Place-based advertising — the subset of out-of-home media placed inside specific venues where target audiences naturally gather — grew faster than the broader OOH market in 2025 and now defines how serious advertisers reach audiences digital can't. Here's what it is, how it differs from billboards, the major venue types, what it costs, and how to plan a campaign that delivers in 2026

Place-based OOH advertising is entering a new era of accountability. PlaceBased Media has now passed two consecutive AAM audits, delivering 113.3% and 111% of guaranteed distribution. Here's what those numbers verify — and why independent third-party audits matter for media planners, public health agencies, and pharmaceutical brands.

In 2024, U.S. drug overdose deaths fell 27% — the largest single-year decline ever recorded by the CDC. Here's why sustained, place-based prevention advertising in clinics, schools, bars, and harm reduction sites became part of the story, and how to build a substance use campaign that actually moves the curve.

Today's teens are the most digitally connected generation in history — 95% own a smartphone, nearly half are online "almost constantly." And yet it has never been harder to reach them with paid digital advertising. Here's why place-based OOH has quietly become the highest-performing channel in modern teen media plans, and how to build a campaign that actually moves Gen Z behavior.

Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) young adults — typically ages 18 to 29 — represent one of the most important and underserved audiences in public health outreach today. The community is also growing at a pace few demographic categories ever have. According to Gallup's generational tracking, the share of adults identifying as LGBTQ+ has roughly doubled with every cohort: 1% of the Silent Generation, 2.5% of Baby Boomers, 4.5% of Gen X, 10% of Millennials, and now 22% of Gen Z. That last figure is not a margin-of-error blip. It represents tens of millions of young adults who are increasingly visible, increasingly out, and increasingly central to the public health landscape — and whose health needs the traditional system has not historically been built to meet.

Three weeks into a digital HIV prevention campaign, the dashboard looked fine — hundreds of thousands of impressions, hundreds of clicks. Then the team checked the landing page. Almost no one was engaging. Here's how they diagnosed the problem, pivoted in real time, and what their methodology means for public health marketers running campaigns on tight budgets.

A recent UC San Diego study reveals what drove the dramatic reversal in teen vaping — and why a convergence of media forces was responsible. Here's what it means for public health communicators today.

Most advertising tries to sell something. Public health campaigns try to do something much harder: change a behavior someone has been doing for decades. This guide walks through why place-based media is the missing channel — and what the strongest national campaigns prove actually works.

The World Cup is one of the most-watched global events, creating unmatched opportunities for brands to connect with audiences. From sports bars and retail locations to transit hubs and community venues, OOH and digital out-of-home (DOOH) networks deliver high-frequency, high-impact exposure. In this guide, we break down how advertisers can strategically leverage place-based media to capture attention, drive engagement, and maximize ROI during the World Cup.

Government health initiatives save lives — but only when they reach the communities that need them most. With fragmented media consumption and persistent digital divides, agencies are turning to place-based OOH and DOOH advertising to deliver critical health messages in clinics, schools, community centers, and retail environments where diverse populations already spend time. This guide covers how place-based strategies support initiatives from HIV prevention and 988 crisis awareness to tobacco control and chronic disease management — with best practices drawn from campaigns with the CDC, HHS, FDA, and SAMHSA.

Point-of-care advertising has crossed $1 billion in pharma spending — and it's still accelerating. With FDA scrutiny rising on DTC channels and digital privacy restrictions tightening, pharma media planners are moving budgets to doctor's offices, clinics, and pharmacies where patients are most receptive. This guide covers how to build a POC strategy that drives measurable prescription lift, reaches HCPs where reps can't, and integrates with your omnichannel media plan.

Our Physician Office Patient Education Program just passed its AAM audit — exceeding guaranteed distribution by over 13%. Here's why third-party verification matters for every dollar you spend on place-based OOH.

Learn how federal and state health agencies use place-based out-of-home advertising to reach communities with public health campaigns. From clinics to grocery stores, discover why OOH is the missing channel in government health communications.

Planning a public health campaign that actually changes behavior takes more than good intentions. This step-by-step guide covers every phase — from defining your audience and developing messaging to selecting media channels, choosing the right venues for place-based OOH, and measuring real-world impact. Includes a campaign planning framework, venue matching table, case study, and common mistakes to avoid.

Nearly half of all families eligible for WIC aren't enrolled — not because they don't need it, but because they never hear about it, don't realize they qualify, or face barriers that make enrollment feel out of reach. Closing that gap means meeting families where they already are: in their doctor's office during a prenatal visit, at their child's daycare during morning drop-off, and in the grocery store aisle where the reality of food costs hits hardest. When these channels work together with consistent messaging and simplified referral pathways, WIC outreach moves from incremental improvement to transformational impact.

As cannabis products become more accessible and harder to distinguish from everyday snacks, place-based prevention and safe storage practices are essential tools for protecting youth, families, and communities.

Despite a historic 27% decline in drug overdose deaths in 2024, nearly 80,000 Americans still died — and overdose remains the leading cause of death for adults aged 18–44. An effective overdose prevention media strategy goes beyond digital. Discover how place-based out-of-home media reaches at-risk populations where they already are, and why it's become a critical part of the public health response.

PlaceBased Media supports responsible gambling education initiatives by delivering neutral, informational messaging through place-based OOH and DOOH media in sports bars and community venues nationwide. Our approach focuses on awareness and informed decision-making while remaining media-neutral and aligned with the legal gaming landscape.

Point-of-care advertising reaches patients in healthcare settings during moments of heightened health awareness—when they're most receptive to relevant information. Unlike traditional media channels, these environments capture a captive audience actively thinking about symptoms, treatments, and wellness decisions. PlaceBased's point-of-care network delivers contextually relevant messaging through strategically positioned digital displays, connecting healthcare brands with engaged patients at the precise moment it matters most.