With media budgets under pressure and attention harder to capture, marketers are doubling down on value, and CPMs are back in the spotlight. In 2025, new data shows out-of-home (OOH) is outperforming other channels on both cost and reach. Here’s why smart media buyers should be leaning in.
In a competitive market, marketers must maximize every ad dollar. Cost per thousand (CPM), the cost to reach 1,000 potential consumers, is a key metric for evaluating media efficiency. In 2025, out-of-home (OOH) advertising stands out as the top choice.
According to Solomon Partners’ 2025 US Major Media CPM Comparison, which draws from SEC filings, industry news, and research sources such as DOmedia for out of home data, OOH advertising delivers superior audience reach at a lower CPM than television, radio, print, and most digital formats, making it the most cost-effective option.
CPM is one of the most commonly used metrics in media buying because it helps advertisers assess the cost-effectiveness of their campaigns. A lower CPM means that advertisers are paying less to reach a larger audience, which is especially important in large-scale branding and awareness efforts. In today’s crowded media environment, where consumer attention is fragmented across countless screens and platforms, understanding CPM is essential for making informed decisions about where and how to allocate ad budgets.
However, not all impressions are created equal. Some media formats command higher CPMs due to premium targeting, engagement levels, or content association. But the core idea remains: advertisers need to know they’re getting value for their investment. That’s where OOH is proving its strength.
According to Solomon Partners’ latest findings, OOH advertising across both printed and digital formats is outperforming many media channels in terms of CPM efficiency. The analysis included bulletins, posters, transit shelters, and digital place-based media formats.
One of the key reasons for OOH’s strong CPM performance is its unavoidable visibility in public spaces, making it less susceptible to ad blockers, skipping, or scroll fatigue that often limits the effectiveness of digital and broadcast campaigns. OOH ads are seamlessly integrated into the daily environment, from highway billboards to digital screens in transit stations, delivering impressions that are both frequent and impactful.
The 2025 US Major Media CPM Comparison report highlights a crucial consideration for media planners: OOH is a smart, cost-effective core strategy for achieving broad audience reach. For brands seeking to boost awareness without overpaying for impressions, reallocating budgets toward OOH advertising could provide a more substantial return on investment.
Moreover, innovations in digital out of home (DOOH) make the medium even more compelling, offering dynamic content capabilities, real-time targeting, and integrated analytics, all while maintaining low CPMs.
As advertising continues to become more data-driven, cost-conscious, and performance-oriented, marketers can no longer afford to overlook the efficiency and effectiveness of OOH advertising. With CPMs that consistently outperform most other major media channels, OOH stands out in 2025 as one of the smartest buys in today’s ad marketplace.
