Beyond the Billboard: How Out-of-Home Advertising Will Evolve in 2025

Technology accelerates innovation, but human connections are what spark the most powerful breakthroughs in advertising. 

This balance of speed and sparks drew Noble Studios’ Performance Marketing Directors Danielle Christenson and Danni Winter to Wilkins Media’s Elevate conference in Park City, Utah. 

Their mission: understand how paid media marketing, and specifically out-of-home advertising, will evolve in the new year to meet new challenges, capture attention and drive results… 

And, of course, make meaningful connections.

Beyond the Traditional Conference

Wilkins Media, a long-standing partner in out-of-home advertising, held their professional development conference this October in Park City. The three-day event brought together media teams from across the U.S. and Canada. 

Instead of following the traditional 8-to-5 conference schedule, Wilkins united learning and connection organically. Branded sidewalk stickers guided attendees between venues and evening projections transformed outdoor gathering spaces.

Morning sessions dove deep into industry evolution, from programmatic digital out-of-home advertising to attribution modeling and experiential marketing case studies. Afternoons opened up for team activities like ghost tours and hiking excursions. Evenings brought teams together around fire pits with branded marshmallows for s’mores and casino nights where impromptu craps lessons turned into strategic discussions. 

This intentional blend of formal and casual programming created authentic opportunities–that is, sparks–for cross-team collaboration, proving out-of-home advertising can enhance ordinary, everyday moments.

Breakthrough Insights & Innovations

Several key themes emerged throughout the conference sessions, highlighting the industry’s direction and future opportunities as the advertising landscape continues to evolve.

Industry Evolution

A significant shift is reshaping how companies approach advertising in today’s changing market. The industry is moving beyond purely digital-first strategies toward a more balanced approach that brings together traditional out-of-home elements with advanced digital capabilities.

Key developments characterizing this evolution include:

• A renewed focus on awareness-based advertising, even without direct click-tracking metrics
• Strategic adaptation to increased privacy regulations and reduced data availability
• Integration of traditional out-of-home placement with advanced mobile ID retargeting
• Transformation of traditional outdoor screens to digital versions, offering greater flexibility while maintaining physical impact
• Creative combinations bringing together traditional and digital elements, from branded sailboats to cloud activations
• Growing recognition of brand awareness value beyond immediate trackable metrics

This hybrid approach marks a mature evolution in out-of-home advertising, acknowledging both traditional strengths and digital capabilities. Success means thoughtfully combining approaches while adapting to increased privacy constraints.

Innovative Campaign Examples

The conference showcased several groundbreaking out-of-home campaigns that exemplified the powerful combination of traditional placement with innovative execution:

Toyota RAV4 Times Square Experience

Toyota redefined Times Square advertising with an unprecedented 10-story installation merging traditional billboard space with experiential marketing. The 100-foot tall functional rock climbing wall, the tallest ever constructed in New York City, featured professional climbers over three days. This activation brought the “How Far Will You Take It” campaign theme to life, connecting with experience-seeking consumers while creating a memorable spectacle.

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Sour” Car Wash Activation

The “Sour” album release campaign transformed an everyday car wash into an immersive brand experience. This creative approach demonstrated how conventional spaces can deliver impactful brand storytelling, generating both in-person engagement and social media amplification.

George Harrison “All Things Must Pass” Anniversary Installation

Universal Music Enterprises and Wilkins Media celebrated the 50th anniversary of “All Things Must Pass” with a groundbreaking outdoor campaign. The centerpiece featured a living garden installation along Los Angeles’ Melrose Avenue, transforming traditional advertising space into a three-dimensional flower wall. While the installation provided a one-day exclusive experience, the campaign extended its impact through a two-week media campaign and mobile music activations across Los Angeles and New York City.

Emerging Marketing Skills

A key conference session explored how AI and industry evolution are reshaping essential marketing competencies. The findings point to a clear shift from execution-focused capabilities toward analytical and strategic thinking.

Data Analysis as a Core Competency

Conference research identified data analysis as a critical skill set for future marketing success. This reflects the growing sophistication in out-of-home advertising’s tracking and measurement capabilities. Marketing professionals now need to understand and interpret complex data sets to optimize campaigns and assess performance effectively.

