Brands that go dark over summer take twice as long to recover, oOh!media reveals

Brands that stop advertising over summer take twice as long to recover, according to new analysis from Analytic Partners, with brands that go dark for twelve weeks taking twenty-four weeks to rebuild lost momentum.

The finding was revealed at oOh!media’s Summer launch on the Gold Coast, alongside new data showing that increasing advertising investment over summer delivers a 9% lift in ROI across the average media mix, rising to 14% when that additional investment goes into Out of Home.

Drawing on data from more than $30 billion in advertising spend and more than 700 marketing mix models, the Analytic Partners research challenges the commonly held belief that summer is a time when brands can pause their marketing and demonstrates that the cost of switching off extends well beyond the season itself.

The findings were explored in a panel discussion featuring industry leaders from Analytic Partners, Asahi, and Qantas, who shared perspectives on the role of data, marketing and consumer behaviour over summer.

What the experts had to say about switching off over summer

Paul Sinkinson, managing director, Analytic Partners, said at the panel discussion: “Switching off over summer doesn’t mean you simply pick up where you left off. You lose momentum and consistency, and it takes time to rebuild those brand associations and memory structures. 

"If you go off, they start to fall away, and it can take twice as much money or twice as long to come back.

“Particularly given where we are with the Australian economy, when the CFO tries to turn that tap off, you have to ask: what longer-term damage is potentially sitting there? Our research shows Australians aren’t switching off over summer, so brands shouldn’t either.”

Christie McGuire, senior manager - media, Asahi told the audience, “Summer is one of the few times each year when audience movement, consumer mindset and commercial opportunity all peak simultaneously. 

"Within beverages, if you're not reaching audiences over summer, you're forgoing both immediate sales and future brand growth.”

Mark Fairhurst, chief revenue officer, oOh!, closed out the event, highlighting the role of OOH in connecting brands with Australians throughout the warmer months: 

“Summer in Australia happens outdoors. It’s part of our cultural identity," Fairhurst said.

"Whether brands are looking to own a summer journey, a spending moment, a destination or a cultural moment, oOh! has the quality and scale of network to create standout moments for brands who want to reach their key audiences and own Summer.”

oOh!'s two-day Summer experience brought together 150 agency and marketing leaders at the Mondrian Hotel on the Gold Coast, exploring how changing patterns of movement, spending and consumer mindset are creating impactful opportunities for brands over this key spending period.

Source: Analytic Partners ROI. Collected Market Mix Models, 2024-2026.