The Evolution of Out-of-Home Advertising: From Traditional to Digital to “Fake”
The Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising landscape in Asia is undergoing a remarkable transformation, with investments and innovations reshaping how brands connect with audiences in public spaces. Let's explore this evolution and the emergence of an intriguing new trend: Fake Out-of-Home (FOOH) advertising.
The Asian OOH Market: A Growing Investment
The Asian OOH advertising market demonstrates robust growth, with the average ad spending per capita projected to reach US$3.71 in 2024. In specific markets like Hong Kong, traditional billboard advertising costs can range from US$19,000 to US$128,000, while Singapore sees monthly rates between US$2,000 and US$15,000 for premium locations.
The Digital Revolution in OOH
The transition from traditional to Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising marks a significant shift in the industry. The Asia-Pacific DOOH market is set for explosive growth, expected to expand from US$19.26 billion in 2024 to US$34.45 billion by 2029, reflecting a remarkable CAGR of 12.34%. This growth is driven by enhanced data capabilities, programmatic advertising, and the ability to deliver more targeted, dynamic content.
Enter FOOH: The Next Evolution
Fake Out-of-Home advertising represents the latest innovation in the OOH space. Unlike traditional or digital OOH, FOOH creates the illusion of outdoor advertisements that don't physically exist, leveraging technologies like CGI and augmented reality to create shareable, viral content.
How FOOH Works
FOOH campaigns typically involve:
- Creating hyper-realistic digital content that appears to exist in real-world locations
- Utilizing advanced CGI and AR technologies
- Designing content specifically for social media amplification
- Blending reality with digital elements to create surprising, shareable moments
The Technology Behind FOOH
FOOH is powered by:
- Advanced Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI)
- Augmented Reality (AR) technology
- High-quality video production
- Social media integration tools
Success Stories in FOOH
Several major brands have successfully leveraged FOOH:
- Mattel's Barbie campaign in Dubai featuring a giant walking Barbie
- Maybelline's Sky-High mascara campaign across New York City and London
- JD Sports' creative Big Ben activation
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 launch in Paris
WE-AR's FOOH Success: The Chupa Chups Case Study
A notable example of FOOH's potential is WE-AR's collaboration with Chupa Chups. The campaign, set against Seoul's Seokchon Lake, featured a virtual Ferris wheel that would have been cost-prohibitive to construct in reality. The campaign achieved remarkable success with 10 million cumulative views, demonstrating FOOH's ability to create impactful, shareable content at a fraction of the cost of traditional OOH installations. View the campaign here. Read about their Case Study here.
FOOH vs Traditional OOH: Key Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages of FOOH:
- Lower production and placement costs
- Greater creative flexibility
- Higher viral potential
- Enhanced engagement through social media
- Easier to modify and update content
Disadvantages of FOOH:
- Limited to digital viewing
- Requires social media distribution
- May not reach traditional OOH audiences
- Dependent on digital engagement
As the advertising landscape continues to evolve, FOOH represents an exciting frontier that combines creativity, technology, and social media engagement to create memorable brand experiences. While traditional OOH and DOOH remain valuable, FOOH offers a new way for brands to capture attention and drive engagement in an increasingly digital world. Curious about how you can marry the best of both worlds? Have a chat with us!
Mad About Marketing Consulting
Advisor for C-Suites to work with you and your teams to maximize your marketing potential with strategic transformation for better business and marketing outcomes.
Citations:
[1] https://www.statista.com/outlook/amo/advertising/out-of-home-advertising/asia
[2] https://adintime.hk/en/blog/2024-guide-outdoor-advertising-ooh-costs-in-hong-kong-n124
[3] https://adintime.com/en/blog/ooh-out-of-home-formats-and-rates-n35
[4] https://www.billboardsin.com/market/singapore-singapore-singapore/billboards/
[5] https://www.statista.com/outlook/amo/advertising/out-of-home-advertising/southeast-asia
[6] https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/asia-pacific-digital-out-of-home-dooh-market
[7] https://mediaonemarketing.com.sg/out-of-home-advertisement-work-singapore/
[8] https://www.marketingcharts.com/cross-media-and-traditional-232272
The Art of the Queue: How Brands Turn Waiting Lines into Marketing Gold
In an era of instant digital gratification, there's something peculiarly fascinating about seeing hundreds of people voluntarily waiting in line for hours or even days. From the latest iPhone launches, exclusive streetwear drops to a seemingly humble bubble tea, these queues have become a powerful marketing phenomenon that continues to shape consumer behavior and brand perception.
