Outdoor Advertising in China: Drive Traffic to WeChat
Outdoor advertising in China is a powerful tool for brands to drive traffic to physical locations as well as online platforms. In the digital landscape, WeChat is particularly efficient because it is an integral part of the daily life of more than 1 billion users. This serves to make monetizable conversions, such as sales, app downloads, and more.
In this article, the China specialists at WeChat Advertising explore strategies, effectiveness, and real-life examples of outdoor advertising in China, driving traffic to WeChat, where conversion and brand engagement take place.
Now, let’s get into the details.
OOH – Out-Of-Home Advertising
To begin with, outdoor advertising or outdoor media refers to all advertising experiences outside of people’s homes, for example, billboards, posters, and so on. OOH also includes place-based media, for example, in convenience stores, elevators, vehicles, and more.
More specifically, digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH) refers to dynamic ads on LED screens, often located at a point of purchase (shopping mall, hotel, airport) to influence the buying decision.
Quick History of Outdoor Advertising
Did you know that outdoor advertising actually began as early as 1830 with billboards in the United States? Of course, it has since evolved significantly.
In recent years, digitalization has further transformed this sector, especially since the widespread use of smartphones and mobile devices as well as the introduction of WeChat and Alipay QR codes in 2011.
Outdoor Advertising Formats
Besides popular formats like billboards and posters, these digital outdoor ads provide ample opportunities for online conversion and engagement for brands in China and around the world:
- Transit advertising: bus stops, subway stations, etc.
- Mobile advertising: buses, taxis, etc.
- Elevator advertising: shopping malls, office and residential buildings, etc.
So, what does OOH look like in China?
Outdoor Advertising in China
In China’s busy urban landscape, strategically placed ads in high-traffic areas like bus stops (“street furniture”), shopping malls, airports, and elevators reach millions of pedestrians, commuters, and travelers alike. They often inspire people to take action on their phone/mobile devices, for example, to buy a product online.
The ad spending of outdoor advertising in China (traditional and digital formats) is steadily growing and is forecasted to reach close to 10 billion USD in 2029, surpassing the US OOH advertising market. Digital outdoor ad formats are more popular in China and comprise more than 50% compared to traditional ad formats like billboards.
Overall, China’s outdoor advertising sector is quickly evolving with technological innovation, strategic positioning, and creative content to engage the country’s large population.
According to some sources, OOH is the third-largest media after TV and online ads.
Integrating the Offline and Online Experience
In 2023, China’s retail industry (OFFLINE) generated a revenue of more than 6.6 trillion USD. And there is no end in sight to this upward trend.
At the same time, the global retail e-commerce market (ONLINE) is growing at roughly 30% per year and stood at 5.8 trillion USD in 2023. China leads this segment with 1.3 trillion USD in revenue in 2023, followed by the United States.
To sum it up, people love buying digitally. Approximately one in three people worldwide shop online! And in China, women make online purchases more often compared to men.
Benefits of Outdoor Advertising for Brands
By integrating the offline and online experience in spaces, where people are bound to spend some time, brands can lift a large variety of potentials, including:
- Brand visibility & awareness: Reach a large and diverse group of potential customers, boosting brand recognition and trust.
- Brand engagement: Interactive outdoor ads can encourage consumers to interact with the brand, for example, on WeChat and other Chinese social media through contests, hashtags, or other incentives.
- Driving sales: Prospects can easily scan the QR codes, leading them to an online store, a promotional offer, or another landing page.
- Consumer behavior: By analyzing the outdoor advertising locations, brands can better understand the behavior and preferences of their potential customers, and tailor their brand experience accordingly. This can be the type of content or a certain time that achieves the most engagement.
Overall, outdoor advertising that drives traffic to WeChat blends the offline and online brand experience. As such, it is geared towards B2C rather than B2B brands.
That sounds great. But what’s in it for the consumers?
Outdoor Advertisement Gains for Consumers
Ads at bus stops, in elevators, and other offline touchpoints can provide consumers with
- location-based information on products and services
- discounts
- exclusive or limited offers
- personalized experiences
- entertainment
And what does this mean in terms of pricing?
Outdoor Advertising Costs
The leading outdoor advertising companies in China are JCDecaux, as well as Clear Channel Outdoor, and Focus Media. Brands can book ads directly through these companies, or via agencies and online platforms.
The reach and costs of these ads vary greatly according to various parameters, including Tier City, exact location, foot traffic, duration, size of the ad, and so on.
Tier 1 cities like Beijing and Shanghai generally will have more potential impressions compared to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, but they also tend to be more expensive.
Now, what does a typical user journey look like when seeing an ad in the real world, and deciding to follow the online prompt?
User Journey: Outdoor Advertising to Online World
The user journey for outdoor ads can be divided into the following stages
- Exposure: The user encounters an advertisement in a physical location
- Engagement: The ad typically includes a call-to-action (CTA), such as a QR code, website URL, or social media handle
- Conversion: The user takes action by scanning the QR code, visiting the URL, or searching for the brand on social media
- Online interaction: The user is directed to a tailored landing page
- Conversion & Retention
- Purchase: The user makes a purchase or engages with the brand
- Loyalty Programs: The user may join loyalty programs, receive discounts, or engage in repeat purchases
- Feedback Loop: The brand collects feedback through surveys or reviews to improve future campaigns
- Follow-Up: Based on the user’s online actions, they might receive follow-up ads or notifications
So, what do ads in public spaces typically look like?
