COVID’s Impact on Consumer Behavior | Out of Home Media

Consumers have a renewed appreciation for the outdoors:
Seven in 10 (69%) say their appreciation of the experience/awareness of their surroundings has increased now that COVID-19 stay-home orders and lockdown restrictions are mostly lifted. Two-thirds (65%) say they try to get out of the house as often say they can, even if it is just for a drive or walk around town. Four in 10 (40%) say they are walking more since the pandemic hit.
Americans are turning to the outdoors to stay safe:
Two-thirds (65%) say they have been trying to find safe outdoor activities to spend their time, while three-fifths (60%) say they wish there were more outdoor dining offerings.
This is the moment for Out of Home Advertising:
Nearly half (45%) of Americans say they are noticing billboards, outdoor video screens, posters, signage, and other OOH ads more than before the pandemic began.
OOH is empowering consumers and equipping them with the knowledge they need:
Two in five people (38%) said they found COVID-19 safety information to be useful from ads. Nearly 3 in 10 (29%) say they felt grateful for useful information from ads, while (23%) said they were educated about something new and (20%) felt comforted as it was a sign that businesses are back.
Consumers are suffering from digital burnout and tuning out digital ads:
More than 68% of consumers agree that they are spending so much time looking at device screens
these days that they are tuning out digital online ads.

Shopping is now all about efficiency and safety:
(43%) say “I try to make fewer trips to the store and stock up on items as much as I can to minimize the number of times I go shopping” and (34%) say “I’ve stopped casually shopping in-person and only go into a store for pre-determined items.” Safety matters: (29%) say “I prefer to shop at retailers that have thoughtfully planned the store traffic for COVID-19 (e.g., one-way aisles).”
COVID-19 has inspired a new wave of purpose driven shoppers:
(28%) say “I’ve become a better planner (e.g., more aware of what I like to buy, where to buy)”
and (26%) say “I try to shop more at locally owned stores to support the economy in my community.”
As Americans adjust to a socially distanced lifestyle, there is new demand for contact-free commerce:
(71%) of consumers are interested in takeout from restaurants and (57%) are interested in curbside pickup.
The pandemic has caused consumers to consider new brands:
(43%) are using a mix of new and familiar brands; (12%) are using new brands they will continue to use and replace old brands, and another (12%) are using new brands because it is their only choice
but plan to switch back to preferred brands once they are available again. Only one-third (32%) are continuing to use the same brands they did prior to the pandemic.

Repost of article originally posted on OOHToday.com

Photo credit: OOHToday.com