The Strategic Queue: A Marketing Masterstroke or A Tacky Stunt?
Yes, companies do pay people to queue for their launches – a practice known as "line sitting" or "professional queuing." This tactic has evolved from a spontaneous occurrence into a sophisticated marketing strategy that creates buzz, generates media attention, and fuels FOMO (fear of missing out) among consumers.
Masters of the Queue: Brands That Set the Standard
Several brands have perfected the art of queue-based marketing:
1. Apple: The tech giant's iPhone launches are legendary, with companies paying line-sitters $100-250 per day. Apple subtly encourages these queues by providing amenities to these sitters and having staff engage with the crowds, creating a festival-like atmosphere.
2. Supreme: The streetwear brand has built its entire business model around artificial scarcity and long lines. The "Supreme drop" has become a cultural phenomenon, with professional line-sitters earning substantial amounts to wait for limited releases.
3. Gaming Console Launches: Both Sony and Microsoft orchestrate elaborate launch events for their PlayStation and Xbox releases, combining long queues with midnight launch parties and exclusive giveaways.
4. F&B Launches: Food and beverage is an essential item and in places where they are the first to be launched in the country, especially if it’s a renowned brand elsewhere, be it doughnuts, cream puffs, burgers or bubble tea, you can expect queues of people that help add to the hype of the official launch. Some are puzzling while some might be ‘genuine’ buzz created organically; you be the judge of that!
The Asian Queue Revolution
The practice of professional queuing has reached new heights in Asia, where it's not just a marketing tactic but a legitimate service industry:
Japan
- Professional line-sitters ("yoyaku-tetsuke") are in high demand for limited-edition food items and restaurant openings
- Sushiro famously paid people to form queues when launching new locations to create a "popular restaurant" image
- Pokemon merchandise releases regularly generate massive queues
China
- "Paipai" (professional queuers) are organized through sophisticated apps and WeChat groups
- Luxury brands frequently employ this tactic for product launches
- Real estate developers use paid queuers to create artificial buying frenzies
- Some malls and restaurants hire fake customers to appear consistently busy
Singapore
- The "kiasu" (fear of missing out) culture drives queue marketing
- Property launches and restaurant openings regularly employ professional queuers
- The Shake Shack opening saw paid queuers waiting for days
- Hello Kitty promotions at McDonald's led to the development of professional queue management systems
The Rise of Queue-as-a-Service
A fascinating spin-off of this phenomenon is the emergence of professional queuing services where consumers pay others to wait in line for them. In Bangkok, "queue-fixers" charge around 700 baht ($27) to secure spots at popular Michelin-starred restaurants. Singapore's iQueue startup offers services ranging from $20 for one hour to $250 for 18 hours of queuing.
Digital Evolution: The Virtual Queue
Modern brands have adapted queuing psychology to the digital realm:
- Harry's razor company generated 100,000 sign-ups in a week through a virtual waiting list
- Robinhood gained nearly a million users pre-launch through a gamified referral queue system
- Monzo created engagement through a transparent waiting list where users could see their position
Effectiveness and Considerations
When executed well, queue marketing can:
- Generate substantial earned media coverage
- Create social proof of product demand
- Build community among brand enthusiasts
- Drive social media engagement through user-generated content
- Establish product exclusivity and desirability
Key Considerations Before Implementation
It might sound like a quick win and low hanging fruit to take advantage of but is it suitable for all brands?
1. Authenticity: While paid queuers can jumpstart interest, the strategy works best when there's genuine consumer demand to sustain it.
