Driving activity returns to baseline
[5th March] We have seen a further increase in driving activity this week, with average mobility at 100% of the norm (for reference the baseline is based on 13th January 2020). The ever-improving weather and a degree of lockdown fatigue is undoubtedly responsible for the continued uplift in mobility. Schools return on Monday, which will inevitably put additional cars on the road, so we expect to see further uplift in the weekly average next Friday.
Across several days in the last week, we saw driving figures peak well above baseline – particularly Friday 26th February, which saw activity across NI at 115%.
As with our reporting in recent weeks, grocery and pharmacy locations continue to see consistent footfall, averaging this week at 91% of the baseline. Footfall in workplaces is also steady at 59% of the norm, a high figure considering the work from home advice remains in place.
Parks and beaches have seen the most significant jump in footfall, buoyed by the weather. The daily fluctuations in movement average to give an uplift in activity well above baseline, at 112%.
With a highly successful vaccination programme in NI, it’s expected that people will begin to look ahead with some levels of optimism. In another welcome return for many, Ryanair has announced a return to Belfast City Airport, and the launch of eight destinations to Spain, the Balearic Islands and Italy. It is hoped that Summer 2021 is back on, and we can commence travelling again as soon as restrictions are removed.
As mobility returns closer to what we could consider normal, it’s important that brands remember the benefits delivered by an Outdoor campaign. With flexibility in booking terms, and campaign playout on Digital OOH, the ability to react quickly to a changing environment is unrivalled. We’ve completed several research studies throughout the last year, investigating audience sentiment and the effectiveness of OOH and the results have been conclusive. Outdoor advertising remains a highly effective medium to target across age demographics, locations and environments. In addition, Outdoor primes audiences to make subsequent actions, whether purchasing an item at the point of sale, or visiting a website for research or shopping purposes. Now is the time to invest in a campaign. Audiences are on the move, in significant numbers and they will only continue to grow.
