Billboards Became Irrelevant After COVID-19? Think Again
Why outdoor advertising recovered faster than many expected
When Jeremy Male walked from Grand Central Terminal toward the Chrysler Building and saw advertisements everywhere, it was easy to assume that outdoor advertising had fully recovered. But behind that impressive visibility was a completely different story: in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the billboard industry into one of its most difficult periods in decades.
The pandemic changed consumer behaviour, advertising budgets, and the way brands evaluated media investment. Retail-dependent businesses suffered immediately, while companies that relied on people moving through streets, shopping centres, airports, and public transport faced an unprecedented decline in audience movement.
Yet outdoor advertising did not disappear. It experienced a temporary shock, followed by a transformation that made billboards more accessible, more measurable, and more relevant to small and medium-sized businesses.
The 2020 shock: when the streets went quiet
Billboards depend on movement. When streets, offices, shops, airports, and public transport became nearly empty, the entire out-of-home advertising model was placed under immediate pressure.
Before the pandemic, outdoor advertising had been enjoying a period of strong innovation. Digital billboards, programmatic buying, audience measurement, and more flexible campaign planning were helping OOH compete with other major advertising channels.
Then lockdowns changed everything. People stopped commuting, businesses closed temporarily, and many advertisers froze their marketing budgets to protect cash flow and reduce losses.
How major outdoor companies were affected
The financial results of leading outdoor advertising companies showed just how severe the impact was during the second quarter of 2020.
| Company | Business focus | Reported impact |
|---|---|---|
| Outfront Media | Billboards, subway advertising, and bus media in North America. | Revenue fell by approximately 50% year over year in Q2 2020. |
| Clear Channel Outdoor | Billboard and outdoor advertising inventory across multiple countries. | Revenue declined by approximately 55% during the same period. |
| JCDecaux | Billboards, street furniture, transport, and promotional panels worldwide. | Revenue dropped by approximately 66% during the lockdown period. |
The figures above describe the exceptional market conditions of 2020 and should be understood in the context of pandemic-related lockdowns and restrictions.
But what happened after the lockdowns?
As restrictions were lifted, the market began to shift again. People gradually returned to work, shopping, travel, restaurants, and public spaces. Outdoor advertising recovered because the audience that makes OOH valuable returned to the streets.
Billboards were once a game for large brands
Before the pandemic, billboard advertising was often perceived as a channel reserved for large corporations. National brands, banks, telecom companies, real estate developers, and major retailers were the businesses most likely to invest in premium outdoor locations.
For many small and medium-sized enterprises, social media appeared to be more affordable and easier to launch. A business could create a campaign, select an audience, and start spending with a relatively small budget.
However, the lower entry price of digital advertising does not always mean lower total cost. Digital campaigns require creative production, audience management, content updates, landing pages, testing, analytics, and constant optimization.
Why outdoor advertising became more attractive
During and after the pandemic, consumers were exposed to an enormous volume of digital content. Social media feeds, search ads, video platforms, banners, sponsored posts, and email promotions competed for attention throughout the day.
As people became more familiar with digital advertising, many began to ignore ads automatically. They skipped videos, scrolled past sponsored content, blocked advertisements, or simply treated online promotions as background noise.
Outdoor advertising offers a different type of exposure. A billboard appears in the physical environment, often along a familiar route, and becomes part of the audience’s daily surroundings. It does not depend on a click, a scroll, or a user choosing to watch the message.
The value of OOH is not only in the number of people who see an advertisement once. It is also in repeated exposure, location-based familiarity, and the credibility created when a brand appears consistently in the real world.
The post-pandemic return of outdoor advertising
As mobility returned, advertisers began demanding outdoor inventory again. According to industry reports, several major U.S. markets recorded strong growth in outdoor advertising demand between the first and second quarters of 2021.
| Market | Reported Q1–Q2 increase |
|---|---|
| Houston | 184% |
| Austin | 135% |
| Dallas–Fort Worth | 105% |
| San Antonio | 37% |
These figures reflect reported changes in market demand and availability during the recovery period; they should not be interpreted as a universal performance rate for every billboard or campaign.
Why people still notice billboards
Digital advertising is powerful because it can target audiences precisely. However, that precision comes with intense competition for attention. People may see hundreds of digital messages every day, which makes it increasingly difficult for one advertisement to stand out.
A billboard has a different advantage: it occupies a physical location. It can dominate a road, mark a city entrance, surround a shopping destination, or become part of the route people travel every day.
When the creative is simple, large, and relevant to the location, the message can be absorbed in a few seconds. Repeated exposure then builds recognition and keeps the brand present in the audience’s mind.
The opportunity is still there
The pandemic did not make billboards irrelevant. It reminded the industry that outdoor advertising depends on real-world movement, strong locations, and the ability to adapt to changing consumer behaviour.
Is billboard advertising still a good investment?
The answer depends on the campaign objective, location, audience, budget, and creative quality. A billboard placed in a weak location will not automatically deliver strong results, just as a digital campaign with poor targeting will not succeed simply because it is online.
The strongest investment decisions are based on traffic patterns, audience fit, visibility, viewing distance, campaign frequency, surrounding businesses, and the relationship between the billboard and the customer journey.
For small and medium-sized businesses, outdoor advertising can support local dominance, increase brand familiarity, and make a company appear more established. When combined with search, social media, and retargeting, it can become part of a complete customer acquisition strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Did COVID-19 permanently damage outdoor advertising?
No. The pandemic caused a major short-term decline because people stopped moving through public spaces. As mobility returned, outdoor advertising recovered and continued to evolve through digital screens, flexible buying, better measurement, and more targeted planning.
Why did billboard revenue fall so sharply in 2020?
Billboards are an out-of-home medium. Lockdowns reduced commuting, tourism, shopping, and public transport usage, which lowered audience movement and caused many advertisers to pause or reduce spending.
Are billboards only suitable for large companies?
No. SMEs can use smaller formats, shorter campaigns, local placements, retail media, and digital outdoor advertising. The key is choosing a location and campaign duration that match the business objective and budget.
Should businesses choose billboards instead of social media?
Usually, the best approach is to combine both. Outdoor advertising builds visibility and familiarity, while digital marketing supports targeting, retargeting, education, lead generation, and conversion.
How can I choose the right billboard?
Start by identifying where your audience lives, works, shops, and travels. Then compare traffic volume, visibility, viewing distance, direction of travel, campaign frequency, and the location’s relationship to your offer.
Billboards are back — and smarter than before
The streets are active again, audiences are moving, and brands are competing for attention in both physical and digital environments. If you choose the right location, create a memorable message, and connect outdoor visibility with digital conversion, billboards can become a valuable part of your marketing strategy.
