How DOOH Advertising Connects with Holiday Shoppers: Turning Real-World Moments into Measurable Impact

Connecting with Holiday Shoppers Through DOOH

The holiday season is retail’s biggest stage—and consumers are everywhere: scrolling on their phones, browsing in stores, and racing to find last-minute gifts. While digital channels flood online spaces, one medium is meeting shoppers in the real world: digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising.

First, let’s start with the basics.

What Exactly is DOOH?

Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising utilizes digital screens in public places— such as malls, high-traffic city centers, grocery stores, and elevators—to reach audiences on the move. Unlike static billboards and traditional OOH formats, DOOH is dynamic, data-driven, and adaptable in real time.

Global DOOH spend hit $20.7 billion in 2024 and is projected to nearly double to $39.1 billion by 2030. In a recent study by the OAAA, DOOH accounted for 36% of total OOH revenue in Q2 2025, increasing 9.2% year over year, confirming DOOH’s position as a high-growth, high-impact medium. 

Combined with advanced technology, programmatic DOOH (prDOOH) leverages data, automation, and real-time bidding to deliver highly targeted and personalized advertising content—ensuring advertisers strategically and efficiently manage their campaigns with precision and speed. By 2029, programmatic spending is projected to grow to 69% of total DOOH spend (up from 24%), according to a MAGNA forecast.

Why DOOH Matters During the Holidays

1. Reaching Shoppers in the Right Moments

The holiday season amplifies foot traffic—from retail centers and grocery stores to airports and event venues. DOOH screens capture attention in these path-to-purchase environments, influencing shoppers when intent is highest. Target consumers with DOOH ads in the physical world and simply retarget them online with consistent messaging and creative. Combining DOOH with mobile ads can extend campaign reach by 303%, proving the power of omnichannel visibility.

2. Real-Time Relevance and Urgency

Holiday messaging changes fast. Your ads should too. DOOH enables brands to update their creative content instantly, promoting time-sensitive offers such as “Only 3 Days Left for Shipping” or “Final In-Store Sale Today.” This agility turns DOOH into a real-time storytelling channel that adapts with the season. 

3. Bridging Online and In-Store Shopping

Most holiday shoppers blend digital and physical experiences, whether it’s doom scrolling for gifts from the comfort of their couch or shopping at their nearby mall. 

DOOH serves as the connective tissue in your media plan, connecting audiences both online and in real life with the following:

• QR codes or NFC tags link shoppers to online offers.
• Screens near stores drive immediate footfall.
• Retargeting links DOOH exposure to mobile and CTV campaigns.

With 90% of gift buyers shopping online and 68% also buying in-store, omnichannel integration is key— and DOOH is where both worlds meet. Not to mention, OOH delivers superior audience reach at a lower CPM than other digital channels (such as digital display, digital video, radio, and CTV), making it the most cost-effective medium for advertisers to consider when budgeting and planning their media strategies.

Standing Out in a Crowded Season

Holiday ad noise is everywhere, unfortunately, inundating consumers with hundreds, if not thousands of ads a day. DOOH cuts through the noise with large-format, full-motion, vibrant visuals, and contextual digital placements. A 2024 OAAA study found 76% of adults took action after seeing a DOOH ad, and 73% viewed DOOH positively— outperforming most media for engagement and recall.

Key Insights About Holiday Shopping Behavior

Understanding consumers' behavior patterns during the holiday season and where your target audience is most likely to spend helps inform your DOOH strategy. According to a Basis 2025 Holiday Shopping & Advertising Trends Report:

• Americans spent $1.3 trillion online vs $5.9 trillion in stores in 2024.
• Online spending grew 6.7% YoY, while in-store spending grew 2.9%.
• 16% used “Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store.”
• 83% had items shipped, while 37% made purchases in-store.
• 98% of U.S. adults visited a DOOH venue in the past month— most at grocery or retail locations.

These report findings underscore that while e-commerce dominates growth, physical retail remains central to holiday sales, and DOOH connects directly with those in-store audiences.

Best Practices for Holiday DOOH Campaigns

1. Select strategic locations: Target high-traffic retail areas such as malls, grocery stores, and transit hubs. With Screenverse, advertisers have access to 30+ venue types across 130,000 digital screens, ensuring maximum exposure through multiple touchpoints. 
2. Keep creative dynamic: With dynamic creative optimization (DCO), advertisers can utilize countdowns, deadlines, weather triggers, and rotating offers to build urgency and create relevant messaging leading up to seasonal promotions.
3. Consider your omnichannel strategy: DOOH seamlessly integrates with mobile, social, or CTV to provide stronger attribution. With many digital screens accepting creative with the same aspect ratio as social channels (9:16 and 16:9), it’s a no-brainer to consider DOOH for your omnichannel campaigns.
4. Measure your campaign: Understand the real-world impact of your holiday campaign. DOOH measurement is much more than impressions. Screenverse, combined with our measurement partner ABCS Insights, helps you measure brand lift, foot traffic, sales lift, and ROAS. Learn more here.

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The Perfectly Packaged DOOH Placements

Consider these venue types to reach your audience of holiday shoppers this year:

1. Gas stations, EV chargers, and digital billboards

From road trips to running errands, travel-based DOOH screens are the perfect way to connect with consumers while they’re on the go. With 119 million travelers last holiday season, gas stations and billboards are a guaranteed spot to reach shoppers.

2. Digital urban panels

As people commute, shop, and celebrate, DOOH cuts through the clutter and becomes part of the daily rhythm. Whether they’re heading to work, a holiday party, or last-minute errands, urban panels are positioned at eye-level to ensure your message gets seen.

3. Shopping centers and malls

The most premium spots during the holiday season are right where purchases happen. Luckily, there is plenty of inventory in and around malls, and directly in front of retail stores, offering unmatched placements to capture attention. This way, brands can reach consumers at the point of consideration where wish lists meet wallets. DOOH in retail spaces brings brand messages to life when gift-buying is top of mind. 

Over two-thirds (68%) of shoppers say they notice an OOH ad as they are en-route to the retailer or store. These ads directly impact the shoppers’ decisions, whether they consciously realize it or not.

4. Grocery stores, convenience stores, and liquor retailers

Whether your audience is hosting a holiday dinner or running last-minute errands, digital screens in these venues meet shoppers on a mission. Perfect for food, beverage, or gifting brands looking to stay top-of-cart.

5. Bars, restaurants, and sports arenas

Bring your brand into the conversation where audiences gather to make memories. These venues bring high dwell time, engaged viewers, and the perfect festive context to deliver your holiday message with real impact.

6. Residential apartment buildings and Class-A office buildings 

There’s no place like home for the holidays, and that includes where consumers live and work. With DOOH screens in apartment complexes and office buildings, advertisers have a unique opportunity to reach consumers in the spaces they spend the most time in—with little to no DOOH competition or distraction.

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Sleigh Your Holiday Campaign with DOOH

As digital and physical shopping continue to blend, DOOH’s hybrid reach becomes even more powerful. The medium links screens, stores, and shoppers—delivering impact across every stage of the customer journey.

So, as you craft your media plan (and check it twice), don’t forget to make sure DOOH is right at the top. Whether you’re reaching travelers, shoppers, or partygoers, DOOH turns everyday moments into brand magic

Contact us today to learn more about our holiday inventory packages, audience-driven targeting solutions, and complimentary measurement capabilities.

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