Ad retention is the percentage of consumers who recall a specific advertisement or brand even after exposure to the advertising has ceased. Advertisements thus have a residual ‘half-life’. In outdoor advertising, ad retention is a measurement of the number of consumers who remember seeing an ad or a brand being advertised on an out-of-home display. A recent study by Nielsen, demonstrates the power of outdoor advertising and digital billboards in connecting with today’s busy consumers. A total of 75 percent of respondents recalled seeing a digital billboard in the past month and 60 percent noticed one in the past week, according to the survey of those who traveled roadways with digital billboards. The study showed brand recall is high among travelers who notice digital billboards. Nielsen tested six different campaigns in five major US markets (Atlanta, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Tampa) and found that travelers recalled seeing at least one specific digital billboard ad from 74 to 89 percent of time. Top performing brand categories included entertainment, gaming, quick-service restaurants, recreation, and televised sporting events. Click for Nielsen study.
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