Targeting travellers in the moment

Part of the brand’s ‘Driven by Something Different’ push, Skoda’s campaign involves digital billboards that highlight the natural beauty of four different locations in the UK, including Rye, Wales, the Lakes and Norfolk.

The campaign is designed to encourage drivers to veer away from their day-to-day journeys and reconnect with things that are important in life – in this case nature. So, alongside stunning landscapes, each billboard displays how long it will take to drive from that exact spot to the location in the ad. It also uses Google’s API traffic statistics to update journey estimations in real-time.

It’s certainly clever. But do passers-by really take notice of digital ads?

According to Nielsen, 91% of US residents who have travelled in a vehicle in the past month have noticed some form of out-of-home advertising. What’s more, 71% of people found these ads to be more noticeable than those seen online.

The beauty of digital OOH advertising is that it is far less jarring than online, which automatically makes it more appealing to consumers. Instead of an online ad, which interrupts the user experience to deliver a marketing message, a digital billboard complements a real world experience – with passers-by viewing ads in a highly targeted and specific context. 

The result is a much more seamless experience, with a guaranteed high level of visibility.

Providing more than just inspiration

Alongside its clever use of contextual data, another reason this campaign works is that it taps into the consumer’s real-time emotional needs and desires. While many automotive brands use travel-based imagery to engage consumers – as well as highlight a vehicle’s various features – this is often on Instagram or other online channels. 

Consequently, the separation between the consumer and the actual location feels huge – with the user response often being a passive sense of wanderlust. And naturally, brands hope that this feeling will be enough to prompt consumers to take action.

However, Skoda’s campaign not only evokes this response but offers the solution.

By delivering inspirational travel imagery to people in busy cities or on motorways, and then informing them exactly how long it would take to get from A to B, the campaign taps into and helps to solve a relatable frustration. 

A lifestyle-led campaign

For Skoda, the decision to launch a DOOH campaign aligns with a shift in its general marketing strategy. Instead of focusing on the functional or technical aspects of the car, it is now positioning itself in terms of the lifestyle of the consumer.

As a seven-seater the Kodiaq SUV is a family car, which is reflected in the family-friendly locations of Rye and the Lake District. Similarly, by placing billboards in locations such as shopping centres Skoda is able to target a very specific demographic. 

Along with the theme of focusing on the things that matter most in life, it’s a nicely executed campaign all-round.

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