Digital out-of-home (DOOH) campaigns were traditionally based on impressions and reach KPIs. Valuable metrics, but not always sufficient to understand real campaign effectiveness. In a new white paper conducted by Displayce and Happydemics, we explore how DOOH can also influence attention and consideration, based on 7,600 Happydemics brand lift studies in 64 countries - including 1,320 measurements across 36 countries focused on DOOH campaigns.
For years, marketing success has been benchmarked against exposure, views, and clicks. And while these indicators are still relevant, they no longer reflect how people actually engage with brands in 2025. The gap between media visibility and actual brand impact is becoming more apparent, and many advertisers are beginning to explore new ways of measuring performance. Because what really matters today is not whether an ad is seen but whether it’s noticed, remembered, and considered. We’ve all read the headlines: attention is the new currency. But it’s not just another buzzword, it’s an indicator for effectiveness in a fragmented, multi-screen world. Attention tells you if your message actually resonated with your audience. Consideration positions your brand as a possible choice. Together, they offer a more complete view of how campaigns can influence brand perception and decision-making.
This mid-funnel moment, where attention can turn into intent, is too often neglected in marketing strategies. While awareness and conversions are commonly tracked, the bridge between the two, consideration, tends to be underprioritised. Yet, consideration is where buying intent is born. It’s where a brand moves from being ‘just another name’ to ‘one I’d actually buy.’ That’s where DOOH plays a particularly valuable role.
Programmatic DOOH is especially effective at capturing consumer attention and translating it into meaningful brand engagement. Compared to other channels, it performs better on key indicators like brand attribution and interest, positioning brands more clearly in consumers’ minds. Its clarity of message, ranked two points above the benchmark, ensures content is easily understood even in busy environments. This makes it a strong driver not just of visibility, but of relevance. According to a JCDecaux and Ipsos study, DOOH holds attention for an average of 4.5 seconds, longer than most digital formats. More importantly, people who pay above-average attention are 2.2 times more likely to correctly associate the message with the brand. In other words, sustained attention opens the door to true consideration.
With Happydemics, we’ve been exploring how DOOH influences metrics, and particularly attention and consideration.
Without spoiling the full results, one thing became very clear: when it comes to attention and brand image, DOOH consistently overperforms. Especially when creative tone, environment, and audience mindset align. In fact, in some verticals, DOOH drove higher specific brand image scores than any other media in the mix. These findings have real implications for planners. If a campaign falls short on brand lift or intent, the challenge may not always lie in budget or targeting; it could simply be a question of rebalancing the media mix to better support attention-building formats.
The full white paper conducted by Displayce and Happydemics dives deeper into DOOH’s contribution beyond visibility. It features new, previously unpublished data and offers practical guidance and key takeaways to help marketers succeed with programmatic DOOH, both as a brand builder and a performance driver. Whether you’re planning your next brand campaign or rethinking your measurement KPIs, this report offers insights you can act on.
