The great thing about digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH) is that, as a medium, it never stops moving. It is constantly evolving into a dynamic, engaging and forward-looking format. That does mean that marketers need to keep up with these changes and implement them effectively to make the most of DOOH.

What are the advantages of digital and moving copy in OOH ads?

There’s just something about moving images that focusses our attention.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QV5iCjKbts?rel=0]

 These digital wall screens at Heathrow are positioned behind an information desk, putting them squarely in the line-of-sight of many travellers. Try and listen in to the conversations taking place in the video; you’ll surely find your attention drawn inexorably towards the scrolling images on the screens. This kind of engagement really does make your advertising stand out. As it happens, some of the ads in the digital displays are static; compare and contrast their visual interest and engagement with the moving ads that surround them. It’s night and day.

One of the drawbacks of out-of-home advertising can be that your artwork exists as just one part of a static backdrop to people’s busy lives. You have to work hard with your designs to grab attention. With moving images and copy you don’t have to worry so much about drawing initial interest; you can focus more on the message that you are delivering. That doesn’t mean that you can take your foot off the gas in terms of the creative work put into your creatives, it just means that with moving DOOH you will find it much easier to close the distance between your brand and your audience.

 If you take a look at some of the creatives displayed at Piccadilly Circus’ famous digital screens, you’ll notice that the ad concepts are actually relatively simple, with few moving parts, so to speak. A bit of movement can really spritz up your copy and techniques like a pan and zoom in to your product (see the Coke ad in the video below) really can give artwork that premium feel.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVwLQh4LRWw?rel=0]

Where can I source affordable moving copy for my DOOH advertising campaigns?

Of course there was a time when, if you wanted animated copy or images in your digital ad, you would have to invest in the creative talent necessary to pull it off, and that is an expensive business. But we are in an era when creative production is becoming increasingly automated and made accessible for non-professionals. In the same way that websites went from code-heavy projects to user-friendly interfaces like Squarespace and WordPress, animated copy has been massively simplified.

 For $300 a year you can subscribe to the Moovly animation platform. You can use it to create animations quickly; it’s connected to Shutterstock which gives you access to a vast range of still and motion visuals that you can easily import into a new project, with new content added fortnightly. By adding animations and effects to your creations you can easily create an engaging ad. A bank of stock fonts and design templates, and a dynamic range of drag-and-drop animations, give you all you need to take your ads to the next level.

[Video https://www.moovly.com/blog/5-reasons-why-every-agency-should-use-Moovly ]

 Creating moving ads for your next campaign will really help you raise your marketing game; check out the Bubble panel map to find digital formats near you.