The Super Bowl vs OOH: a brief comparison

When it comes to advertising, the Super Bowl is often seen as the pinnacle of exposure. A 30-second spot during the game comes with a hefty price tag, still over $7 million in 2025 (not including production costs). For brands looking to maximize reach and impact, however, there’s a more strategic option: out-of-home (OOH) ads. OOH campaigns can deliver sustained, high-value exposure for a fraction of the cost, with unmatched flexibility in targeting and placement thanks to technology completely changing the medium.

For perspective, let’s break it down:

The super bowl vs. OOH campaigns
Instead of a single 30-second ad during the Super Bowl, those same dollars could fund a robust OOH campaign running for a full month across the top 27 U.S. markets. This campaign could include placements inside restaurants, bars, and other venues airing the big game, ensuring your brand is part of the experience where consumers gather. Over the course of 30 days, you’d generate nearly 1 billion impressions, a staggering reach with the added benefit of repeated exposure.

While the Super Bowl offers one fleeting moment of attention while a lot of other things are happening in a brief time period, OOH ensures that your brand stays in the minds of your audience long after the final whistle. 

OOH vs. cable TV ads
Regular cable TV advertising provides another point of comparison. A prime-time campaign targeting a national audience on cable networks can run upwards of $5 million for just one week, with diminishing returns as viewers tune out commercials scrolling smartphones or switch to ad-free streaming services.

Contrast this with OOH, where the message lives in the real world, commanding attention without competition for screen time. A $5 million OOH budget could fund a multi-market, multi-format campaign on billboards, transit ads, digital screens, and more, lasting several weeks. Better still, OOH targets consumers when they’re actively moving through their environments, away from distractions and more open to messaging. 

The power of persistent impressions
One of OOH’s secret weapons is its longevity. Where a TV or digital ad might be seen for seconds before it’s skipped or forgotten, an OOH ad becomes persistent part of the landscape. Commuters see the same billboard every day, reinforcing your message repeatedly. This repetition builds familiarity and trust, two critical factors in driving consumer action. You could consider a ‘branded city’ campaign instead, which is not only cheaper but the visuals are frequently also shown on TV during national segments.

Use your budget wisey, extend your reach
The lesson is clear: OOH delivers exceptional value, providing sustained, high-impact exposure across diverse markets. For the cost of a fleeting moment on TV, OOH offers a month-long campaign that reaches audiences where they live, work, and play.

Of course, if your brand is large enough, you'll probably still pony up for the Super Bowl ad too. Showing up everywhere is smart, if you can afford it, but if we had to pick one, we'd choose OOH.