Why Premium Digital Billboards Dominate the Attention Game

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Digital Billboards Earn Five Times More Attention Than Online Ads

If you work in advertising, you know the attention game keeps getting harder every year. Online ads are everywhere but easy to ignore, and most brands are stuck fighting for a few fleeting seconds in crowded digital feeds. However, a new study from the UK has just flipped that script—and the results are significant for anyone investing in billboards or digital out-of-home (DOOH) media.

A major research report, titled “The Attention Dividend,” released by Ocean Outdoor in partnership with Lumen Research, shows that premium large-format digital billboards don’t just stand out—they win the attention battle by a landslide. We’re talking five times more attention than typical online ads. In today’s media world, that kind of impact isn’t just a win for brand recall, it’s a serious driver of long-term business growth.

Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the research, including what the numbers mean for brands and why premium digital billboards are back in the spotlight as a core component of innovative media plans.

A New Study Shifts the DOOH Conversation

Ocean Outdoor, the UK’s biggest name in premium DOOH, teamed up with Lumen Research, the global leaders in media attention measurement. Their study aimed to answer a simple yet essential question: When you place a large digital billboard alongside online digital ads, which one captures and holds people’s attention?

The answer? Premium digital billboards don’t just win, they dominate. The research measured how long people looked at digital billboards compared to online ads, and the results showed that premium large-format DOOH attracts five times more attention than standard digital ad formats.

This isn’t just a fun fact for billboard fans. Attention is the new metric everyone is chasing. Major marketers (75% of senior leaders, according to another Ocean Outdoor poll) say capturing attention is their biggest challenge in media planning . If your ad isn’t getting noticed, it’s not moving the needle.

Breaking Down the Attention Metrics

Let’s get into the numbers that matter.

  • Premium large format DOOH is 5.1 times more effective than standard digital online formats.
  • It holds attention 8.2 times longer than typical online display ads.
  • People look at premium digital billboards 5.5 times longer than social media content.
  • Even compared to online video—often seen as the gold standard—premium DOOH still holds attention 1.6 times longer.

Think about what that means in real-world terms. The average person scrolls past hundreds of online ads a day, barely noticing most of them. But when they walk or drive past a big, bold digital billboard, they stop and pay attention. That’s the kind of engagement digital marketers are desperate to recreate online.

Attention Per Mille (APM): A More Useful Metric

The study used a metric called APM, or Attention Per Mille. This multiplies the percentage of people who view the ad by the average time spent looking at it. It’s a more innovative way to measure ad impact than just counting impressions or clicks. In this study, DOOH outperformed all other digital channels in terms of APM, demonstrating both the quantity and quality of attention.

Why Attention Matters for Long-Term Brand Growth

Anyone who has been in the marketing world for a while knows there’s a big difference between a quick hit and long-term brand growth. Yes, you can buy a few clicks, but do people remember your brand later on? Do they choose you over the competition? That’s where attention pays off.

Ocean and Lumen didn’t stop with just the attention numbers. They overlaid their findings with previous research from Lumen and Ebiquity, particularly a study titled “Maximizing Profit Through Attention.” What they found was clear: brands that get more quality attention—primarily through big, eye-catching digital billboards—see better results for years, not just weeks.

Three Big Payoffs from Premium DOOH

The study spelled out three main reasons why premium large-format DOOH delivers so much value:

  1. It drives long-term profitability. Brands that command more attention today stay top of mind tomorrow. This leads to higher sales, stronger loyalty, and more sustainable business growth.
  2. It boosts mental availability (brand recall). People remember brands they see on big, premium screens much better than those from online ads.
  3. It increases consumer desire to choose the brand. The immersive nature of digital billboards (especially when using motion or 3D creative) makes brands feel more desirable and trustworthy.

Key Findings and Brand Impact

Now for the juicy part—the direct impact on brands:

  • Premium DOOH delivers up to 2.5 times higher brand recall than online video. Not only are people looking longer, but they’re also remembering what they see.
  • Video creatives on premium digital billboards drive 2.5 times more brand choice than static content. Moving visuals aren’t just a nice-to-have—they’re a must for grabbing attention and driving results.
  • 3D DeepScreen formats increase brand desirability by 32%. These eye-popping, immersive formats take digital billboards to a new level.
  • Combining premium DOOH with standard OOH delivers even more reach and frequency, multiplying profit effects.

