New research finds a significant percentage of mobile phone subscribers in Canada have used their devices to interact with out-of-home (OOH) advertisements. The study’s findings will help marketers identify opportunities for further integration of their mobile and OOH campaigns.

ComScore’s MobiLens audience analytics survey collected data in March about the public’s interest in ‘mobile-enabled’ OOH ads. It found almost four million Canadians, representing 17 per cent of all mobile subscribers, had interacted with these ads via their phone; and 2.8 million (12 per cent) had done so within the past six months.

The study also uncovered an overall profile of these individuals and their behaviour that suggests desirable demographics for advertisers. More than half of consumers who had interacted with mobile-enabled OOH ads were between the ages of 18 and 34, while 40 per cent earned a household income greater than $100,000.

Canada has become a particularly strong market for these types of ads due to its rapid rate of adoption of smart phones. The devices have now achieved 67 per cent market penetration in Canada, outpacing much of the rest of the world. And as an increasing number of these phones are equipped with near-field communications (NFC) technology, it is becoming easier and more convenient for marketers to reach out to their users through OOH ads.

In terms of habits and behaviour, the study found consumers who had interacted with OOH ads were 44 per cent more likely (i.e. than those who had not) to watch videos and TV programs on their phones. The Out-of-Home Marketing Association of Canada (OMAC) says this trend could present an opportunity for media synergies.

While the aforementioned 17 per cent of all mobile subscribers may seem like a small fraction of the market, a full 40 per cent of the survey’s respondents expressed interest in using their mobile device to interact with OOH ads in the future, suggesting an increasing possibility of marketers engaging with consumers in this way over time.

In keeping with these findings, OMAC says its member companies are currently working with advertisers across Canada to better integrate their mobile and OOH campaigns.