Advertising beyond the norm

If a brand names a new product after the location where it’s being promoted, then it was probably the right strategy. That’s how Cupra launched the special edition Formentor Allalin—named after the 3,500-meter-high Mittelallalin at the base of the Allalinhorn, where the brand was spectacularly showcased. The young Spanish automaker and the Saas-Fee vacation region have joined forces—and, in an extraordinary collaboration, are demonstrating just how impressive outdoor advertising can be.

Advertising at High Altitudes

A Cupra model on the terrace of the world’s highest revolving restaurant, which was flown up here by helicopter, three giant posters at the valley station, two branded cable car gondolas, and a Cupra-themed ticket booth ensure that no one can miss the brand here on the mountain. The marketing agency responsible is Feratel Schweiz AG, which aims to demonstrate through this partnership that such displays have a high advertising impact. «In today’s world, where consumers are inundated with media, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to effectively deliver the advertising message to the target audience. This is because consumers, caught up in the stress of everyday life, are pushed to the limits of their capacity to absorb both analog and digital forms of advertising,» explains Moritz Weibel, Head of the Advertising Market Division at Feratel Schweiz AG.

According to the expert, however, advertising in the mountains can reach target audiences in a relaxed setting and without competition from other media. And those audiences are extremely lucrative: Skiers have high purchasing power, are athletic, and active—exactly what a sports car manufacturer needs. And not just in winter—in summer, too, more and more mountain enthusiasts are out and about, especially during the COVID-19 crisis, when vacationers have mostly stayed within their own country. For the companies running these ads, this also meant there were fewer tourists on the move. «On the one hand, industries such as the watch industry, which rely primarily on affluent tourists from abroad, have scaled back their budgets during the pandemic. On the other hand, however, everyone looking to target customers from Switzerland has benefited from the new enthusiasm for mountain tourism,» says Weibel. Here, high up on the mountain, the focus is particularly on image advertising—after all, a branded gondola isn’t replaced as quickly as a billboard at a train station. Contracts often run for a year, but the designs can be adapted depending on the season.

Out-of-home advertising is picking up steam again

Even in the valley and in the city, outdoor advertising can be creative and unique—and is guaranteed to stand out. Studies show that around 90 percent of all people living in Switzerland go out at least once a day—and cover an average of about 37 kilometers each day. On average, people spend about 90 minutes on the go—commuting to work, attending school, shopping, or enjoying leisure activities. At least, that’s the case when there isn’t a coronavirus pandemic. The COVID-19 crisis has also had a noticeable impact on outdoor advertising.

But now that people are spending more time outdoors again, advertising in public spaces is also on the rise. «Out-of-home advertising requires frequency and mobility. Now that these conditions are once again more favorable, outdoor advertising is in demand. We already saw this last year. 2020 was the quintessential out-of-home summer, with very satisfactory revenue,» says Ursulina Stecher, Corporate Communications at Clear Channel. In addition to traditional outdoor advertising, the media company also offers special formats—planted billboards, construction site wraps, and transit advertising. Or take a current campaign by Nespresso, in which billboard spaces have been transformed into storefronts that showcase the products directly and in real time.

Advertising on Buses and Trams

Advertisements on—or inside—buses and trams are hard to miss—not even during the COVID-19 crisis. Although overall demand was lower during the lockdown, full-body tram wraps were actually booked more often during the pandemic than in other years, says Serge Nater, product manager at VBZ TrafficMedia. «Advertising on trams and buses offers a very high reach that can’t be achieved with almost any other medium,» says the expert. «This means a campaign is seen not only by the passengers themselves, but also by passersby on the streets and in the squares of a city. Or, with rear-of-the-bus advertising, even by drivers following behind the vehicle.»

«Click it away»? Can't do that!

After all, this advertising cannot be clicked away or skipped—an advantage that many Swiss people appreciate: Market research by VBZ TrafficMedia shows that 90 percent of consumers either like the ads on and inside trams and buses or do not find them annoying. Depending on the advertising medium, up to 70 percent of respondents recall individual campaigns, according to the marketing agency. Whether it’s hanging boxes from which passersby can take flyers or cards, window banners, illuminated posters, floor stickers, or even ads on buses and trams—on their roofs, sides, and rear—or even on posters attached to rental bikes: This advertising stands out. At least, when advertisers also take the creative design into account. «It’s important that the design takes the medium into account. Images and text must be visible and understandable both up close and from a distance,» says Nater. Ursulina Stecher of Clear Channel agrees that simply transferring existing formats 1:1 to outdoor advertising is probably the biggest mistake brands can make. «Every medium has its own advantages and a unique way of being perceived.».

«You can't click away from or scroll past this ad—a benefit that many Swiss people appreciate.»

Telling Stories on Digital Screens

Advertising on digital screens can also be particularly creative and is anything but «off-the-shelf.» «Digital out-of-home has opened up new possibilities for telling a short story or for deepening and adding an emotional dimension to the message,» says media expert Thomas Rüttimann, partner and co-managing director of ZipMedia GmbH. By using a variety of creative concepts on digital screens, passersby can be literally accompanied by a message. Advertisers in the out-of-home sector can also break new ground by combining different formats: Galaxus demonstrated this impressively last year—across 4,001 posters, 579 eBoards and ePanels, 6,389 hanging boxes, and 245 advertisements, the company showcased customers’ regional shopping behavior. Each of the 11,214 designs was one-of-a-kind for its specific placement. An example that shows outdoor advertising can be not only extraordinary, but also unique.

The Abbreviation: OoH stands for «out-of-home» and is synonymous with the term “outdoor advertising.” Out-of-home advertising refers to all advertising media in public spaces, such as large-format posters, superposters, or full-column ads. In addition to these traditional outdoor advertising media, it also includes all types of ambient media and transit advertising.