Key Takeaways

Reach a Premium Audience: Airport advertising is a highly effective way to reach an affluent, influential, and receptive audience.
Think About the Journey: Consider the entire passenger journey and the different touchpoints where you can reach them with your advertising messages to build a cohesive brand story.
Work with an Airport Advertising Specialist: Strategic media planning and buying for airport environments requires specialist expertise. A media agency like One Day Agency has the knowledge to help you create a successful campaign. Contact us to discuss how we can help your brand take flight.

Airports are more than just transport hubs – they are unique and powerful advertising environments. With millions of passengers passing through their doors every year, airports offer a captive audience of affluent and influential consumers who are in a positive and receptive mindset.

This guide will explore the world of airport advertising, from the different formats available to the strategic advantages of this premium marketing channel.

The Airport Environment: A World of Opportunity

Airports are a world unto themselves. They are places of excitement, anticipation, and discovery. Passengers are often in a relaxed and happy mood, a state often referred to as the "holiday mindset," which makes them more receptive to advertising messages.

The airport environment also offers a long dwell time. Passengers spend an average of 2-3 hours in the airport before their flight—navigating check-in, security, and the departure lounge—giving you plenty of time to engage with them through a variety of advertising formats at multiple points in their journey.

The Different Touchpoints of Airport Advertising

Airport advertising offers a range of formats that can reach passengers at every stage of their journey:

Arrivals and Departures (Landside): Large-format billboards and digital screens in the arrivals and departures halls can make a big first and last impression on every single person entering the airport.
Check-in and Security (Airside Transition): Banners, floor graphics, and digital screens in the check-in and security areas can reach a captive audience during a time of high dwell and attention.
Departure Lounges (Airside): Premium advertising opportunities, including large digital screens, experiential zones, and lightboxes, can reach passengers when they are relaxed and browsing shops.
Baggage Reclaim: Carousel advertising and digital screens in the baggage reclaim hall can reach passengers when they are waiting for their luggage, a moment of high anticipation.
Experiential and Sponsorship: Airports offer a range of opportunities for experiential marketing and sponsorship, from product sampling and car displays to sponsoring the Wi-Fi or charging stations.

The Strategic Advantages of Airport Advertising

Affluent Audience: Air travellers are typically more affluent and educated than the general population, with a higher disposable income.
Captive Audience: Passengers have a long dwell time in the airport, making them a captive audience for your advertising messages.
Positive Mindset: Passengers are often in a positive and receptive mindset, making them more open to advertising for premium goods, travel, and financial services.
Global Reach: Airports offer a unique opportunity to reach a global audience of international travellers, making it ideal for international brands.

The Agency's Role: Your First-Class Ticket to Airport Advertising

Airport advertising can be a complex and significant investment. A media agency like One Day Agency has the expertise and the industry connections to help you:

Develop a Strategic Plan: We'll help you to develop a strategic airport advertising plan that is aligned with your brand, budget, and target audience, whether you're targeting business or leisure travellers.
Choose the Right Formats: We'll help you to choose the right advertising formats to build a story that reaches your target audience at the right time and in the right place throughout their airport journey.
Negotiate the Best Rates: We have established relationships with the airport media owners (like JCDecaux and Global) and can help you to negotiate the best rates and packages.
Create a World-Class Creative: Our team of creative experts can help you to develop a campaign that will stand out in the busy and visually rich airport environment.