The rapid growth of e-commerce is transforming out-of-home (OOH) advertising strategies, with brands increasingly leveraging digital insights and hyper-local campaigns to drive consumer engagement, according to a senior industry leader.
Kaushik Chakraborty, Business Head, Interspace, said e-commerce has “democratised” consumer aspirations by bridging affordability and accessibility gaps. “A person in Ludhiana, Lucknow, or any smaller city now desires the same products as those in metros,” he said.
OOH advertising plays a crucial role in reinforcing brand recall, he added, citing his own experience with quick-commerce platform Zepto. “I saw Zepto’s OOH ad earlier, and when I needed a product, I instinctively turned to the app.”
Mohd Ujaley, Editorial Director, Tech Observer Magazine, noted that while e-commerce currently contributes only about 2% to OOH ad spends, integration between the two is deepening. Chakraborty agreed, stating that OOH is no longer just a “top-of-the-funnel” medium but is increasingly driving conversions.
Data-driven programmatic buying
On how agencies are refining strategies using data analytics amid growing online-offline integration, Chakraborty emphasised that advertising has become “more value-driven,” with agencies relying on insights rather than just information. “We use proprietary tools to measure impact, combining OOH’s visibility with digital amplification,” he said.
Programmatic buying, though still nascent in India’s OOH space, is gaining traction. “Programmatic enables hyper-local targeting—delivering content in context,” Chakraborty explained. He predicted that as digital adoption grows, programmatic buying will dominate OOH media planning, ensuring better ROI for brands.
Discussing the rising demand for regional customisation, Chakraborty shared an example of a campaign for TMT bars—a product critical in Tier 2-3 cities but less familiar in urban areas. By collaborating with local influencers like municipal engineers, the brand saw sales surge by up to three times in some regions.
“Localised content, backed by trusted voices, drives credibility,” he said, stressing that OOH campaigns must align with regional preferences. Innovations like dynamic creatives—where ad visuals adapt to surroundings, such as changing streetlight colours—further enhance relevance.
Client-agency relation in the age of AI
On the question of impact of artificial intelligence on client-agency relation, Chakraborty said he consider artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven decision-making as game-changers.
“Agencies are investing heavily in analytics and clients now view us as partners rather than vendors,” he said. This shift enables more experimental campaigns, blending OOH’s impact with digital precision.
Echoing the view, Ujaley noted that the lines between traditional and digital advertising are blurring. “The future lies in seamless integration—where OOH does not just create visibility but measurable engagement,” he said.
As e-commerce continues to expand, OOH advertising is poised to evolve from static billboards to dynamic, data-informed mediums, ensuring brands remain visible both online and offline.
