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OOH ad spend increasing but barriers remain for deeper investment

Generated by AI/Adobe Stock

March 11, 2026

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Over half, 59%, of marketers are planning to increase OOH budgets but most are still allocating less than 5% of total media budgets to the digital channel.

Those are findings from an Accretive research report that polled 120 senior leaders at brands and agencies.

Well more than half, 68%, would boost OOH spend, by at least 5%, if verification of all OOH impressions and audience data was provided by a single, neutral third-party entity, according to a press release on the findings. The data reported 14% would increased budgets by 20% in that scenario.

The findings reveal the channel's path to growth is hindered by barriers including limited quality and scale of inventory (49.2%), complexity of execution (41.75%), lack of internal expertise (40.8%) and a lack of standardized measurement (31.7%).

"The use of a unified data source, across formats and screens, is essential for efficient, impactful advertising. Yet, our latest survey confirms a frustrating reality that OOH is the only channel still operating without one, leaving even the most sophisticated marketers feeling confused and underserved," Craig Benner, CEO and founder of Accretive, said in the release. "At Accretive, we view this gap not just as a challenge, but as our mandate. We are committed to helping build the infrastructure that brings clarity to this space, ensuring our partners can move past the fragmentation that has held this channel back for too long."

Additional findings include:

Brand awareness/reach, product launch, and driving foot traffic/store visits are the top three business objectives where buyers find OOH most effective.
Foot traffic lift (24.2%) and brand search lift (23.3%) are now the leading metrics marketers use to evaluate OOH performance, reflecting a shift away from traditional reach and frequency metrics.
61.7% of marketers say OOH amplifies their social media campaigns more than any other channel.

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