Make Every Commute A Brand Moment With OOH Advertising

Outdoor Advertising that actually gets noticed

Looking for ways to promote your business locally and stand out in a crowded market? OOH advertising (out-of-home advertising) puts your brand directly in front of thousands of people every day—on their commute, at transit stops, along highways, and in the places they actually spend time. Unlike mobile ads that disappear with a swipe, out of home ads become part of the physical landscape in high traffic areas, impossible to skip or ignore.

NPARALLEL + Atomic Props is a Minneapolis-based outdoor advertising agency with a 160,000 square-foot custom fabrication facility where we design, build, and install everything under one roof. We serve clients nationally, from New York to Los Angeles and everywhere in between. From interactive outdoor ads and digital out of home (DOOH) installations to billboard advertising and transit takeovers, we turn creative outdoor advertising concepts into reality—no matter how ambitious.

Our OOH Advertising Capabilities

We don’t limit ourselves to one type of out of home advertising. Need a 20-foot sculptural billboard? We’ll carve it. Want a bus shelter with integrated scent diffusion and LED lighting? We’ll wire it. Looking for a DOOH installation with augmented reality? We’ll code it. Our capabilities cover everything from traditional outdoor billboard advertising to cutting-edge interactive installations—and because we fabricate everything in-house, we can combine multiple approaches in a single campaign.

From coast-to-coast billboard campaigns to single-location transit takeovers, here’s how we transform public spaces:

Billboard Advertising

Billboard advertising shouldn’t be something people drive past—it should be something they drive to see. We build 3D elements that extend off the billboard surface, LED integrations that respond to time of day or weather conditions, and sculptural features that transform a standard billboard into an architectural moment.

For Starbucks, we created an interactive 3D billboard with built-in temperature sensors and automated mechanisms that adjusted the straw position based on the external temperature. For Nike, we fabricated oversized NBA hoops that looked ready to bounce right off the structure.

Learn more about 3D billboards.

Transit Advertising

Transit ads reach people during downtime—waiting for trains, walking through subway platforms, standing in high-traffic terminals. We transform these captive-audience moments into immersive brand experiences with 3D installations, interactive technology, and architectural elements that command attention in even the busiest transit hubs.

Learn more about transit advertising.

Bus Shelter Installations

Bus shelters offer a unique canvas: limited depth but high visibility. We’ve mastered the art of packing maximum impact into minimal space. For Coca-Cola, we built a fully functional vending machine inside a 7-inch deep bus shelter that dispensed free Coke in exchange for a smile (yes, it had facial recognition). For Skrewball Whiskey, we created brand awareness by building a 10-foot bottle installation complete with scent diffusion to stop passersby in their tracks.

Learn more about bus shelter advertising.

Digital Out of Home Advertising (DOOH)

Digital out of home advertising gives you the flexibility of digital with the impact of physical presence. We integrate LED screens, interactive touch displays, and app-controlled elements into our DOOH advertising installations. For 3M, we built an airport transit advertising experience with beacon technology that allowed travelers to interact with privacy education content on their phones while engaging with the physical installation.

Why out of home advertising works

Out of home media advertising operates on a simple principle: be where your specific audience already is.

Billboard advertising catches drivers on their daily routes. Bus advertising and transit ads reach commuters in cities across the country. Street furniture advertising transforms everyday infrastructure into branded touchpoints. The advantages of outdoor advertising become clear when you realize just how many impressions a single installation can generate over weeks or months.

But here’s where most outdoor advertisement campaigns fall short: they’re flat. Two-dimensional. Often forgettable.

That’s where we come in. We specialize in creative outdoor advertising that adds depth—literally. Our 3D billboards don’t just show your product, they make it jump off the structure. Our interactive OOH advertising installations invite people to engage, take photos, and share their experience. And our digital OOH capabilities let you update messaging in real-time while maintaining the physical impact that makes out of home media so effective.

