The news: Out-of-home (OOH) advertising is gaining new relevance as consumers tune out algorithmic feeds and question what’s real online. In interviews with EMARKETER, Anna Bager, president and CEO of the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), and Lucy Markowitz, SVP and GM of the US marketplace at Vistar Media, said the channel’s tangible, real-world nature has become its edge in an increasingly synthetic media environment.

• Bager described OOH’s advantage simply: “It’s literally there.” Unlike digital ads that can be skipped or hidden behind privacy tools, outdoor media remains unavoidable—and relatively immune to AI-driven distortion. “The audience problem that media and advertising face right now—we don’t have that,” she said. “We are physically present, and our audiences aren’t going anywhere” despite the rise of AI.
• Markowitz added that OOH’s physicality is fueling a wave of excitement among brands and creators alike. Billboards and digital screens now function as both ad placements and social moments. She cited a recent Madewell campaign where models shared photos of their own billboard appearances, turning paid placements into organic influencer content.

Zooming out: In 2027, for the first time, we expect US digital out-of-home advertising to eclipse $4 billion and surpass 40% of overall out-of-home ad spend. Eighty-four percent of OOH advertisers plan to increase or maintain their channel spend, per Mediaocean.

Why it matters: Unlike social feeds shaped by opaque algorithms, OOH’s visibility is self-authenticating. As misinformation and synthetic media spread across digital platforms, public-space advertising has become a medium consumers can see and believe.

• Bager said this is why brands across tech, fashion, and entertainment are returning to outdoor formats. The medium balances novelty and credibility, especially as new creative tools like 3D displays, live data feeds, and AI-assisted designs add interactivity without compromising trust. OOH lets advertisers connect emotionally in a way that feels human, not hyper-targeted.
• Markowitz emphasized that OOH’s social spillover is now part of its measurable value. When striking placements go viral, they effectively turn billboards into content studios—blending paid and earned media. “You can now amplify a physical experience across digital channels,” she said, adding that Vistar’s creative team increasingly designs campaigns to be “made to be photographed.”

What marketers should do: OOH is shifting from an awareness channel to a credibility channel. As consumers question the authenticity of what they see online, outdoor advertising offers a reality check. Marketers looking to rebuild confidence and brand legitimacy should treat OOH as a trust multiplier, complementing digital campaigns with something tangible and verifiable.

In an era when AI can generate content faster than audiences can fact-check it, OOH’s enduring power lies in its permanence—and in the fact that some messages still mean more when they exist in the real world.