Demand for airport advertising expected to take off this summer - what you need to know
Spring is in full swing, but temperatures are rising, which can only mean one thing: summer is around the corner, and experts are forecasting an unprecedented summer travel season in 2023
With this anticipated travel surge, airports present a potential audience goldmine for advertisers. Breaking away from their traditional routines, travelers tend to have more free time and attention while at the airport and be in a purchasing mindset. Air travel ranks the second highest mode of transportation, which also translates to the ability of airport advertising to reach millions of passengers – including target audiences like families on vacation, leisure travelers springing off to their next adventure, or business executives on the move.
Advertising across a range of airport inventory can make messaging more impactful, elevate brand awareness, and inspire on-the-fly purchases, and at the same time, maximize ad spend and ROI. Let’s take a closer look at what B2B and B2C brands should know about airport advertising this summer.
The airport advertising advantage
A global JCDecaux study found that airport advertising ranks highest for perceived value for brands compared to other media, which can be attributed to many factors.
The US alone is home to 5,000 public airports with OOH advertising inventory available to meet a wide range of budgets, 24/7 visibility, and a lower price per impression, as OAAA research revealed. Within every airport, there are multiple signage touchpoints to reach audiences – from parking lots to check-in lines, security, inter-airport transit (elevators, escalators, etc.), restaurants and shops, baggage claim, and rideshare waiting areas.
The continued programmatic maturation of digital-out-home advertising is making much more of this inventory accessible programmatically via multichannel and OOH specialty demand-side-platforms (DSPs). Using programmatic platforms, you can easily trigger contextually relevant ads based on real-time flight information, weather, and current events, or with recommendations or promotional offers for local or in-airport businesses that suit their needs in the moment.
For instance, a restaurant in-terminal might opt to trigger an ad near the gate that promotes happy hour when a flight is delayed or during set hours. Campaign parameters could also be set to display an ad near baggage claim promoting indoor attractions on a rainy day in a typically sunny vacation destination like California or Florida.
A captive audience ready to spend
Travelers often spend hours waiting for connecting flights or managing delays, so dwell times are longer, and there are multiple touchpoints to connect with audiences along their airport journey. They’re also more likely to notice airport ads and be in a purchasing mindset. Unlike online, mobile, and TV or even CTV ads, airport ads also can’t be skipped, which means your message is more likely to be seen than with other digital advertising channels.
OAAA research has shown a 90% ad awareness rate in airports and that ad exposure to products and services as travelers move in and around the venue can increase the likelihood of a purchase. Considering a third of travelers (32%) surveyed by OAAA about summer travel also plan to spend more on 2023 summer vacations than in 2022, making airport advertising a part of summer media budgets is just a smart strategy.
Not only are airport travelers more likely to notice airport ads, but they’re more receptive to them, which a JCDecaux New Zealand and Neuro-Insight Airport Mindset Study confirmed. This is especially true of ads travelers might perceive as genuinely helpful. For instance, signage near a plane exit could populate with an ad promoting local dining or events in a destination where a major sporting event is about to take place, digital posters or columns near baggage claim might promote a rideshare coupon, or CPG brands could leverage signage near the gate to remind travelers of items they may have forgot that are available for purchase in the terminal gift shop. The applications are infinite.
A broad or narrow range of audience profiles for targeting
Airport audiences are diverse and include consumers and c-suite executives, who can be especially difficult for B2B advertisers to reach. The three main airport audience profiles include: families, leisure travelers and business travelers.
Families can be found in and around the airport – whether waiting at the gate or in line for a rental car, shopping for souvenirs, grabbing a bite to eat, helping their kids burn off steam before a long flight by walking up and down the terminal, waiting for their bags at baggage claim, and more. They’re typically on a budget and open to promotions. For instance, local attractions, retailers, and businesses might benefit from targeting this audience with promotional ads for family pass deals upon arrival, at baggage claim, etc. CPG and retail brands could also use a similar tactic and offer a coupon for use in an airport shop or local business where their merchandise is sold.
Leisure travelers tend to spend most of their time at the airport relaxing in the airport lounge or bars, scoping out items at the terminal gift shop, sitting near the gate, or waiting in line for rideshare, car rental, or shuttle services. They appreciate total travel experience and seek out unique attraction, dining, and entertainment experiences that add value to their travel adventure. These travelers may be more interested in ads promoting products and services that benefit their lifestyle – whether that’s consumer technology, an excursion they hadn’t planned for, rideshare services, or a trendy new restaurant.
Business travelers frequent airport lounges, restaurants, and bars, spend time at the gate near electronics charging stations, and often wait in rideshare or car rental lines. This group includes c-suite executives, who are more likely to consider a B2B brand after seeing advertising at the airport and take action on the ad, as a JCDecaux report found.
Typically, high-income earners, they are a prime advertising target for luxury, airline, and hotel ads, but often challenging to reach via traditional ad channels, given their busy schedules. They also tend to participate in travel rewards and credit card points programs and may take notice of ads by their preferred providers and/or nearby businesses that offer promos to rewards program participants. B2B brands, in particular, can leverage airport screens in areas where these execs dwell to market their services to this niche audience, with a greater chance for visibility without the typical workday distractions. Amazon Business, Cloud collaboration service Airtable, and professional services providers like KPMG represent just a handful of brands that have publicly experimented with B2B ads in airports in the last few years, and we expect more will follow.
Travel is already making a big comeback this year, and if airports aren’t already a part of your summer media budget, it’s time to re-evaluate. Not only do they provide a diverse array of screens to reach an audience across their airport journey, but also in an environment where audiences are more receptive to the ads and likely to make a purchase decision. They’re also great for reaching target audience profiles, including families, leisure travelers, and C-level executives. If you haven’t built airport advertising into your plan and you’re worried it’s too late, there’s still time. A multitude of airport inventory is accessible via omnichannel DSPs and OOH-specialty DSPs. Take a close look at your campaign goals, message, and the audience you’re looking to reach, and you’ll be able to determine the airport advertising venues and contextual triggers available via your DSP that will help maximize your ad spend.