Transit out of home (OOH) advertising is one of the most misunderstood channels in media planning. Here are the biggest myths and evidence-backed facts so you can plan smarter, measure better, and get more impact from campaigns on buses, taxis, and light rail.
Transit out of home (OOH) advertising is often judged with outdated assumptions. If you’ve ever heard “it’s not measurable” or “it’s only for huge budgets,” you’re not alone.
Below are the most common transit OOH myths, the facts, and what to do instead.
Myth 1: “Transit OOH isn’t measurable.”
Fact: Modern OOH measurement is built for planning and reporting. In Australia, MOVE (Measurement of Outdoor Visibility and Exposure) is the industry audience measurement system designed to measure audiences across OOH environments, including transit, with granular reporting across regions and demographics.
Myth 2: “People don’t notice transit ads.”
Fact: Real-world engagement with OOH is widely observed in consumer research. For example, OAAA/Morning Consult research reports that nearly 80% of surveyed consumers engaged with an OOH ad in the past 60 days (engagement includes actions like searching, visiting, or talking about what they saw).
Why transit especially works: transit formats live in the “in-between moments”- walking to stops, sitting in traffic, waiting at lights – when attention is naturally available.
Myth 3: “Transit OOH is only for awareness.”
Fact: Transit can absolutely support performance outcomes especially when it’s designed to be actionable. Using clear CTAs help connect exposure to response, with clear instructions on the next step. OOH engagement studies also show consumers take downstream actions after noticing ads.
Planning tip: Pair transit with a digital search strategy so your demand capture is ready when attention turns into intent.
Myth 4: “You can’t target with transit OOH.”
Fact: You can target, it just different than cookies. With OOH planning systems, targeting often uses location, time, context, and audience profiles. Using TransitIQ, we can input your target audience and find the most optimal locations for your campaigns.
Simple reframe: Transit OOH targets where people go which is frequently a better predictor of purchase behaviour than what they “liked” three weeks ago.
Myth 5: “OOH is ‘old media’ and doesn’t play well with digital.”
Fact: OOH is increasingly planned as a multichannel amplifier, not a standalone poster. Research and industry analysis regularly discuss OOH’s role in strengthening cross-media performance, especially the connection between public screens (OOH) and private screens (mobile).
Best practice: Use transit OOH to create mental availability, then reinforce with paid social/search. When the same message appears in the street and in-feed, it feels more “real” (in a good way).
Quick checklist: how to make transit OOH work harder
- One message. One glance. Make the idea readable fast.
- Add an action hook: Short URL, store cue, or “search this.”
- Plan with audience measurement: Use MOVE-informed audience thinking where available.
- Use context: Match creative to commuter mindset; which locations will you choose, and will it align with what is happening in market (like an event or season).
- Measure outcomes smartly: brand lift studies, search lift, store visits, and matched market tests depending on budget and data access.
Sources:
- Outdoor Media Association (OMA) — MOVE overview and methodology.
- AdNews / Mi3 reporting on MOVE reach statistics (97% weekly reach).
- OAAA + Morning Consult OOH study (engagement/action metrics).
- WARC (via JCDecaux-hosted PDF) — cross-media effect / public screen to private screen discussion.
- Nielsen — brand lift measurement concept and approach.
Have a question about something in this story?
Send us a message or have a chat to our friendly team.
Get in touch