Critical Thinking’s Growing Importance

As marketing challenges become more complex, success depends less on technical know-how and more on analyzing situations and developing strategic solutions. This shift places problem-solving capabilities at the forefront of professional development.

Evolution of Professional Requirements

While technical knowledge remains valuable, marketing skill sets are evolving to emphasize:

• Analysis and interpretation of complex data sets
• Strategic problem-solving approaches
• Adaptability in facing new challenges
• Integration of traditional and digital thinking

This evolution reflects broader industry changes, suggesting that professionals need to prioritize both analytical capabilities and strategic insight to stay competitive in their careers.

Strategic Planning Updates

A focused session on negotiation tactics and strategic planning revealed key insights for campaign management in today’s dynamic landscape. Success relies not on perfect initial plans, but on thorough preparation and adaptability. The session emphasized “Plan B” thinking – successful professionals consistently prepare alternative approaches, knowing initial plans rarely execute exactly as intended.

While the core discussion centered on sales negotiations, these principles extend to all aspects of campaign planning and execution:

• Development of backup plans for key initiatives
• Flexibility in modifying initial approaches
• Early identification of potential challenges
• Solution-focused mindset in facing obstacles

This strategic flexibility reflects the evolving nature of out-of-home advertising, where success increasingly depends on agile thinking and comprehensive preparation.

Client Communication

A compelling session on storytelling and client engagement revealed key shifts in approaching result presentations and client relationships. The discussion challenged traditional data presentation methods and client interaction approaches.

Proving vs. Persuading: A Critical Distinction

The conference highlighted an important difference in communication approaches. 

When presenters focus solely on proving their success through data points and metrics, they often miss the opportunity to connect with their audience. Instead, effective communication requires crafting narratives that resonate with specific audience needs while still conveying key information.

For example, in presenting a digital out-of-home campaign’s results:

Traditional Proving Approach: “Our billboard achieved 1 million impressions with a 22% increase in mobile device tracking, demonstrating campaign success through our comprehensive data analysis…”

Strategic Persuading Approach: “Understanding your goal of connecting with young urban professionals, we strategically placed digital displays in key commuter locations. This resulted in meaningful engagement with your target audience, as shown by both impression data and real-world interaction metrics…”

Building Meaningful Connections

The conference structure itself demonstrated effective relationship-building through thoughtful design. Rather than following traditional conference formats, the schedule balanced professional development in the mornings with afternoon activities and evening networking. This mix of formal and informal settings created natural opportunities for deeper conversations and collaboration.

Strategic Storytelling Elements

Effective client communication starts with understanding stakeholder priorities. Rather than simply presenting data, successful communicators create narratives that connect metrics to business objectives. This approach transforms standard business reviews into strategic conversations about shared goals and future opportunities.

The Evolution Continues

As out-of-home advertising continues to evolve, the intersection of traditional placement and digital innovation creates new opportunities for reaching audiences effectively. Key trends shaping the industry’s future include:

• Return to Traditional Tactics Privacy changes and decreased data availability are driving renewed interest in traditional out-of-home advertising approaches, particularly for awareness-based campaigns that don’t rely heavily on personal data.
• Digital Integration Traditional spaces are being enhanced with digital capabilities, from interactive screens to mobile retargeting, allowing for flexible content delivery while maintaining a physical presence impact.
• Creative Space Utilization Brands are reimagining public spaces for advertising beyond traditional billboards, embracing innovative activations and experiential elements for deeper engagement.
• Mobile Integration New technologies enable campaigns to capture mobile device IDs near physical installations, creating a bridge between physical and digital engagement while respecting privacy constraints.
• Measurement Evolution The industry continues developing new approaches to measure campaign effectiveness beyond traditional metrics, focusing on balancing trackable results with awareness-building impact.

Balancing Tradition with Technology

As out-of-home advertising continues to evolve, being successful means thoughtfully balancing traditional impact with digital innovation. The future promises new opportunities for brands willing to reimagine how they connect with audiences–that is, how they generate real sparks of emotion, from show-stopping interactive installations to sophisticated retargeting that engages way beyond initial impressions.

Ready to elevate your brand’s presence in the real world? Connect with Noble Studios’ paid media team to explore how strategic out-of-home advertising can amplify your digital marketing efforts.