How Social Media and OOH Work Together to Amplify Your Brand

Today, impactful brand storytelling isn’t confined to a single screen, or even a single medium. The most effective campaigns use a multichannel approach that follows consumers along their daily journeys. That’s where the combination of Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising and social media emerges as a natural and highly effective pairing for marketers.

OOH delivers large-scale, real-world visibility while social media extends this reach, making OOH campaigns interactive and shareable. Together, they create a feedback loop connecting physical touchpoints with online conversations, allowing brands to meet consumers wherever they are, on the street and on their screens.

And it’s working. Recent research shows that two-thirds of adults have seen OOH ads using social media elements. What’s more, over half say OOH ads with social media components make them more likely to engage with the brand online.  

Power Your Digital Billboard Campaign with Real-Time Social Content

Today’s OOH has evolved with dynamic digital capabilities that take this synergy even further. Brands are using Clear Channel Outdoor’s (CCO) digital billboards to display real-time content directly tied to social media activity. Through hashtag aggregation, reposting of social media content and more, digital OOH creates opportunities for consumers to interact with brands in the moment.

In sports and entertainment, teams and streaming platforms often highlight fan shoutouts or live game updates to fuel real-time buzz and foster community engagement. 

Retail brands like fashion and beauty companies leverage posts or user generated content on billboards to drive engagement and encourage consumer participation. 

With CCO’s digital media capabilities, brands can respond to cultural moments as they happen, keeping messaging fresh, relevant and timely.

OOH Ads That Spark Social Buzz or Go Viral

OOH is inherently built for visual storytelling, which is why strong creative often becomes a perfect photo backdrop or meme. Some of the most successful OOH campaigns have included:

Effective Campaigns Designed for OOH-to-Social Integration

Brands that intentionally link their OOH campaigns with social can unlock deeper consumer engagement.  

Over the years, celebrities have famously utilized Twitter(now known as X) as a kind of manifestation tool to turn their aspirational posts into reality in 280 characters or less. Some of these historic tweets were later featured on billboards around the country, and even garnered national media coverage. 

And just earlier this year,the Baltimore Ravens launched a dynamic digital OOH campaign during the playoffs that invited fans to create personalized billboards featuring their “game face.” Those fan-generated photos appeared on digital billboards throughout Baltimore and were tailor-made for social sharing. 

The Value of Combining Reach & Engagement

OOH not only boosts brand awareness and credibility but also drives consumer engagement with social media. In fact, nearly half of adults agree that OOH ads influence their decision to follow brands on social media, and 45% say OOH ads influence their social media behaviors.

These numbers reinforce the idea that pairing OOH with social can turbocharge a campaign in both scale and performance.  

Designing for Social From the Start

At CCO, we encourage marketers to think about social from the very beginning of campaign planning, as some of the most effective campaigns are the ones that are built to move across channels.

Our award-winning creative team partners with clients to develop billboard campaigns with “Instagrammable” or viral potential. Whether it’s an out-of-the-box 3D extension, a clever one-liner or an interactive installation, OOH has the power to be both a showstopper and a conversation starter.

Learn how our creative solutions can help bring your ideas to life and connect with audiences in memorable, measurable ways.   

^{Source: Harris Poll, 2024}