As a CMO you must regularly test, benchmark and revise your investments to find the magic media mix that demonstrates ROI. While the "connected home" was once thought to be the future, it's the connected consumer who has transformed retail marketing. Fueling today's on-the-go shopper are all-time low gas prices and reduced unemployment at 5.6%, a six-year low. * Consumers are still going in-store for the majority of their purchases, and outdoor advertising is one of the most powerful ways to engage them, because it's un-skippable.

In the fragmented media landscape, billboards don't face the same challenges as other mediums - there's no flipping past them, changing channels or ad blocking software. Let's be honest, it's kind of impossible to miss a 14×48 canvas. Out-of-home is big, bold and timely. With dynamic digital capabilities, enhanced traffic data and proximity targeting, they're more integral to the media mix than ever.

Here are some out-of-home capabilities to consider when planning your next branding campaign, holiday sale or new product promotion:

Integrate Personalization. It's not just millennials who like to see their name and face up in lights. Coca-Cola made it the summer of sharing (hyperlink to: https://vimeo.com/114253112) by utilizing #ShareaCoke and encouraging consumers to text their names and photos to be displayed on digital displays. To feel even more connected, users were able to create and share virtual bottles with friends and family. Coca-Cola noted a positive brand lift of 11.8%.

Make It An Experience. A bus shelter was once an overhang to huddle, pace and text friends and family while you waited. Today, a consumer can shop for groceries, sample perfume and fight with zombies. Yes, zombies. Xbox teased the release of Sunset Overdrive at bus shelters in San Francisco and entertained hundreds of gamers, driving them to GameStop to get their own copy.

Be contextually relevant. Localization has always been an inherent component in outdoor advertising, and this has increased trifold with day-parted messaging, traffic data and weather feeds. Target shared activities for parents nationwide with their weather-triggered billboard messaging. Chance Of Rain Today. Go Puddling. Sun's Out! Go Sprinklering!

Promote in Real Time. Digital signage can be used to broadcast holiday promotions, unveil new album art, drive to web, post tweets and share FLASH SALES messaging (more fun than flash floods). With multiple partners and product lines for retailers to promote, flexibility is a huge advantage.

Utilize Proximity Targeting. Clear Channel Outdoor has mapped its out of home network (digital and static, roadside to pedestrian) to over 3,000 leading retailers. Whether zoning in on a particular demographic or promoting a new product available in select markets, we'll help you make your media plan as efficient as possible.

Here's something to keep in mind: 40% of shoppers recalled noticing outdoor ads in the 30 minutes prior to purchase - higher than any other media.** Make your campaign un-skippable!

* "U.S. Drivers Start 2015 with Cheapest Gas in Six Years" Bloomberg Jan. 2015; "U.S. Jobless Claims Drop Sharply to Near 15 Year Low" Reuters, Jan. 2015

** The Outdoor Media Centre, "The Last Window of Influence", 2011

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