Think about the last time you watched cable television? How many streaming services do you subscribe to? Imagine all the advertisements you paid for, that you never saw. With the segmentation of television and the fragmentation of digital media, television advertising is more difficult today than ever before. That’s why out-of-home advertising, like transit advertising, is thriving, while TV is dying.
The out-of-home (OOH) advertising industry reached a major milestone in 2024, with revenue climbing to an all-time high of $9.1 billion in the United States. This marks a 4.5% increase from the previous year and the first time OOH revenue has surpassed the $9 billion mark (OAAA). Brands are turning to OOH like never before, because they know that consumers cannot skip or pay for premium when it comes to passing billboards, buses, and shelters.
Here’s why TV continues to become less and less popular for major brands looking to advertise, and OOH, like transit, is growing in popularity.
The Rise of Streaming = The Death of Cable
Between 2019 and 2024, cable TV shed nearly 20 million subscribers—and the numbers are still dropping. This sharp decline highlights the growing challenges the industry is facing. A major factor behind this shift is the explosive growth of streaming services, which now boast over 1.8 billion users worldwide. People turn to streaming – and there’s a million options. Ads on Hulu aren’t seen by viewers on Amazon Prime. Purchasing a TV ad isn’t like it used to be, people have so many options now for what to watch.
Alternatively, you do not get to choose which buses pass you by during your daily commute. You can’t pick the shelter advertisement you stop by at a red light or walk next to on your way to the grocery store. OOH continues to thrive because you cannot segment these advertising options. Transit advertising is the way to go, reaching over tens of thousands of viewers a day.
Screen Time Is Losing Popularity
Less people are watching digital. Those who have abandoned traditional TV are those who grew up with streaming platforms and are better versed in the tech world then those between the ages 35-44 (Forbes). There are also trends in pop culture that are influencing less engagement on the media in general with digital detox and for those still consuming digital media more time scrolling on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
As people spend their time outside of the home and getting out with friends post-covid, they are more likely to engage with OOH ads like billboards, buses, benches, etc.
Transit Advertising Is a Favorable and Unique Option
Gen Z tends to favor OOH because they have had easy access to technology most of their lives, which means they’ve gotten really good at ignoring digital noise unless its relevant. TV ads interrupting your show or digital ads interrupting your scrolling is not favorable. Click here to check out our full blog on Targeting Gen Z with transit to read why the younger generation favors OOH options like transit.
Additionally, the integration of creative art into buses, shelters and benches transforms the daily commute into a vibrant and dynamic journey. These artistic touches not only make public transportation more visually appealing, but also foster a sense of community, culture, and joy. By turning buses and commutes into platforms for artistic expression and effective marketing, transit becomes more than just travel—it becomes a part of the urban experience that people look forward to.
Ditch the Remote, Own the Road
TV advertisements are declining in effectiveness as more people shift away from traditional cable and satellite TV toward streaming platforms, where ad-free viewing or minimal ad interruptions are the norm. Transit advertisements are thriving because they meet people where they are—out in the real world. Whether on buses or passing by, transit ads are unavoidable, often large-scale, and strategically placed in high-traffic areas. They reach diverse, captive audiences during commutes and offer brands a powerful, cost-effective way to maintain visibility in an age of digital overload and ad fatigue.
If you’d like to learn more about transit advertising, please reach out to our Adsposure team!