Ocean Outdoor Finds Large Format DOOH Attracts 5x More Attention Than Online Ads

A landmark study, ‘The Attention Dividend’, reveals premium large format Digital Out of Home (DOOH) attracts five times more attention than online digital formats.

Released by Ocean Outdoor, the UK’s leading premium DOOH media owner, in partnership with Lumen Research, the media attention measurement leader, the findings strongly support new conversations around media strategy.

While the study confirms the impact of premium large format DOOH, its true value emerges when combined with previous Lumen and Ebiquity research linking attention to long-term brand profitability. Taken together, the findings position premium large format DOOH not only as a high-performing format, but a strategic lever for sustainable brand growth.

As marketers wrestle with capturing audience attention – a concern 75% of senior marketing leaders identified in another Ocean study – ‘The Attention Dividend’ moves the discussion forward.

Key attention metrics

• On average, premium large format is 5.1x more effective than digital online formats
• It holds attention 8.2x longer than online display; 5.5x longer than social media content; and 1.6x longer than online video

Brand impact highlights

Overlaying this data with Lumen and Ebiquity’s ‘Maximising Profit Through Attention’ model reveals a strong correlation between attention gains and long-term profit when you combine premium large format DOOH with standard OOH for reach and frequency

• Premium large format DOOH delivers up to 2.5x higher brand recall than online video

Video creatives on premium large format DOOH drive 2.5x more brand choice than static content

• 3D DeepScreen formats deliver a 32% uplift in brand desirability

Not all attention is equal

The study identifies three distinct payoffs from premium large format DOOH:

• Driving long-term profitability
• Boosting mental availability (brand recall)
• Increasing consumer desire to choose the brand

It also offers clear, actionable evidence about marketing effectiveness.

Recommendations include:

• Combining premium large format DOOH with standard OOH for reach and profitability
• Adding premium DOOH video to omnichannel video plans to leverage brand safety and performance

Ocean Outdoor UK CEO Phil Hall said, “This study clearly demonstrates that premium large format DOOH can be a powerful driver of long-term profitability. By delivering sustained and high-quality attention, it helps brands achieve greater returns on investment over the long term through stronger mental availability and brand impact.
“The immersive nature of formats like full-motion video and 3D creative significantly boosts brand consideration and desire – outpacing online formats and rivalling digital video platforms. Premium DOOH isn’t just brand-safe – it’s a broadcast-quality channel that delivers measurable results for both brand building and bottom-line growth.”

Lumen Research managing director Mike Follett said, “At Lumen, we have seen thousands of times how the size and placement of an ad, coupled with the creative, are powerful ingredients in delivering consumer attention. These premium large format DOOH screens from Ocean combine high footfall traffic with video creative, that deliver 5x more attention than digital channels.”

Methodology

Lumen recruited 2,500 participants for a remote, lab-style experiment conducted online using PC devices. The environment replicated how Lumen has run other studies, making the results comparable.

Participants completed a 10-minute survey, with Lumen’s software turning their devices into eye-tracking cameras. For real-time engagement data, they were shown first-person pedestrian POV films, capturing various journeys, all of which happened to pass specific OOH sites, with eye movements tracked. A follow-up survey measured brand recall, ad recall, choice and desirability.

Attention was measured using APM (Attention Per Mille), which multiplies the percentage of ads viewed by average time viewed – a metric assessing the quality and impact of OOH compared to other media.

Lumen’s previous studies, including 2024’s ‘Maximising Profit Through Attention’ with Ebiquity, showed a strong correlation between higher attention and greater long-term profitability.

Overlaying Ocean’s new data with the existing model shows how combining premium large format DOOH with standard OOH can drive increased profit.