Outdoor advertising formats worth considering in Vietnam
Outdoor advertising (OOH) continues to grow strongly in Vietnam and remains an important channel for building brand awareness. However, with so many formats available, choosing the right solution can be challenging. In this blog, Firstboard walks you through the most effective outdoor advertising formats in Vietnam, helping brands better understand their options and make smarter decisions for their campaigns.
What Is outdoor advertising?
Outdoor advertising (OOH - Out of Home Advertising) refers to advertising formats that appear outside of consumers’ personal spaces. These include large billboards along highways, LED screens at busy intersections, lightbox displays at bus stops, and ads placed on transportation vehicles.
The key strength of OOH lies in its constant and uninterrupted presence. While online ads can be skipped or blocked, outdoor advertising remains visible along familiar routes and daily journeys. In Vietnam, where traffic density is high and people are constantly on the move, OOH is an effective way to increase brand recall and build long-term brand presence.
Types of outdoor advertising in Vietnam
Vietnam’s outdoor advertising market is becoming increasingly diverse, offering solutions for different communication goals. Depending on budget, message, and target audience, brands can choose the formats that best fit their strategy. Below are five key groups of outdoor advertising worth considering today.
Large-format advertising
When people think of outdoor advertising, large billboards along high-traffic roads often come to mind. This is one of the most recognizable and widely used OOH formats, especially for brands looking to make a strong visual impact.
With large sizes and elevated placement, high-level OOH reaches a broad audience and works well for product launches, brand expansion, or reinforcing brand presence. This group includes three main formats:
1. Unipole Billboards: Unipole billboards are the most common large-format advertising type. Each billboard is mounted on a single independent pole, typically ranging from several dozen to over one hundred square meters in size. They are usually placed along highways, national roads, or major traffic routes with heavy vehicle flow. Their elevated position and unobstructed visibility allow messages to be seen within seconds. However, this also means they work best with short, simple messages and require relatively high investment.
2. Wall-Mounted Billboards: Wall-mounted billboards are attached directly to the facades of buildings, apartment blocks, or large structures in densely populated areas. Instead of standing alone, they utilize existing building surfaces. Because viewers often see them for a longer duration, wall-mounted billboards allow for more detailed messaging and steady brand recall. Their effectiveness, however, depends greatly on building location, viewing angle, and surrounding obstructions.
3. Pedestrian Bridge Advertising: Pedestrian bridge advertising is increasingly popular in major cities, especially Hanoi. Ads are installed on both sides of pedestrian bridges at busy intersections. This placement results in high exposure frequency, reaching both pedestrians and drivers. Due to limited display space and strict urban regulations, creatives must remain simple, clear, and compliant with city guidelines.
Low-level outdoor advertising
If high-level OOH creates impact from a distance, low-level OOH focuses on proximity and memorability. These formats reach audiences at a closer range, allowing more time to read and absorb the message.
1. Lightbox Advertising: Lightboxes are commonly found on sidewalks, in front of stores, or within residential areas. With internal lighting, visuals remain clear both day and night. Affordable and especially eye-catching in the evening, lightboxes are well-suited for retail, F&B, and service brands. Their limitation lies in smaller size, shorter viewing distance, and the need for regular maintenance.
2. Bus Stop Advertising: Bus stop ads take advantage of waiting time, when people are stationary and more attentive. This makes them suitable for informative or explanatory content. Effectiveness depends on passenger volume and the specific location of each bus stop.
Transit advertising
Unlike fixed formats, transit advertising is highly mobile, allowing brands to appear across multiple locations throughout the day and naturally repeat exposure.
1. Bus Advertising: Bus ads are placed on the exterior or interior of buses, reaching a large and diverse audience daily. This format is ideal for broad awareness campaigns, though results depend on routes and traffic density.
2. Taxi Advertising: Taxi advertising operates mainly in central areas, commercial zones, and tourist destinations. High movement frequency helps improve brand recall, but coverage may vary by district.
3. Motorcycle LED Advertising: Motorcycle LED advertising uses LED screens mounted on motorbikes, allowing access to narrow streets and dense residential areas where fixed billboards cannot reach. Close-range exposure and constant movement attract attention naturally. Due to limited screen size, messages should be short and are best suited for short-term campaigns.
Location-based outdoor advertising
This group targets specific environments where audience profiles are clearly defined, enabling more precise communication.
1. Airport Advertising: Airport ads appear at check-in areas, waiting lounges, baggage claim zones, and exits. Viewers tend to spend more time observing ads and generally belong to mid- to high-income segments. This format works well for brand image building but comes with higher costs and limited mass reach.
2. Shopping Mall Advertising: Mall advertising is typically placed in main halls, escalators, corridors, or retail zones. Its biggest advantage is direct influence on purchase decisions at the point of sale. Performance depends heavily on foot traffic and placement quality.
3. Golf Course Advertising: Golf course ads are placed along fairways, clubhouses, or resting areas, reaching a high-income audience. This format helps associate brands with prestige and credibility but has a narrow reach and suits premium, B2B, or long-term brand-building campaigns.
Digital Out-of-Home Advertising (DOOH)
DOOH uses digital screens to display content. Its biggest advantage is flexibility - content can be updated by time, schedule, or campaign phase, keeping messaging fresh and engaging.
1. LED Screens: LED screens are commonly placed at major intersections, building facades, shopping centers, and crowded public areas. Bright visuals and motion attract attention from afar, though costs are high and designs must remain simple for quick viewing.
2. LCD Screens: LCD screens are typically found in elevators, building lobbies, stores, and malls. They reach viewers at close range and allow more detailed content, but exposure is limited to foot traffic at each location.
3. Frame Screens: Frame screens are slim digital displays placed in corridors, lounges, or shopping areas. They offer a clean, modern look that blends easily into the environment, though their attention-grabbing power is lower than large LED screens.
4. E-Tower Panel: E-Tower Panels are a newer digital format installed directly on power transformer towers in residential and inner-city areas. With internal lighting and protective tempered glass, visuals are clear, safe, and urban-friendly.
These panels are often deployed in clusters across neighborhoods, allowing brands to maintain frequent visibility in everyday life. Due to their compact size, messages should be concise and easy to read.
Outdoor advertising in Vietnam offers a wide range of formats and strategic approaches. However, choosing the right OOH solution based on objectives, budget, and target audience is not always straightforward. When executed correctly, outdoor advertising not only boosts awareness but also builds consistent brand presence in daily life.
If your business is still unsure which outdoor advertising format best fits your campaign, Firstboard is ready to support you from the initial consultation stage. With experience across diverse OOH formats nationwide, Firstboard helps brands identify the right solution and execute campaigns effectively in line with their communication goals. Start your campaign with us!
