Advertising Association of America: https://oaaa.org
Statista: https://www.statista.com/statistics/931114/ooh-advertising-effectiveness-usa/
ResearchGate: The Effects of Outdoor Advertisements on Consumers




