Research company Neuro-Insight used headsets to measure the brain responses of people looking at different forms of social media posts featuring DOOH screens.
The study, commissioned by Ocean Outdoor, found DOOH “primes social media content positively” and “people are drawn further to brands on social media when they have seen the brand coverage on DOOH first”.
The study involved two cohorts in London and Manchester – a total of 138 participants – who were shown DOOH content on TikTok and Instagram.
The results showed increased brand perception, emotional response and dwell time for those who had seen DOOH on a physical screen and then saw the same content on social media.
“Viewing the same piece of premium DOOH content on a physical screen first and then seeing that DOOH screen amplified socially strengthens brand perception and elevates attention levels,” said Neuro-Insight.
“Socially-amplified DOOH content shared by brands strengthens brand familiarity and relevance and celebrity influencers strengthen excitement and authenticity.”
Phil Hall, chief executive at Ocean Outdoor UK, said: “Put simply, if a brand has a social media strategy on the plan then it needs to build in DOOH to make it better and more effective.
“Neuroscience has previously established the priming effect of premium DOOH on mobile devices. Now we can demonstrate what happens when out of home transcends the physical screen and becomes the content for brands’ social media campaigns.
“Using DOOH content across social media unlocks significant value, delivering well beyond the priming effect of physical DOOH alone. For advertisers these are serious benefits, proving DOOH is a vital ingredient when used to make big statements and mark important moments which, by their very nature, are incredibly shareable.”
