Canada Spotlight: Reaching Professionals, Decision Makers and Gen Zs with Indoor Office Advertising

By Melissa Palermo

Consumers are returning to the workplace in full force. As they transition back to their work environments, it’s more important than ever to uncover the long untouched opportunities with indoor office advertising. 80% of Canadians now have in-office presence, but are they on their path to purchase while at work? 

As we wean off of hybrid work environments, office workers are looking at a “new normal” that integrates personal activities like running basic errands, going out for a coffee/snack and going out for lunch into their day. According to COMMB, office workers spend nearly an hour per week in front of digital office screens, in elevators, lobbies, the PATH underground pedestrian walkway network, etc. walking to and from work. 

With Digital Elevator Screens seeing 4.5 trips per day over a 4 day average in-office work week and potential exposure to 30 brand messages per day, it’s undeniable that the impressions are there. Similarly, the lobby sees potential exposure to 18 brand messages per day. This may be unsurprising, but the “new normal” also accounts for online shopping during work hours. 71% of respondents to COMMB’s survey spend up to 1 hour per day at work using their computer for personal use. 

All of these elements point to the perfect conditions for advertising, but who are we reaching with this office network?  

 

What Audiences and Verticals Suit Indoor Office Advertising

At a high level, COMMB has indicated 3 major audiences that can be hit using an indoor office network: 

• Professionals 
• Decision Makers
• Gen Z 

Digital screens are said to be visually appealing to 66% of office workers, they are considered a “good break” from work. 53% of these respondents want to see more special offers and promotions in their indoor advertising networks in the workplace. Professionals working in an office building are ready for more exposure to brands in elevators and beyond. 

It would be safe to assume that within an office setting you are reaching those high income MOPEs and Decision Makers of a certain age group with a certain set of “professional” interests. This demographic strongly aligns with companies in the business sector, universities with executive programs, as well as verticals such as: SaaS, travel and B2B. The exciting thing for companies outside of these evident verticals is that when we tighten the scope around Gen Z, there are so many more opportunities based on their niche interests and buying habits. 

With Gen Z projected to make up about 30% of the workforce by 2025, opportunities open up for advertisers to reach those high-value “Digital Natives” who rely on screens to inform decisions. 71% of Gen Z enjoy watching digital screens in their office building – which means utilising digital office screens provides the perfect platform to speak directly to Gen Z – and they aren’t tuning it out! The top 3 categories for Gen Z in the workplace with the highest conversion of 75%+ are: clothing/accessories, groceries and live entertainment. 

Tug has successfully utilised the Digital Indoor Office Network to reach the perfect audience for Educational Institutions. A recall survey conducted by Pattison for The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Toronto Metropolitan University indicated that as a result of our Microcredentials DOOH campaign: 

• In March 2024, over 1 in 3 of the digital office network audience* recalled seeing the Toronto Metropolitan University campaign, urging them to learn more about The Chang School and consider applying or transferring there.
• Of which, 74% took any action after seeing the OOH advertisements​.

 

Tips for Creating an Effective Indoor Digital Advertising Campaign 

Powerful Presence: The choice of large, bold, highly visible letters is key. Audiences will be on the go and have the option to view your advertisements from many different vantage points, they need to be able to read from no matter where they are standing. Have creative that doesn’t rely on audio or close viewership, but instead is visually eye-catching and easy to understand even if they cannot hear the video playing. 

Clear Messaging: People have little time, especially coming in and out of the office. The words in your advertisement should convey the value of products and encompass the messaging. Avoid too much text, be clear and concise in your messaging so even if someone only sees your ad for a moment, they leave with a level of awareness about your brand. 

Short Loops to Keep Attention: Make videos with 10-15 second loops. Attention spans are short, especially in a world where short format video reigns supreme. Quick loops pack punch and keep eyes glued. Seamlessly repeat content for continuous engagement.

Maximising Brand Impact: Brand logos and important CTAs should appear on every frame in some way, in case someone is not watching the full loop or becomes distracted during their viewing of your advertisement. This is an easy way to avoid missed conversions. 

Want to learn more about the power of indoor advertising and how you can use it to leverage your business? Contact us today to see how Tug can help, and follow our socials to keep up to date on the latest digital marketing trends and insights.