It’s not just that people see these ads. The creativity, the motion, and the sheer size make them hard to forget. That’s gold for any brand aiming to be the obvious choice when it’s time to buy.

The Attention Dividend: What Marketers Should Do Next

This new research isn’t just another case study. It’s a wake-up call for anyone serious about maximizing their marketing dollars. Here’s what the experts behind the study recommend for brands that want to get the most out of their media mix:

  • Combine premium DOOH with standard OOH placements. You get the reach and frequency of traditional billboards with the high-impact creative and attention-holding power of digital formats.
  • Add premium DOOH video to your omnichannel video plan. Video content on big digital screens is “brand-safe,” meaning your ad won’t show up next to sketchy content, and the performance is through the roof.
  • Invest in motion and 3D creative. Static billboards are great, but when you add motion or 3D, the results speak for themselves.

As Ocean Outdoor UK CEO Phil Hall puts it: “Premium large format DOOH can be a powerful driver of long-term profitability. By delivering sustained and high-quality attention, brands can achieve greater returns on investment over the long term through stronger mental availability and enhanced brand impact. The immersive nature of formats like full-motion video and 3D creative significantly boosts brand consideration and desire, outpacing online formats and rivalling digital video platforms.”

Lumen Research’s Mike Follett added: “The size and placement of an ad, coupled with the creative, are powerful ingredients in delivering consumer attention. These premium large format DOOH screens from Ocean combine high footfall traffic with video creative, which deliver 5x more attention than digital channels.”

How the Study Was Done

This wasn’t just a simple survey. Lumen Research recruited 2,500 participants for a controlled, online laboratory experiment. Here’s how it went down:

  • Each person used a PC at home, with their device turned into an eye-tracking camera using Lumen’s software.
  • They watched a series of first-person films simulating walking journeys through city streets past various out-of-home (OOH) sites.
  • Eye movements were tracked in real-time, allowing the researchers to know exactly what was noticed and for how long.
  • A follow-up survey measured brand recall, ad recall, and the extent to which people wanted to choose the featured brands.

The key metric, APM, gave a true “apples to apples” comparison of attention between DOOH, online video, social media, and static display. The study is based on Lumen’s previous research, which shows that attention doesn’t just drive clicks—it drives profit.

Why DOOH Attention Is a Big Deal in 2025

Let’s talk about why this matters more now than ever. Digital advertising is crowded. People are swamped by messages on every platform. Privacy changes are making targeting harder. Meanwhile, consumers are spending more time out in the real world—commuting, shopping, and socializing.

Digital billboards are ideally placed for this moment. They’re unavoidable in high-traffic areas. They’re not blocked by ad blockers, ignored by bots, or hidden behind privacy settings. They deliver a real, human impact—people see them, remember them, and take action based on them.

Recent Nielsen research echoes these findings. OOH ads (especially premium digital billboards) exhibit significantly higher ad recall and drive more decisive direct actions, such as searching for a brand or making a purchase, compared to online ads. In a world where clicks are getting more expensive and less reliable, premium DOOH is a wise investment for any brand trying to future-proof its strategy.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for ways to boost brand recall, increase real attention, and drive long-term profit, the latest research says it all: premium large-format digital billboards are the way forward. They cut through the noise, hold attention better than any online format, and deliver measurable results for brands of all sizes.

Savvy marketers are shifting budgets to premium DOOH, combining it with standard OOH for reach, and adding motion or 3D creative to make their campaigns unforgettable. As the attention battle heats up, premium DOOH isn’t just an option—it’s a must for anyone serious about sustainable brand growth.

For the full report, check out Ocean Outdoor’s “The Attention Dividend”, Lumen Research, and related deep dives from Ebiquity.

https://www.whistlerbillboards.com/marketing/premium-digital-billboards-dominate-attention/?feed_id=401&_unique_id=6852b9bb2b711

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