n an era where digital screens dominate our attention, it’s easy to overlook the power of human connection and physical presence in advertising. Yet, innovative platforms like Murmur are bringing a fresh perspective to the advertising world with their walking outdoor advertisements.
This approach not only breathes life into traditional marketing strategies but also offers a compelling alternative to the omnipresent digital ads. In this blog post, we delve into the unique advantages of Murmur’s walking advertisements, exploring how they stack up against traditional billboards and the pervasive reach of social media advertising.
By harnessing the power of mobility, personal interaction, and creative freedom, Murmur advertising presents an intriguing case for brands looking to make a tangible impact in a crowded digital landscape.
Walking outdoor advertising, like the service offered by companies such as Murmur, involves mobile advertising methods that move through public spaces. This form of advertising can take various formats, including individuals wearing sandwich boards, carrying flags, or using digital screens mounted on backpacks. The goal is to engage with the public in high-footfall areas directly, making the advertising message both visible and dynamic. Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of such advertising methods:
Pros
- High Engagement: Walking advertisements are hard to ignore and can engage consumers directly, creating memorable interactions.
- Flexibility: These campaigns can be deployed quickly and can be targeted to specific locations and times to reach the desired audience effectively.
- Cost-Effective: Compared to traditional media buys (e.g., TV, billboards), walking outdoor advertising can be more affordable, offering a better return on investment for certain campaigns.
- Personal Touch: This form of advertising can include direct interaction with potential customers, providing a human element that is missing in other advertising forms.
- Increased Visibility: By moving through different areas, walking advertisements can reach audiences that static advertisements might not, increasing brand visibility and awareness.
Cons
- Limited Reach: The reach of walking advertisements is geographically limited to where the individual or team can go, affecting the total number of impressions compared to online or mass media advertising.
- Weather Dependent: Outdoor conditions can impact the effectiveness and feasibility of campaigns, with adverse weather potentially limiting exposure.
- Labor Intensive: Requires individuals to physically carry out the advertising, which can be more labor-intensive than other forms of advertising.
- Regulatory Restrictions: There may be local regulations or permits required to conduct walking advertisements in public spaces, limiting where and how these campaigns can operate.
- Audience Reception: The direct approach might not always be well-received by the public, with some individuals finding it intrusive or annoying, which can negatively impact brand perception.
Walking outdoor advertising like Murmur’s services leverages the mobility and direct engagement of its methods to create impactful advertising opportunities. However, the effectiveness of such campaigns depends on careful planning, understanding the target audience, and aligning with the brand’s overall marketing strategy.
Why walking outdoor advertising better than billboards
Walking outdoor advertising offers several advantages over traditional billboards, making it a compelling choice for certain marketing strategies. Here are key reasons why walking outdoor advertising can be better than billboards:
1. Dynamic Engagement
- Walking outdoor advertising is inherently mobile and interactive, allowing for direct engagement with the audience. This interactivity can create more memorable experiences compared to the passive nature of billboard advertising.
- Billboards are static and require the audience to pass by them to see the advertisement, which can limit their impact and memorability.
2. Targeted Advertising
- Walking outdoor advertising can be strategically deployed in specific locations and times to reach a targeted audience more effectively. This precision targeting is particularly useful for events, product launches, or reaching demographic groups in certain areas.
- Billboards, while they can be placed in high-traffic areas, do not offer the same level of flexibility and precision in targeting specific audience segments.
3. Cost Efficiency
- Walking outdoor advertising often requires lower investment compared to billboards, especially in prime locations. The cost of billboard advertising can be prohibitive for small to medium-sized businesses or for short-term campaigns.
- Billboards involve higher costs for production, installation, and rental, particularly in high-visibility areas, making them less accessible for budget-conscious campaigns.
4. Flexibility and Mobility
- Walking outdoor advertising campaigns can be easily modified, moved, or adjusted based on real-time feedback and audience engagement. This flexibility allows advertisers to optimize their campaigns dynamically.
- Billboards are fixed in location and content for the duration of the rental period, making it difficult to respond to real-time feedback or changing market conditions.
5. Increased Visibility in Crowded Markets
- Walking outdoor advertising can stand out in crowded urban environments where traditional billboards might blend into a sea of visual stimuli. The novelty and human element of walking advertisements can capture attention more effectively.
- Billboards may not achieve the same level of visibility and impact in saturated markets, where numerous advertisements compete for attention.
6. Personal Touch
- Walking outdoor advertising can incorporate a personal touch, with brand ambassadors interacting directly with the public. This can enhance brand loyalty and consumer connection.
- Billboards lack this personal interaction, which can make them less effective in building a personal connection with the audience.
While walking outdoor advertising offers distinct advantages, the choice between walking advertising and billboards should be based on the specific goals, target audience, and budget of the advertising campaign. For campaigns seeking flexibility, direct engagement, and cost-effectiveness, walking outdoor advertising can be a superior choice.
Why murmur advertising is better than social media advertising
Comparing Murmur advertising (or similar walking outdoor advertising) to social media advertising involves examining different strengths and contexts in which one might outperform the other. While social media advertising has become a dominant force in digital marketing due to its vast reach and targeting capabilities, walking outdoor advertising like Murmur offers unique advantages that can make it more effective in certain scenarios. Here’s why Murmur advertising might be considered better than social media advertising in some aspects:
1. Physical Presence and Tangibility
- Murmur advertising creates a physical presence in the real world, making the advertisement tangible and sometimes interactive. This can lead to a stronger and more memorable impression compared to digital ads, which are intangible and easily scrolled past or blocked.
2. Human Interaction
- Murmur advertising often involves direct human interaction, which can add a personal touch to the advertisement. Brand ambassadors can answer questions, provide demonstrations, or distribute samples, creating a direct engagement that social media platforms cannot replicate.
3. Less Ad Saturation
- Murmur advertising operates in a less saturated advertising environment. The physical world doesn’t bombard consumers with ads to the same extent as the digital landscape, where users are constantly exposed to a plethora of advertisements, leading to ad fatigue.
4. No Ad Blocking
- Murmur advertising is immune to ad blockers, a significant concern for digital advertisers as more users employ ad-blocking technology to avoid online ads. This ensures that the advertising message reaches the audience without digital barriers.
5. Enhanced Local Targeting
- Murmur advertising can be extremely effective for targeting specific localities or events, ensuring that the message reaches people in a particular geographic area or community. While social media advertising also offers geo-targeting, the physical presence of walking advertisements can have a stronger impact on local engagement and brand awareness.
6. Novelty and Creativity
- Murmur advertising can leverage novelty and creativity through unique costumes, performances, or technology (like LED screens), making the advertisement stand out in the real world. This can often create viral moments or word-of-mouth that enhances the campaign’s reach beyond its immediate audience.
7. Complement to Digital Campaigns
- Murmur advertising can complement digital campaigns by adding a physical component to a multi-channel marketing strategy. It can help bridge the gap between online engagement and real-world interactions, enhancing overall campaign effectiveness.
Drawbacks to Consider
- Limited Scale: Compared to social media’s global reach, Murmur advertising has a localized impact.
- Weather and Environmental Limitations: Outdoor campaigns are subject to weather conditions and environmental factors.
- Regulatory Restrictions: Certain areas may have restrictions or require permits for public advertising activities.
In conclusion, while social media advertising offers unparalleled reach and targeting capabilities, Murmur advertising provides a tangible, interactive, and less saturated alternative that can be especially effective for local targeting, creating memorable brand experiences, and complementing digital campaigns. The choice between them should be based on campaign goals, target audience, and the desired interaction level with the audience.
