Many business owners and marketers used to assume billboards were “old school.” But today, that way of thinking is what’s actually outdated.

New research confirms that billboard advertising effectiveness is higher than TV, digital, and even connected TV when it comes to building brand awareness and driving purchase intent.

A 2025 study by Kantar found that out-of-home (OOH) advertising delivers the strongest brand lift across all major channels – proving billboards are not just relevant, but essential for modern marketing.

Billboards Lead in Awareness

When people are asked which ads they remember, billboards rise to the top:

For local businesses, that means more customers noticing your name in the community. For national brands, it means scale and visibility at a level digital alone can’t achieve.

From Awareness to Action

The same study revealed that billboards also increase purchase intent by 9.8%—virtually identical to TV (9.6%) and far higher than digital (1.7%) or CTV (2.7%).

This is where billboard advertising effectiveness shines: not only do people see and remember the message, they’re more likely to choose the brand or business behind it.

Building Trust and Recall

The research also found that billboards improve how people feel about brands and how well they remember messages:

• Brand Favorability: OOH +7.8%
• Message Association: OOH +3.8%

For a small business, that translates into credibility and trust in the local market. For larger advertisers, it reinforces positioning and consistency across markets.

Why Billboards Work in 2025

Billboards aren’t “old school.” They’re effective because they’re part of daily life:

• Unskippable: No mute button, no ad blocker.
• Highly visible: Where people live, work, and travel.
• Amplifiers: Strengthen digital and social campaigns by boosting recall.

That combination makes billboards one of the most powerful tools for building both awareness and intent today.

The Takeaway

Whether you’re running a neighborhood business or a national brand campaign, the takeaway is the same: billboards deliver higher awareness and intent than TV, digital, or CTV.

It’s not just visibility. It’s effectiveness you can measure.

Partner With Adams Outdoor Advertising

At Adams Outdoor Advertising, we help brands unlock the full potential of OOH. From high-impact static billboards to dynamic digital and programmatic campaigns, our solutions drive measurable results that outperform other media. Ready to see the difference billboards can make? Contact us today