2. Market Fit: Queue marketing is most effective for products with strong appeal against scarcity and/or affordability.
3. Cultural Context: What works in Singapore might not work in New York – understand your market's relationship with the queuing culture.
4. Resource Management: Ensure proper crowd management, safety measures, and amenities for waiting customers as this might backfire on you socially if the other organic customers are unhappy and start complaining.
5. Digital Integration: Consider how physical queues can be amplified through social media and digital engagement.
6. Brand Alignment: The strategy should align with your brand's positioning and values. Not all brands think “queues” equal desirability.
How This Trend will Evolve
As consumer behavior continues to evolve, the art of queue marketing adapts accordingly. While some brands are moving away from physical queues in favor of digital alternatives, others find continued value in creating these obvious spectacles of demand.
The key lies in understanding your audience and crafting experiences that transform the simple act of waiting into a memorable brand moment. Hai Di Lao does this pretty well and turn it into almost like their trademark queuing experience for customers by providing them with snacks, refreshments and even nail services.
Whether physical or digital, the psychology behind queue marketing remains powerful: people value what they have to wait for, and the sight of others waiting makes us wonder what we might be missing out on.
Mad About Marketing Consulting
Advisor for C-Suites to work with you and your teams to maximize your marketing potential with strategic transformation for better business and marketing outcomes.
Citations:
https://kickofflabs.com/blog/5-small-businesses-made-it-big-with-prelaunch
https://www.prefinery.com/blog/referral-programs/prelaunch-campaign/examples/saas/
https://www.convinceandconvert.com/digital-marketing/how-to-create-buzz/
https://fastercapital.com/topics/creating-a-buzz-with-exclusive-launch-events.html
https://viral-loops.com/blog/buzz-marketing/
https://queue-it.com/blog/influencer-marketing-strategy-product-launch/
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/queue-fixers-help-tourists-stomach-long-lines-at-bangkok-s-michelin-rated-eateries
https://newsroom.airasia.com/news/2023/3/2/say-goodbye-to-restaurant-queues-with-airasia-super-apps-queuing-service
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/new-service-singapore-lets-pay-someone-queue-100357551.html
https://www.asiaone.com/business-wires/because-everything-also-need-queue-singapore-startup-will-do-it-you-20-hour
https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/living/htb-service-help-buy-professional-queuer-concert-tickets-392956
Singles' Day: From University Tradition to Asia's Biggest Shopping Festival
In an era where shopping festivals dominate the retail calendar, Singles' Day stands out as a remarkable phenomenon in Asia that transformed from a quirky university celebration into Asia's largest shopping event. Let's explore how this cultural phenomenon evolved and its impact on modern retail.
The Origins: An Inclusive Celebration of Singlehood
Singles' Day began in 1993 at Nanjing University in China when four male students decided to create an anti-Valentine's Day celebration. They chose November 11 (11/11) because the number "1" resembles a "bare stick" – Chinese slang for an unmarried individual. What started as a light-hearted response to couple-centric celebrations quickly spread across universities and evolved into a broader cultural phenomenon celebrating self-love, independence and empowerment.
The Retail Revolution: Alibaba's Game-Changing Move
The transformation of Singles' Day into a shopping extravaganza began in 2009 when Alibaba's CEO, Daniel Zhang, saw its commercial potential. What started with just 27 merchants has grown into the world's largest shopping event, surpassing both Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined, particularly in Southeast Asia and China.