Tools for Outdoor Advertising
Proven strategies for outdoor ads include
- QR codes: Basically a must!
- Promotions and discounts: These marketing tools are generally much appreciated by Chinese consumers.
- Seasonal campaigns: Think of Chinese shopping festivals like Singles’ Day (11.11).
- Loyalty programs: Buyers can collect and redeem points.
- Augmented reality: Interactive content fosters engagement.
Keep in mind to be bold, flashy (Chinese generally love colorful and playful ads), and to the point. Generally, a large, bright image and few words are ideal! We will analyze this in more detail in the examples below.
WeChat: Leverage Outdoor Advertising in China
With more than 1.3 billion monthly active users, WeChat is China’s most important app and way more than a messaging app. It is an all-in-one social app for shopping, events, payment, and more, making it essential in the daily lives of almost every Chinese citizen.
Why Send Users to WeChat?
While you prompt people in the real world with a call-to-action to any website, landing page, or (social) app, driving traffic to WeChat has specific benefits that stand out:
- Direct contact: Engage with consumers directly through WeChat Official Accounts (OA) and build relationships through WeChat Channels
- Sales conversion: WeChat Mini Programs are ideal for product catalogs and shopping functionalities
- Customer service: Talk to clients about their needs and solve their problems on your official WeChat brand account
- Data collection: WeChat analytics provides insights into user demographics, content performance, and more
Now, with all this in mind, let’s look at what outdoor marketing looks like in real life!
Case Studies: Successful Outdoor Advertising Campaigns
Let’s get an even better understanding of outdoor advertising in China by looking at these specific examples.
Example: McDonald’s
In June 2024, McDonald’s launched a new chicken wing snack “Thin-Skinned Crispy V Wings” with a unique flavor. This snack together with the promotion was created specifically for the Chinese market.
For the marketing campaign, among other promotions, a giant chicken wing truck was built. Watch this short video by Tait, Founder of Nanjing Marketing Group, to see his take on this McDonald’s promotion.
The McDonald’s Big V Car is driving through major Chinese cities in June and July 2024, giving out coupon codes for people to buy the new chicken wings on the McDonald’s app or WeChat mini-program.
As this bundle of physical promotions can’t reach all the people in China, McDonald’s has additional digital marketing strategies in place, including daily V Wing puzzles with an opportunity to win free chicken wings every day.
Example: Dole
Fresh fruit and vegetable producer Dole promoted its brand with a prompt to buy at Hema supermarket.
Next, let’s take a look at another example.
Example: New Hope Dairy
This ad by New Hope Dairy promotes fresh milk, guiding everyone to scan the code to purchase milk with home delivery.
Now, let’s take a look at one more example.
Example: Yiming Fresh Milk Bar
Yiming Fresh Milk Bar is also a dairy products chain brand. They have physical stores, focusing on breakfast items, including bread, yogurt, and milk.
This advertisement promotes breakfast options to guide people to make purchases in physical stores.
And now, on to the last outdoor advertising example.
Example: XI yangyang
This moving company is promoting its services and prompts viewers to call or scan the QR code for moving inquiries.
So, what are the key components of running successful outdoor ads in China?
Navigating Success of Outdoor Ads in China
Let’s take a look at how to measure the success of outdoor ads, and what other considerations to keep in mind when placing these effective advertising formats.
The key metrics to measure the success of outdoor ads include:
- Scan rates of QR code
- Follower growth on WeChat
- Engagement with WeChat posts, and other content
- Conversion rate to sales, app download, etc.
- Correlation to the amount of foot traffic
In terms of data analysis tools, WeChat Analytics is the go-to option to track follower growth, engagement, and conversions.
Keep in mind that people may be overwhelmed by the sheer flood of digital information they encounter every day on their mobile devices, and in the real world as well. This can become tiring and lower the response rate.
Stand out from the crowd with creative and disruptive content to still catch peoples’ attention. Make your message clear and to the point, be precise with your CTA, and use large images.
The Takeaway – Outdoor Advertising in China
Outdoor advertising in China is a powerful tool to increase traffic and engagement, especially when integrated with WeChat. Remember that the success of these campaigns depends on creativity and relevance.
This caters to the mobile-first approach of Chinese netizens and is ideal to
- Raise brand visibility and awareness
- Boost brand engagement and reputation
- Drive sales
- Analyze consumer behavior
Our top China outdoor advertising tips to drive traffic to WeChat are
- Integrate QR codes visibly with a clear call-to-action
- Run real-time content updates (e.g. live social feeds), dynamic promotions (e.g. time-sensitive offers), and interactive campaigns
- Consider influencer endorsements
- Localize your ad content to the specific area
- Address women, who shop online more frequently than men
Have we sparked your interest? If you would like to get started with advertising involving WeChat or China in general, the experts at WeChat Advertising are here for you.
