As the Easter long weekend approaches, brands have a golden opportunity to connect with audiences who are on the move and more tuned in to their physical environment. Unlike the typical working week, holiday periods like Easter spark a dramatic shift in audience behaviour. An opportunity that marketers can capitalise on using Out-of-Home advertising.
According to the Outdoor Media Association’s MOVE data, travel increases significantly across both regional and metropolitan areas during long weekends, with more Australians opting for road trips, regional getaways, and domestic flights. These peak travel periods see high audience volumes concentrated along highways, in airports, and across major transit routes. Billboards positioned on main roads and near key intersections are incredibly effective during these peak periods, engaging people on the move and delivering high audience impressions.
Strategic OOH Touchpoints Along Travel Routes and Destinations
OOH’s effectiveness is even more pronounced during holidays because of a notable behavioural shift: people tend to spend less time on their phones. Whether they’re at a beach, in transit, or attending a family lunch, they’re outside their usual routines and less tethered to screens. This reduced digital noise gives OOH the space to cut through and creates a window where physical messaging becomes even more impactful.
Combining OOH Formats for Maximum Exposure
OOH formats each bring their own strengths to a holiday campaign. Traditional billboards dominate the roadside environment, capturing the attention of motorists during longer trips. Transit ads tap into bustling urban movement, especially in areas where public transport use spikes. Street furniture becomes valuable in shopping strips and tourism hotspots where people are walking, browsing and discovering. The strategic use of multiple formats can extend reach and build strong memory recall, which is a key benefit for brands aiming to stay top-of-mind during competitive seasons.
Airport Advertising Reaches Highly Engaged Audiences
Airports, in particular, become high-value touchpoints during holiday periods. As airports see a surge in passenger numbers, brands can access a captive audience with extended dwell times. Bishopp operates across 28 passenger terminals in Australia and New Zealand, including key regional holiday hubs like the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, and Cairns in Australia, as well as Hamilton and Dunedin in New Zealand. With a reach of both domestic and international travellers, tourism airports provide a strategic platform for brands to engage with a mix of highly engaged audiences.
Bishopp has also integrated programmatic advertising across our entire airport network, allowing for real-time campaign adjustments and targeted messaging based on performance and audience insights. Programmatic’s flexibility ensures that brands can deliver timely and relevant messages, enhancing engagement during peak travel periods like the Easter long weekend.
Leveraging Location-Based Targeting
With the impending launch of MOVE’s upgraded measurement capabilities, OOH measurement can now account for these kinds of contextual effects with greater accuracy. MOVE will have the capacity to reveal patterns in audience flow by daypart and travel corridor, helping advertisers optimise when and where their message will land.
Easter is a prime example of how OOH becomes more than just a channel during peak travel times, it becomes a companion to the journey. With the right planning, data-driven insights, and creative execution, brands can turn long weekends into long-lasting consumer connections.
If you’re interested in learning more about how OOH advertising can boost your brand over peak holiday periods, reach out to us today.
