Like peas and carrots, shopping and texting go hand in hand – and it seems that fans of both are also more highly aware of digital OOH than their (older) like-to-use-phones-for-talking counterparts, according to a recent survey commissioned by the Toronto-based Out-of-Home Marketing Association of Canada.

The study, conducted in early February by TNS Canadian Facts, involved the opinions of 2,326 Canadians (18+) in an effort to ‘identify opportunities for marketers to effectively use digital OOH displays in Canada,’ a release on the report stated. Seventy-two percent of those polled said they had seen digital OOH advertising in the past month.

Texters appeared to be the most engaged, with 59% of those respondents saying they had taken action in response to an digital outdoor ad, compared to non-texters (36%) and non-cellphone users (38%). That segment also ranked the highest when asked if they ‘agreed or somewhat agreed’ that digital OOH was ‘attention grabbing.’

The respondents were also segmented via demographic. The 18-to-24 demographic appeared to be the most engaged with digital OOH, with 66% stating that they had taken action in response to a digital OOH ad. The 25-to-34s were close behind at 57% and 35-to-49 year olds at 49%.

Location-wise, indoor digital OOH ranked highest on the list, with 63% reporting having noticed an ad in that environment. Forty-eight percent of respondents said that they had seen a digital OOH ad in a shopping mall, while the airport (28%) and restaurants (25%) trailed further behind.

In terms of attitude toward digital OOH, however, the location ‘winner’ was not the mall, but outdoor media, bars and fitness clubs, where over 80% of respondents said they strongly or somewhat agreed digi-ads were ‘attention grabbing’ or ‘interesting to look at.’

Of those surveyed, 34% said they had responded to an ad by going to a website, while 30% said they had ‘sought out more information’ and 24% said they had watched a TV show after seeing a digital OOH ad.