Alibaba's innovative approach included:
Celebrity-driven promotional events featuring global stars
Large-scale televised galas
Integration of online and offline shopping experiences
Advanced logistics capabilities handling hundreds of thousands of transactions per second
How Brands Maximize Singles' Day Sales
Today's successful brands employ sophisticated strategies that blend commercial success with the festival's cultural essence:
1. Early Preparation
- Launch teaser campaigns weeks in advance
- Create urgency and sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) through flash sales and limited-time offers
- Design "self-gifting" packages that celebrate personal milestones and self-love
2. Cultural Integration
- Develop campaigns that celebrate independence and self-empowerment
- Partner with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) or social influencers who embody confident, single lifestyle
- Create content that resonates with the modern definition of singlehood
- Leverage local social media platforms with targeted messaging
3. Enhanced Shopping Experiences
- Host interactive livestreaming events featuring singles' lifestyle content
- Implement gamification elements that celebrate individual achievements
- Design "treat yourself" promotions that align with self-care themes
- Create virtual try-on experiences for solo shoppers
4. Community Building
- Organize virtual social events for singles to connect
- Create exclusive shopping groups for single professionals
- Develop reward programs that celebrate personal independence
- Host digital workshops on self-development and lifestyle enhancement
5. Strategic Messaging
- Frame products as investments in personal growth
- Create bundles that complement solo living
- Develop marketing narratives around self-love and empowerment
- Design exclusive "singles-first" product launches
6. Digital Innovation
- Implement AI-powered personal shopping assistants
- Create virtual shopping companions
- Develop social shopping features for singles to share recommendations
- Optimize mobile shopping experiences for one-handed browsing
Popular Product Categories Across Asia
Singles' Day 2023 saw remarkable sales across various categories, with notable regional differences:
Greater China:
- Health & Beauty (417% growth)
- Home & Garden (326% growth)
- Luggage & Bags (311% growth)
- Toys & Games
Southeast Asia:
- Baby & Toddler Products (407% growth)
- Health & Beauty (352% growth)
- Furniture (277% growth)
- Electronics and Appliances
2023's Most Successful Brand Campaigns
Several brands stood out with their innovative approaches and impressive results:
1. Apple
- Exclusive Tmall partnerships
- 40% sales increase from 2022
- Rapid sellout of popular devices
- Marketing focused on personal tech empowerment
2. L'Oréal
- Exclusive beauty bundles emphasizing self-care
- Engaging livestream tutorials for individual beauty routines
- 60% sales growth
- Campaigns celebrating personal beauty standards
3. Adidas
- 40% discounts on popular items
- Focus on sustainable products
- 35% year-on-year growth
- Marketing themes around individual athletic achievement
4. Huawei
- Early-bird discounts up to 47%
- Interactive virtual events celebrating tech independence
- 50% sales increase
- Solo-user-focused product features
5. Estée Lauder
- Exclusive luxury beauty sets for self-indulgence
- Virtual try-on technology for confident solo shopping
- 45% sales growth
- Campaigns focusing on personal luxury experiences
Standing Out During Single’s Day
As Singles' Day continues to evolve, setting new benchmarks for online retail success. Its transformation from a celebration of singlehood to a shopping phenomenon demonstrates how brands can authentically connect cultural meaning with commercial opportunity. As we look ahead, successful brands will be those that maintain this delicate balance – celebrating individual empowerment while creating compelling shopping experiences.
The festival's success shows that when cultural understanding meets technological innovation and strategic marketing, the result is more than just sales – it's a celebration of individual choice and personal freedom that resonates across Asia and beyond.
It would be good to see more of that kind of holistic messaging tagged to the campaigns rather than just playing on tactics like discounts, price points and freebies (e.g. 11% off, $11 promotions) that makes the brand look like they are just latching onto a commercial bandwagon, and single’s day losing its original meaning.
Mad About Marketing Consulting
Advisor for C-Suites to work with you and your teams to maximize your marketing potential with strategic transformation for better business and marketing outcomes.
