The Creator Economy isn’t just scaling, it’s redefining how brands show up and build attention and trust.

As social media evolves, audiences are doing more than scrolling through algorithms and feeds. They’re drawn towards human-led content that feels recognisable, exciting and has them sharing with the caption “Hey, did you see this?”.

The power of storytelling in today’s media landscape has never been more important, and brands are looking for new ways to stand out and unlock deeper creativity in their advertising.

The priming effect of premium Digital Out of Home

We know that the most effective social media campaigns start before the scroll, and this is where DOOH acts as the priming layer for social media.

Embedded in the real world, on the commute to work or in the heart of London’s Piccadilly Circus, audiences are more likely to engage on social media with what feels familiar. Put simply, OOH builds recognition and exposure at scale before audiences even unlock their phone.

When audiences are first exposed to OOH, their response to social content shifts.

Our Neuroscience research reported a 32% increase in dwell time and a 5% uplift in memory embedding when OOH precedes social exposure. When DOOH campaign imagery is then shared by a brand on social media, it increases brand lean in and engagement by 21% – accelerating the effect of physical DOOH alone¹.

The Creator effect

What happens when you add creators into the content mix? You get an amplification powerhouse.

Our research shows that when creators share videos and images of DOOH on social media it drives a 35% increase in brand engagement^¹.

Online creators add the second layer to social content, providing context and triggering action. OOH is the perfect pre-social tool, adding trust and premium signalling power, whilst creators add relatability and social proof, amplifying the impact of OOH by tapping into their own communities.

The social content could be a simple piece to camera or a full-scale creative brief enhanced with visual effects. The impact of using creators is richer content and the human-first effect. OOH becomes the stage, and the content on-screen is there to be filmed, shared and talked about. Just like London’s Leicester Square, where Music titans Spotify UK, Amazon and YouTube are all leveraging creator amplification using London’s shop window to the world.

Q&A with Dafs Rhys Woodward

Founder of Creator by Infinitum, our partners on Ocean Creator.

Q: What does it take for brands to win in the Creator space?

A: Brands that are exceeding in the creator economy don’t just use creators as one-offs, they treat them as product collaborators. Audiences are in-tune to what they see online and what feels inauthentic, which is why the brands who tap into using creators as storytellers are winning in the online space. Not only that, but they understand the power of utilising both online and offline mediums to achieve even greater results.

Q: How does Ocean Creator work?

A: Ocean Creator offers a market-first turnkey solution for brands, pairing premium DOOH locations with selected creators to produce attention-grabbing content designed for social media that will drive engagement and ultimately business results for advertisers. Using a roster of creators aligned to individual briefs, brands can select partners based on style, target audience and specialist focus. Brands can also select from a variety of packages depending on their objectives, with the creators sharing the content to their own social media channels – which can include TikTok, Youtube, Instagram, Facebook and X.

The result is highly memorable content which puts outdoor at the centre of the story, thereby extending its reach even further.

Put simply, Ocean Creator bridges the gap between offline and online media to help maximise clients’ return on investment. When combined with the premium signalling and priming power of DOOH, creators drive deeper engagement, recall and long-term brand ROI².

Q: How important is it for brands to utilise carefully selected creators?

A: We know that a one-size-fits all approach doesn’t work for brands, which is why we have a roster of creators to suit various categories, budgets, industries and objectives. From Luxury to Sport, micro to macro, we know that when audiences see trusted content creators online, it increases confidence in a brand, especially when combined with the power of premium OOH coverage.

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For more information contact Andrew.gibson@oceanoutdoor.com. Find out more about our Neuroscience studies here, or email Head of Insight, Steve.Bernard@oceanoutdoor.com 

Sources:

¹ The Vital Ingredient, Neuro Insight / Ocean Outdoor, 2022

² IPA Touchbank, 2025