Now that the weather is warming up—and vaccinations are well-underway—consumers are again spending more of their time outside, in the real world. Glossier’s recent campaign promoting its “Lash Stick” mascara aims to capitalize on this increase in consumer foot traffic by repurposing some unexpected out-of-home (OOH) advertising inventory: theater marquees.

The campaign takes its inspiration from user-generated content (UGC)—specifically, positive product reviews—and features “movie trailers” augmented by complementary messaging at select theaters. While Glossier’s video trailers will run both digitally and linear TV, its OOH component will run at just 9 independent movie theaters in cities like New York and Los Angeles.

With many theaters remaining closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Glossier took the opportunity to capture consumer interest by putting its message on signboards usually reserved for movie titles. Given recent changes in consumer behavior, brands should be rethinking how they reach their target audiences. Outdoor spaces, for example, are receiving more foot traffic than ever—making OOH inventory at parks or on benches more compelling than before. For any brand considering an OOH advertising campaign, here are a few ways to make the most of your non-traditional efforts:

While the Glossier campaign was limited to just 9 theaters in key markets like New York and Los Angeles, it could have been extended to available marquee locations in cities across the country, or to any other places of interest. By using location intelligence to analyze consumer foot traffic at candidate locations, brands can easily pinpoint those that are most likely to engage their target audiences, extending both the reach and effectiveness of non-traditional OOH advertising placements.

By understanding the audiences at each OOH location, brands can better target their messaging to the customers in that area. For example, a beauty brand that wants to promote its line of sunscreens might promote its age-defying version in areas known to reach more “Women’s Health” enthusiasts, and its waterproof kids’ version in places that reach more “Parents with Young Kids”.  If your campaign is a digital one, you can even change your messaging by time of day based on the audiences most likely to be in the area at the time.

Every advertiser loves to be able to prove the value of their campaigns, and OOH advertisers are no exception. Using location intelligence, it’s possible to understand how many people were exposed to an OOH ad, when the exposure took place, and how far they traveled, as well as tie those ad exposures to product purchases that happened later in-store or online. In this way, OOH advertisers can better understand not only the real-world viewership of the campaign, but how many of those viewers became customers and ultimately, determine campaign ROI.

Glossier’s recent campaign reached beauty buyers in an unexpected way—while also giving back to an industry in need. In the absence of new movie premieres, Glossier’s creative approach allowed independent theaters (which have been particularly hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic) to lease out the unused space on their signboards. In doing so, Glossier reached its target audience in a new and surprising way, and empty theaters earned some revenue from the ad placements on their marquees. For movie theaters and other businesses impacted by the pandemic, this OOH campaign also serves as a model of how businesses can creatively repurpose their existing assets and earn new customers in a changing landscape.

To learn more about location intelligence and what it can do for your business, request a consultation today.