According to recent research we conducted with 300 UK consumers, people are more adventurous when it comes to eating out, with 74% of us willing to try something new or different. This means that from cafes to hotels, pubs to theme parks, the out of home market (OOH) offers an unrivalled opportunity for food and drink brands. However, rarely is it viewed as such; it’s the forgotten media channel.
OOH should be the marketer’s dream: a space where you can position your brand in a relevant or aspirational setting, create an occasion around it and, most importantly, get your potential consumers to try, taste, feel and experience your product for the first time when they are so open to new things. Surely this is the ideal introduction to your brand – more engaging than even the most inspired print or TV advert. As the Chinese proverb goes: “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.”
As an agency specialising in food and drink OOH, we’ve recognised the importance of this market and its exposure value for over 27 years. Yet still we find that big brands plough the vast majority of their marketing budget into consumer media, leaving very little for OOH marketing. In an age where the celeb chef is the new rock star, surely now is the time for the OOH market to take its rightful place at the food and drink media table.
We know from experience that OOH trials lead to retail sales for in-home consumption. Our research shows that 76% of consumers have gone on to buy a product they have tried when eating out. We’ve also found that 63% of consumers actively seek to try new things they might not risk buying in the supermarket when out of home, and that 76% of consumers agree the setting in which they try a new product can strongly influence their perception of the brand.
Food for thought indeed.
Fiona Rickard is managing director at Jellybean
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