Citations:
- https://www.new-rebels.com/en/blogs/new-rebels/singles-day-and-the-rise-of-new-rebels-a-deep-dive/
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/singles-day.asp
- https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/singles-day/
- https://studycli.org/chinese-holidays/singles-day/
- https://www.businessinsider.com/8-crazy-facts-about-singles-day-in-china-2015-11?IR=T
- https://www.digitalcrew.com.au/blogs-and-insights/10-singles-day-marketing-ideas-to-increase-your-sales/
- https://www.contentgrip.com/singles-day-criteo-insights/
- https://www.mastroke.com/blog/digital-marketing/7-brands-that-nailed-it-on-singles-day/
- https://www.warroominc.com/institute-library/blog/marketing-tips-for-singles-day/
- https://www.worldfirst.com/sg/online-sellers/singles-day-ecommerce-guide/
- https://retailasia.com/e-commerce/news/singles-day-top-shopping-season-139-sales-growth
- https://www.criteo.com/blog/double-dates-2023-spotlight-on-singles-day/
- http://martechasia.net/news/over-50-of-singles-day-new-shoppers-return-for-more/
- https://technode.com/2020/11/12/chinas-singles-day-sales-top-rmb-332-billion-across-platforms/
- https://www.businessinsider.com/8-crazy-facts-about-singles-day-in-china-2015-11?IR=T
- https://blog.dot.vu/singles-day-marketing/
B2B Marketing Excellence: 8 Pillars for Strategic Transformation
8 Pillars for Strategic Transformation
In today's rapidly evolving B2B landscape, success demands more than just traditional marketing approaches. It requires a strategic transformation that embraces both time-tested approaches and innovative thinking. Let's explore the eight essential pillars that can revolutionize your B2B marketing strategy.
1. Content Marketing: The Foundation of Thought Leadership
True market leadership isn't claimed—it's earned through valuable insights. By creating data-driven research reports, detailed case studies, and educational content, you're not just marketing—you're elevating industry discourse. The key lies in translating complex insights into actionable approaches that drive real business results.
2. Lead Generation: An Art Backed by Science
Moving beyond basic lead capture requires a coordinated effort in terms of insightful content, compelling call-to-action and compelling landing pages, intelligent lead scoring, and personalized lead nurturing campaigns. It's about creating a journey that resonates with your prospects' needs while maintaining a clear path to meaningful business conversations.
3. Digital Presence: Your Virtual Self
Your digital presence isn't just a website—it's your organization's digital personality. In the B2B space, this also means crafting a mobile-responsive experience that speaks directly to your audience's challenges, backed by client testimonials and industry recognition.
4. Account-Based Marketing: Precision at Scale
ABM represents the convergence of strategic thinking and personalized execution. By aligning marketing and sales efforts around high-value accounts, you're not just reaching audiences—you're creating tailored stories that address specific business challenges and opportunities.
5. Relationship Building: The Human Element
In an increasingly digital world, human connections matter more than ever. From customer advisory boards to strategic partner programs, successful B2B marketing hinges on building and nurturing authentic win-win relationships that transcend traditional business boundaries.
6. Sales Enablement: Bridging the Gap
Empower your sales team with more than just collateral—provide them with intelligence. From comprehensive competitor analyses to ROI calculators, sales enablement should focus on tools that facilitate meaningful business discussions and demonstrate clear value propositions.
7. Analytics & Measurement: The Pulse of Performance
True transformation requires clear visibility. By focusing on metrics that matter—from customer acquisition costs to lifetime value—you create a feedback loop that drives continuous improvement and strategic refinement.
8. Customer Experience: The Ultimate Differentiator
In B2B, customer experience isn't just about satisfaction—it's about enabling success. From streamlined onboarding to comprehensive education initiatives, every touchpoint should reinforce your commitment to your clients' success for sustainable growth.
The Path Forward
These pillars don't operate in isolation—they form an interconnected framework for B2B marketing excellence. The key to success lies not just in implementing each pillar, but in orchestrating them harmoniously to create sustainable competitive advantages.
Mad About Marketing Consulting
Advisor for C-Suites to work with you and your teams to maximize your marketing potential with strategic transformation for better business and marketing outcomes.
So You have Won an Award But….
Everyone loves awards, especially reputable ones from renowned associations.
Marketers love our awards for sure as it’s something that most of us probably toiled hard for and spent long hours putting together the campaign strategy behind it. But if you ask the business and start flashing the trophy in front of them, they might just go “erm good but where’s the sales?”.
