Outdoor advertising revenue in the United Kingdom (UK) 2000-2021

In 2021, the UK’s out-of-home advertising market generated 901 million British pounds in revenue. This figure marked an increase of over 28.9 percent compared to 2020. A year earlier the OOH ad spend in the country dropped to 699 million British pounds, highlighting the significant impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on the region’s advertising industry.

What is out-of-home advertising?

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising, also known as outdoor advertising, refers to any form of visual advertising found in public spaces. Common examples include ads placed on roadside billboards, in airports, or train stations, as well as digital screens in shopping centers or stadiums. In the United Kingdom, virtually all OOH advertising environments saw a significant decrease in impact following the outbreak of the pandemic in early 2020. As people were traveling and commuting much less, advertising placements on public transport experienced a particularly sharp decline in audience exposure.

Outdoor advertising is going digital

The UK’s OOH advertising market continues to undergo a visible digital transformation. Advertisers are increasingly employing digital screens and electronic billboards for their outdoor promotion, as they offer dynamic real-time messaging that can be controlled remotely. In addition, going digital provides companies with new exciting features, including brighter colors, movement, interaction, and more advertising variation in general. In 2021, the share of digital in the UK’s total OOH ad revenue already stood at 64 percent, and according to the latest forecasts, overall DOOH ad spend in the UK will see year-on-year growth of more than 24 percent in 2022.