Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, investment in out-of-home advertising was on the rise. By the end of 2020, however, revenue from OOH ads had fallen by nearly 30% in just one year. Now that businesses and consumers are emerging from years of social distancing and lockdowns, spending on ads meant to be seen outdoors and in other places outside the home is expected to increase.

Without an effective strategy and highly creative tactics, capturing target audiences’ attention with OOH ads in 2023 will be a challenge. Here, nine members of Forbes Agency Council share innovative and unique ideas for OOH advertising that brands can use to do just that.

1. QR Codes In Transit Ads
People are busy. In the case of transit advertising, they are usually running to catch the train or about to get off the bus and head to work. They don’t have time to dig into your OOH ads and offers. Products such as PostReminder allow your OOH prospects to scan a QR code and receive a text reminder about your OOH ad when it’s more convenient for them to respond. - Mike Gunderson, Gunderson Direct Inc.

2. Interactive DOOH Ads
Digital OOH advertising turns a static OOH ad into an interactive one. If we’re just talking about OOH, try to explore OOH ads that pop out of the unit; those typically increase visibility and conversions. - Humphrey Ho, Hylink Digital

3. AR Billboards
Brands can use augmented reality billboards for OOH advertising in 2023 to create interactive and immersive experiences for viewers. AR can include interactive games, virtual tours or 3D animation, and it can also be used to collect information from viewers to further target ads and measure success. - Drew Urquhart, Banch Marketing

4. Contextual OOH Ads
Some of the best OOH advertising is contextual. With the data and production tools available today, we are able to customize our OOH ads for the spaces and locations where they sit. This contextualization not only adds relevance but also increases engagement. - Mark Skroch, BCV Social

5. ‘Skyvertising’
Look to the sky! Drone performances, shows and displays are popping up at all the major conferences and gatherings. “Skyvertising” will be everywhere in 2023. - Christine Slocumb, Clarity Quest Marketing

6. Bold Experiential Ads
If you want to be innovative with your OOH advertising, it needs to be experiential for the consumers. Think in terms of guerrilla marketing, and make sure your message is bold enough that people will jump into capturing it on video—and that those videos will be impactful. Strong, creative OOH ads should go viral organically. - Marc Hardgrove, The HOTH

7. User-Generated OOH Campaigns
Recently, some companies have launched user-generated OOH advertising campaigns that have generated a lot of buzz. These campaigns work by allowing people to upload messages or selfies to billboards in public places such as Times Square, for example, and then upload them on social media. - Rudy Mawer, Mawer Capital LLC

8. Pairing OOH Ads With Local Digital Campaigns
OOH advertising needs to be paired with local or regional digital campaigns. Refine your advertising spend to target consumers on all fronts, and ensure that the messaging on all platforms creates recognition and drives users toward taking action. - Monica Alvarez-Mitchell, Pulse Creative, LLC

9. Bringing OOH Ads To Life Through Mobile AR
For OOH marketing, try using augmented reality technology to create ads that come to life when viewed through a mobile device. This AR approach creates a memorable and immersive experience for the consumer, making it more likely that they will remember your brand and be more receptive to what you have to offer. Use AR to really give customers a new brand experience! - Bernard May, National Positions