In such a scenario, before you start conjuring up images of Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire saying “show me the money” and depending on what’s the reality of the connect versus disconnect between your campaign outcomes versus business outcomes, try asking yourself the following questions:
What else did I achieve in reality besides marketing outcomes like engagements, interest and conversions based on people who interacted with the campaign?
What did it really look like in terms of sales demand, leads generated for sales and/or sales opportunities, if not actual sales?
If it looks bad, why is there a disconnect between marketing and sales outcomes? Was it a product proposition problem or marketing positioning problem?
The truth is, marketing awards to me, having being a judge for a few different awards now, should be tagged hand in hand to business outcomes.
Marketers shouldn’t be winning awards for their own vanity but rather, the award is the cherry on top of the cake as a reward for a successful campaign that helped to achieve business outcomes. And these business outcomes in turn helped to solve customer problems and address their needs.
Else, you end up with a flashy trophy but still get hammered for not helping business to create sales demand and opportunities. And guess what, your marketing budget still gets cut at the end of the day as business still sees a disconnect between what marketing does and what business wants. Business would rather spend it on product research and development than marketing awards as such award submissions certainly don’t come cheap!
Marketers should therefore take greater pride in being strategic advisors to the business and work with them to strengthen their product and service proposition. Bring in a neutral perspective of the target customer and make sure it is a proposition that is compelling even to you. Else, no marketing campaign can salvage a bad product proposition.
Then, you can go focus on winning awards and actually take pride in it.
About the Author
Mad About Marketing Consulting
Ally and Advisor for CMOs, Heads of Marketing and C-Suites to work with you and your marketing teams to maximize your marketing potential with strategic transformation for better business and marketing outcomes.
Who rules - Preference or Performance Marketing?
Companies who are still keeping two separate team strategies between performance and preference marketing are setting themselves up for longer term failure
Such companies are failing to connect the dots between full funnel marketing and over simplifying the consumer decision making process and mindset.
This is especially in the digital ad space where borders are blurred or non-existent and privacy settings no longer allow for precision targeting the way we desire.
Preference and performance simply should go hand in hand as end day, we don’t simply blow marketing dollars for the sake of it. What’s awareness to someone is consideration to another and conversion to someone else, depending on the decision making journey your customer sits in relation to the product or service and your company.
This is certainly not that new, when I went through the Google certification course back in 2019 but am still surprised that some are only talking about this in recent years.
What’s more shocking is the way some companies are still insisting on measuring marketing returns on investment by not having attribution beyond vanity impressions, page views and clicks on pretext that it’s just for awareness. On the other end of the spectrum is insisting that if a certain ad doesn’t result in immediate conversion, then it’s a failed campaign on pretext it’s for performance.
Whatever happened to looking at the funnel, who you really are trying to target, where in the decision making funnel they are at, how compelling is whatever you are offering, and ensure you are connecting the dots on your messaging in different formats, in order to determine the right metrics to measure at each touchpoint?
Example – this week, you have an ad talking about how xx product will help solve xx issue that customers face today. A few days later, you have another ad referring to the same product promoted on a site that your target customers frequent. A few days later, you serve up another ad that has a tactical offer with a buy by xx date.
Companies who know who they are targeting and who are responding to their ads versus those who aren’t, will create segmented lists that differentiate the two. They will use one for remarketing with differentiated messaging to help catch their target customers along the funnel with the above messaging and offer so they maximize their media budget. This process should ideally be automated.
Another critical thing to do is to try to get target customers to sign up and start a relationship with you, by giving them reason to of course through insights, tips or deals that matter to them, especially critical with the sunsetting of cookies.
This goes hand in hand with understanding their digital footprint so you have a multi-dimensional view of your target customers as real people with interests, preferences and needs, beyond outdated attributes like age.
All in all, companies need to invest in the full funnel and have different measurements for each stage of the funnel.
About the Author
Mad About Marketing Consulting
Ally for CMOs, Heads of Marketing and C-Suites to work with you and your marketing teams to maximize your marketing potential with strategic transformation for better business and marketing outcomes.