Washroom advertising is changing. There are many more modern and high tech options available now and we firmly believe that it’s a medium that’s worthy of proper consideration. Here’s why:

1. It’s a very well-established medium. When we talk to clients it’s clear that some have the impression that washroom advertising is a new and untested medium. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, washroom advertising is a very well established form of advertising, with a long track record of success. Zoom Media created the first successful toilet ad back in 1997 in the States and since then big brands such as Sony, Uber, Nintendo and Unilever have seen the benefits it can bring to their businesses.
2. It offers a wide range of creative possibilities. The other common misconception that people have is that washroom advertising just means posters on the back of stall doors or on washroom walls. Those are a couple of the options, of course, but there are many higher tech possibilities these days, from urinals with backlit static advertising displays to built in wireless video screens on dryers and urinals to mirrors that double as video screens.
3. Get your message in front of a captive audience. Washroom advertising works well because you have a captive audience and your message does not get mixed in with other messages. A typical man will spend an average of 40 seconds at the urinal – that’s 40 seconds of undivided attention for your marketing message. There’s no option to turn the page, change the channel, or click through to another site.
4. Talk to people when they’re positive about receiving advertising messages. Typically, washroom advertising gets your message in front of people at a time when they’re not expecting to see advertising, so are more open to receiving the information. People are receptive to washroom advertising and they like it. Studies show people have an overwhelmingly positive impression of washroom advertising. Our own research shows that 96% of people exposed to advertising via screens on a urinal were either positive or not bothered by it. They’re receptive to such messages at a time that they would otherwise have nothing else to do.
5. Generate positive word of mouth. Done well, washroom advertising also generates a lot of positive word of mouth, so you get two bites of the cherry. Your customers see your ad, then they go out and tell their friends about it.
6. High levels of recall. On average 75% of visitors to a restaurant, bar, nightclub or sporting venue will use the restroom and the typical customer will visit three times, offering multiple opportunities to get your message in front of them. This helps to explain why rates of recall are so high for washroom ads – research on Visutal urinals showed a recall rate of 90%, far higher than can be achieved by other more traditional advertising media..
7. Washroom advertising is highly targeted. Washroom advertising offers the prospect of 100% effective gender-based segmentation – something that’s virtually impossible to achieve with any other advertising medium. You’re also targeting consumers who are already spending money, so you know that you’re talking to people who have disposable income to spend.
8. Low cost and high ROI from campaigns. Washroom advertising is low cost when compared with other traditional forms of advertising. Not only are the ads themselves less expensive to run but the returns are typically better, generating much more attractive ROIs on campaigns.
9. Very flexible – advertising messages can be changed in real time. Digital washroom advertising platforms such as Visutal allow you to change the ads you’re displaying remotely and in real time, offering flexibility and speed that’s not possible in more traditional advertising mediums. Stadiums and other sporting venues can promote their upcoming schedule of matches, season tickets, merchandise and other deals relevant to the audience for a particular match but just as easily switch to other messages for different audiences such as people attending a rock concert or conference attendees.
10. Generate revenue via an additional revenue stream. Promote your own offers via washroom advertising screens or sell the advertising space to other advertisers and use the washroom screens as an additional revenue source. Plenty of advertisers can take advantage of the targeting possibilities offered by washroom advertising in pubs and clubs. For example, taxi and minicab operators such as Uber have used washroom advertising very successfully.

In the current climate consumers are bombarded with media messages constantly throughout their day and the rise of habits such as second screening means that they’re often seeing ads and marketing messages from multiple different sources simultaneously. Traditional advertisers are finding that it’s harder than ever to achieve cut through for their messages. Indoor advertising, in particular washroom advertising, leads the way in alternative advertising approaches. Increasingly brands are finding that non-traditional advertising media are the ones that really work.