How we save or spend money day-to-day is always on our minds. Whether that’s cutting back on overpriced coffees, saving for your first home, or simply making sure you don’t dip into your overdraft. People want to get the most out of their money.
Companies offering financial services know this. Creating affinity with people is crucial: building trust and communicating their USP, whether that’s competitive interest rates or special offers. Ultimately, they want to show customers why they’re the go-to choice.
Why advertising for financial services still needs the real world
While apps dominate daily spending habits, financial decisions don’t happen in isolation. Given that 70% of our waking time is spent out of home, where a large proportion of spending decisions happen, outdoor advertising remains an essential channel for financial services, not only to reach customers but also to build trust. Research from JCDecaux’s The Moment for Trust study found that people are 14% more likely to trust a brand if it uses out-of-home (OOH) advertising, and 49% say OOH is more trustworthy than social media.
For companies operating in a crowded and competitive market, this credibility gives OOH a distinct advantage over purely digital channels.
OOH, context and spending behaviour
One of the most powerful aspects of OOH advertising is its proximity to real-world spending behaviour. Unlike digital ads that compete for attention in cluttered feeds, OOH places financial messaging directly alongside everyday purchase moments: commuting, shopping, socialising, or travelling.
This contextual relevance strengthens marketing strategies by aligning brand messaging with live financial decision-making. Consumers make dozens of micro-decisions throughout the day: when to check their balance, which card to use, whether to save or spend. OOH becomes part of this journey, influencing behaviour without interrupting it.
Different environments naturally support different messages. Commuter locations reach people during planning moments, such as budgeting for the week ahead. Retail and lifestyle environments reinforce value-driven messaging around spending, rewards, or savings. Social environments connect brands with moments of active spending, where financial awareness is heightened.
Reaching high-intent audiences
For audiences who are more financially aware, the impact is even stronger. Research shows that 35% are more likely to purchase via mobile after seeing an OOH ad and discuss it with friends, and 35% are more likely to share the ad on social media. Those who trust third-party financial companies to look after their money are 13% more likely to discuss an OOH ad with peers.
This shows how OOH strengthens the link between physical environments and digital action, a crucial component of modern financial services marketing.
Word of mouth and financial decision-making
Discussion of OOH ads plays a strong role in encouraging word-of-mouth between peers. According to WPP’s How Humans Decide study, 48% of purchase decisions are influenced by word of mouth, making it the most powerful driver of choice.
OOH may be synonymous with driving spend, but for the world of finance it plays a different role. It places brands at the point where spending decisions are already happening, influencing which company people trust or talk about with friends.
Scale, flexibility and place-based advertising
With the largest audience reach and screen placements in more towns than any other provider, digital roadside networks combine scale with flexibility, allowing advertisers to target specific audiences, locations and times of day while still unlocking reach beyond their expected audience profiles.
There is a particularly strong opportunity for brands to be part of real-world conversations through place-based media in social environments. Those who are engaged in financial options generally over-index to spending time in social settings. Research from TGI Insights found that people actively seeking profitable investments are 90% more likely to enjoy a night out at the pub, and those highly aware of their finances are 54% more likely to enjoy trips out.
Place-based media screens across the UK allow advertisers to connect with people in social environments across thousands of locations, where audiences spend an average of 72 minutes per visit, giving brands the time, context and attention needed to truly land their message.
