A majority of Australians now see digital outdoor advertising each week
As digital outdoor advertising has proliferated on public transport, sports stadiums, shopping centres, service stations, airports, retailers and elsewhere new data from Roy Morgan shows a majority of 10.8 million Australians aged 14+ (52%) are now seeing digital outdoor advertising in an average week. This represents a significant increase of 10% points from four years ago when only 42% reported seeing digital outdoor advertising.
However, traditional outdoor advertising does remains more prevalent. Now 15.6 million Australians aged 14+ (76%) seeing traditional outdoor advertising such as billboards or posters in an average week. Overall now 78% of Australians see outdoor advertising of some type - including digital, billboard or posters – in an average week, an increase of 4% points on six years ago in 2013.
These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s Single Source Survey which is based on in-depth personal interviews conducted face-to-face with over 50,000 Australians per annum in their own homes.
Clearly it is the rise of digital outdoor advertising over the last few years that is supporting and growing the outdoor advertising market. Analysing the rise of digital outdoor advertising on a regional level shows city dwellers (59%) and far more likely than country folk (40%) to see digital outdoor advertising in an average week while the States with the highest penetration are led by Victoria and Queensland (both 54%).
To learn more about trends in the advertising industry, including how consumers are interacting with media and advertising through different channels and what attitudes are held by Australians towards advertising through channels such as outdoor, TV, radio, magazines, direct mail and more purchase from a wide variety of detailed Roy Morgan Advertising & Media Profiles.
Outdoor advertising trends for traditional billboards & posters and digital screens
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, October 2012-June 2019, Average annual interviews n=15,123. Base: Australians 14+. The dotted line represents when interviewing on these questions began in April 2015. Rolling annual data for these questions is available from March 2016.
Gen Z and Millennials more likely to see many types of outdoor advertising than average Aussies
Taking a look at different types of outdoor advertising including at airports, train stations, on the sides of buses/trams/trains, at petrol/service stations, shopping centres, in gyms/health clubs, sports stadiums and news-stands shows that younger generations are more likely to see many of these types of advertising than average (and older) Australians.
Over half of Australians (53%) see advertising at shopping centres in an average week however this is exceeded by those in both Gen Z (55%) and Millennials (57%).
Outdoor advertising is also frequently seen at petrol/service stations with 35% of Australians seeing this advertising in an average week however far more Millennials (41%) than Gen Z (31%) see this type of outdoor advertising.
The situation is reversed when it comes to public transport.
Younger Australians in Gen Z (32%) are far more likely to see outdoor advertising at train stations in an average week than either Millennials or the average Australian (both 21%). This trend holds true for seeing advertising on the sides of buses/trams/trains seen by 32% of those in Gen Z in an average week compared to 27% of Millennials and 24% of Australians in general.
In addition to these popular types of widespread advertising those in Gen Z are more likely than either Millennials or the average Australian to see outdoor advertising at airports, gyms/health clubs, sport stadiums and even as news-stands.
Likelihood of seeing outdoor advertising for Australians cf. Millennials & Gen Z
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia, July 2018 – June 2019, n=50,057. Base: Australians aged 14+.
Michele Levine, CEO, Roy Morgan, says digital outdoor advertising is on the move as it is rolled out increasingly in private and public spaces around Australia:
“The growth in digital outdoor advertising over the last few years has been impressive, and relentless. A clear majority of 52% of Australians now see digital outdoor advertising in an average week – up a significant 10% points in only four years.
“Victoria and Queensland are the two States leading the way – digital outdoor advertising is seen by 54% in an average week in these States. While 59% of those living in Australia’s capital cities see this form of advertising at least weekly – well ahead of the 40% in country areas.
“Delving more deeply into the data is revealing. Generation Z (born 1991-2005) and ranging from teenagers to those in their late 20s, are the most likely of any generation to see outdoor advertising on the sides of buses/trams/trains, at train stations, gyms/health clubs and at sports stadia.
“Other generations can be more precisely targeted with particular kinds of outdoor advertising. The older Millennials (born 1976-1990) are the most likely to see outdoor advertising at petrol/service stations and at shopping centres while Generation X (born 1961-1975) are the most likely to see outdoor advertising at airports. Perhaps unsurprisingly Baby Boomers (born 1946-1960) are the most likely generation to see outdoor advertising at news-stands.
“These results show that the ability to reach the desired audience with sophisticated digital outdoor advertising campaigns can be very dependent upon exactly where the digital advertising is deployed.
“Roy Morgan’s extensive consumer and demographic data on how Australians consume and interact with all forms of media including outdoor advertising, TV, radio, magazines, print newspapers, catalogues, direct mail, social media, the Internet and others is derived from detailed in-depth interviews with over 50,000 Australians each year in their homes.
“The ability to combine the reach and penetration of different media channels with a comprehensive list of responses to attitudinal statements related to media and advertising offers unparalleled insights into the likelihood of success of a given advertising campaign.”
Explore our range of Advertising & Media Attitude profiles, including profiles for people who agree ‘I find TV advertising more entertaining than the programs’, ‘I can’t but help notice advertising on buses’, ‘Nearly all TV advertising annoys me’, ‘I usually notice the advertisements on shopping trolleys’, ‘People who have clicked through an online advertisement’.
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Margin of Error
The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. Margin of error gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.
| Sample Size | Percentage Estimate |
| 40% – 60% | 25% or 75% | 10% or 90% | 5% or 95% | |
| 1,000 | ±3.0 | ±2.7 | ±1.9 | ±1.3 |
| 5,000 | ±1.4 | ±1.2 | ±0.8 | ±0.6 |
| 7,500 | ±1.1 | ±1.0 | ±0.7 | ±0.5 |
| 10,000 | ±1.0 | ±0.9 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 |
| 20,000 | ±0.7 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 |
| 50,000 | ±0.4 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 | ±0.2 |
