Out of Home
Advertising in the US
Strategic billboard, transit and digital out of home advertising campaigns across the United States.
How out of home advertising works in the US
The US out of home advertising market operates differently to the UK and many European markets. Planning is typically city-led, with media availability, formats and regulations varying significantly from market to market.
OOH campaigns in the US are delivered through a fragmented network of media owners, with inventory often tied to local authorities, transport operators or private landlords. As a result, successful US OOH campaigns rely on careful market selection, format strategy and experienced negotiation.
For brands entering the US, understanding these regional differences is critical to maximising impact and avoiding inefficiencies.
What OOH looks like in the US today
Out of home advertising in the US is defined by scale, visibility and diversity. Major metropolitan areas offer dense, high-impact media environments, while roadside and commuter formats dominate suburban and regional markets.
Key characteristics of the modern US OOH landscape include:
High roadside exposure in car-centric cities
Strong commuter reach through transit and rail networks
Rapid growth of digital out of home (DOOH) inventory
Increasing use of audience data and location intelligence
A focus on premium placements and contextual relevance
OOH remains a core channel for brand-building, launches and market entry across the United States.
Out of home advertising formats across the US
Out of home advertising in the US spans a wide range of formats, environments and scales. Availability and effectiveness can vary significantly by city, making format selection a key part of campaign strategy.
Billboard
Advertising
Billboards remain one of the most dominant OOH formats in the US, particularly in car-centric cities and along major arterial routes. Both static and digital billboards offer high-impact visibility, with premium locations often delivering sustained frequency over extended periods.
Digital billboards add flexibility, allowing creative rotation, dayparting and dynamic messaging where permitted by local regulations.
Transit
Advertising
Transit advertising plays a major role in dense urban markets. Formats include subway platforms, station dominations, buses, commuter rail and airport transit systems.
Transit OOH is particularly effective for reaching commuters, urban professionals and repeat audiences, with exposure driven by daily travel patterns rather than footfall alone.
Street
Furniture
Street furniture formats include bus shelters, kiosks, information panels and pedestrian-level displays. These placements are typically concentrated in downtown districts, retail corridors and high-footfall urban environments.
Street furniture is well suited to contextual messaging, product launches and proximity-based campaigns.
Large Format & Landmark Placements
Large format and landmark sites deliver standout visibility in key locations. These placements often become visual reference points within a city and are commonly used for major brand launches, entertainment releases and high-profile campaigns.
Landmark inventory is limited and highly competitive, making early planning essential.
Digital Out of Home
(DOOH)
Digital out of home continues to grow across US cities, supported by networked screens in retail, transit, roadside and office environments.
DOOH enables more agile campaign management, with options for programmatic buying, audience targeting and real-time optimisation. Availability, scale and data capabilities vary by market and operator.
Place-Based OOH &
Retail Media
Place-based OOH includes screens and displays within retail environments, gyms, offices, residential buildings and entertainment venues.
These formats allow brands to reach audiences in contextually relevant environments and are increasingly used as part of omnichannel and performance-driven strategies.
How we plan US out of home campaigns
Our approach to US out of home advertising is built around clarity, local insight and commercial discipline.
1. Market &
Audience Strategy
We start by understanding your objectives and identifying the US markets, environments and audiences that will deliver the greatest impact. This includes deciding whether a city-led test, regional rollout or multi-market campaign is the right approach.
2. City, Format & Media Planning
We develop a tailored media strategy based on local availability, format suitability and visibility. This stage balances reach, frequency and budget to ensure campaigns are both effective and efficient across selected US markets.
3. Campaign Delivery & Measurement
Campaigns are managed end-to-end, from booking and coordination through to live delivery and reporting. We provide clear performance insight to support evaluation, optimisation and future planning.
Key US cities for out of home advertising
Out of home advertising in the US is fundamentally city-driven. Media availability, formats, pricing and regulation vary widely between markets, making city selection one of the most important strategic decisions in any US OOH campaign.
New York City
New York City is the largest and most influential out of home advertising market in the US. With dense footfall, extensive transit networks and iconic large-format inventory, NYC offers unparalleled visibility for brands looking to make a statement.
OOH in New York is commonly used for:
Brand launches and market entry
Entertainment, fashion and technology campaigns
High-frequency commuter and pedestrian reach
Formats range from subway and station media to premium roadside and landmark digital placements across Manhattan and the wider boroughs.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a car-centric market defined by roadside exposure and long dwell times. Its OOH landscape is dominated by large-format billboards and digital roadside inventory along major arterial routes.
LA is particularly effective for:
Entertainment and media brands
Consumer products and lifestyle campaigns
Long-term visibility and sustained frequency
Creative impact is key in this market, with scale and placement often driving performance more than sheer volume.
Chicago
Chicago acts as a central hub for US out of home advertising, combining strong commuter audiences with national advertiser relevance. The city offers a balanced mix of transit, roadside and urban formats.
Chicago is often used for:
Regional and national rollouts
B2B and enterprise campaigns
Cost-efficient reach at scale
Its geographic position and media diversity make it a common anchor market for multi-city strategies.
Who we support with US OOH advertising
We work with brands at different stages of US market engagement, including:
UK brands entering the US market
US brands launching regionally or nationally
International brands planning multi-city rollouts
Venture-backed and growth brands
Established advertisers seeking smarter OOH planning
Our role is to simplify complexity and provide clarity at every stage.
International experience, local US execution
Excite OOH brings international out of home experience together with local US media execution. We provide a single point of contact for planning and delivery, while working closely with media owners on the ground to ensure campaigns are executed effectively.
This approach allows brands to maintain strategic control while benefiting from local market knowledge, negotiation and delivery expertise.
Measuring US out of home advertising performance
Measurement is a core part of modern US OOH campaigns. We support performance evaluation through:
Audience impressions and reach data
Location and format performance analysis
Brand uplift and awareness indicators
Clear post-campaign reporting
This ensures campaigns are accountable and aligned with wider marketing objectives.
Typical US OOH budget ranges
OOH budgets in the US vary significantly by city, format and duration. As a guide:
Single-city test campaigns are often used for market entry or launches
Multi-city rollouts support regional or national awareness
Premium landmark placements command higher investment but deliver standout visibility
We help brands align budget with impact, not just inventory volume.
Plan an out of home advertising campaign in the US
Whether you’re launching in a single city or planning a broader US rollout, we help brands navigate the US OOH landscape with clarity and confidence.
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