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Sparking conversations: The power of DOOH in social spaces

26 May 2026 | 20 minute read

Simonetta Scheidt

Data & Insights Manager

Why do some brands stick in our minds while others are forgotten? Today, consumers are exposed to more messages than ever before, with constant distractions and competition for attention. Standing out - and proving real impact - has never been more important for brands.

In partnership with LoopMe and Reveal Mobile, we conducted research to measure the effectiveness of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) within place-based media environments. Despite pubs naturally being social spaces where people are relaxed and engaged, there has been very little research combining advertising and pubs. To address this gap, we ran studies across multiple categories to statistically measure the impact of DOOH in this setting.

Across every category, DOOH delivered strong uplifts in key brand metrics including memory recall, consideration, purchase intent and action. Crucially, the impact extended beyond the screen - campaigns in these place-based media environments drove an average +40% increase in brand conversations and a +47% uplift in brand search, showing that DOOH not only drives awareness but also sparks discussion and deeper consumer engagement.

The power of advertising in social spaces

Download the full study here

Key takeaways

  • DOOH in pubs drives measurable business outcomes, not just awareness, with campaigns delivering an average 23% uplift in ad recall, 17% uplift in brand awareness, and 30% uplift in intent.
  • Advertising in social environments generates action beyond the screen, driving an average 40% increase in brand conversations and 47% uplift in brand search.
  • Pubs are uniquely effective because they combine attention, positive mood, and social interaction, creating an environment where advertising is more likely to be noticed, remembered, and discussed.
  • Shared attention strengthens advertising effectiveness. When people see and discuss messages together, memory, consideration, and behavioural response increase.
  • Word of mouth acts as a multiplier, with 44% of consumers more likely to talk about a brand they have seen advertised in a pub environment.

FAQs

This study explores how Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising performs in social environments such as pubs. Conducted in partnership with LoopMe and Reveal Mobile, it measures the impact of pub-based advertising on brand awareness, recall, consideration, intent, and consumer action.

Leisure & hospitality venues combine relaxed mindsets, longer dwell times, social interaction, and shared attention. These factors make audiences more receptive to advertising and more likely to remember, discuss, and act on brand messages.

Place-based media refers to advertising displayed in real-world environments where people spend time, such as pubs, bars, gyms, retail stores, offices, transport hubs, and leisure venues. The effectiveness of place-based media comes from delivering messages within a relevant context and mindset.

Word of mouth remains one of the most trusted forms of influence. You are more likely to trust a brand that is recommended by friends due to sharing similar tastes and values. In social environments, advertising can spark conversations that reinforce memory, increase trust, and encourage further actions such as researching a brand or making a purchase decision.

Contextual OOH advertising places messages in environments where they feel relevant to the audience's situation or mindset. Research shows that when advertising aligns with the environment, consumers process messages more deeply and are more likely to remember them.

Leisure environments offer high attention, positive mood states, social reinforcement, and opportunities for word-of-mouth discussion. The study found that these factors contribute to higher recall, stronger brand associations, increased consideration, and greater likelihood of taking action.

The study found that campaigns running in pub environments generated an average 40% increase in brand conversations, demonstrating that DOOH can influence behaviour beyond direct ad exposure.

Across the studies analysed, pub-based DOOH delivered uplifts across the full marketing funnel, including awareness, consideration, intent, brand search, website visits, and word-of-mouth discussion.