The benefits of out of home advertising multiply when you move beyond static images:

Becomes a destination people actively seek out
Creates photo opportunities that drive organic social sharing
Sparks conversations and word-of-mouth buzz
Delivers thousands of daily impressions over weeks or months

The Custom fabrication advantage

Most outdoor advertising agencies outsource fabrication to multiple vendors, managing a complex chain of contractors. This adds time, cost, and communication headaches.

We do it differently. Our 160,000 square-foot fabrication shop houses CNC routers, laser cutters, foam carving equipment, welding stations, paint booths, and a full electronics integration shop. Your entire project—from concept to installation—happens in one place, managed by one team.

What this means for your OOH ads:

Faster timelines with no vendor coordination delays
Better quality control from start to finish
More creative freedom to build ambitious concepts
Easier troubleshooting with in-house solutions
Cost efficiency with no middlemen

Sustainability

We take seriously the environmental impact of the installations we create, which is why we’ve integrated sustainable practices throughout our fabrication process.

We actively repurpose materials whenever possible, maintaining an inventory of structural components that can be adapted for new campaigns. Many of our OOH advertising installations are designed with modularity in mind—a transit advertising campaign in New York can be reconfigured for Los Angeles. This extends the lifecycle of materials and reduces waste.

Our digital out of home advertising integrations prioritize LED technology and energy-efficient lighting. When we incorporate interactive elements, we design them to minimize power consumption while maximizing impact.

The NPARALLEL + Atomic props difference

We embrace wild ideas. “Can you build a 15-foot vending machine that actually works?” Yes. “Can the billboard respond to real-time sports scores?” Absolutely. We don’t start with limitations—we start with what would make your campaign unforgettable.

Every out of home advertising installation we create is custom-built for your specific campaign. We don’t pull from a catalog. If you need a 12-foot replica of your product, we’ll carve it from foam and coat it for outdoor durability. True custom fabrication opens creative possibilities that template-based approaches simply can’t match.

Our team includes fabricators, electrical engineers, and software developers who work together to ensure every interactive element functions reliably in real-world conditions. We handle permitting, structural engineering, logistics, installation, and de-installation—giving you one point of contact throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between digital out of home (DOOH) and traditional OOH?

Traditional OOH advertising uses static printed graphics and physical 3D elements that remain constant throughout the campaign. Digital out of home advertising incorporates LED screens, digital displays, and software-controlled elements that can change messaging, respond to data inputs, or update in real-time. Many of our best campaigns combine both—3D physical elements enhanced with DOOH technology.

How long does it take to plan and build an outdoor advertising campaign?

Every project has its own timeline depending on what you’re building. We’ve completed straightforward bus advertising installations in as little as 6-8 weeks, while more elaborate 3D billboards or DOOH advertising with custom software development naturally require more time. We’re flexible and will work within your timeline constraints, though starting the conversation earlier (ideally 4-6 months out) gives us more room to explore creative options and handle permitting without rushing.

Can OOH ads be updated or changed during a campaign?

Absolutely. DOOH advertising is designed for content updates without physical changes. For traditional installations, we can design modular elements that swap out easily—changing graphics, updating messaging, or rotating seasonal content. This is more cost-effective than building entirely new installations for each campaign phase.

What permits are needed for OOH advertising?

Permit requirements vary significantly by location. Billboard advertising typically requires building permits, electrical permits, and approval from local zoning boards. Transit advertising in bus shelters or subway stations requires coordination with transit authorities. Street furniture advertising may need public space permits. We handle the permitting process as part of our project management, working with local authorities to ensure compliance.

How long do out of home advertising installations typically run?

Duration varies by format and strategy. Traditional billboard advertising might run for 4 weeks to 6 months. Interactive OOH advertising installations for brand activations often run 1-4 weeks. Digital out of home advertising offers more flexibility—you can update content weekly or even daily. We build installations to withstand their intended timeline, whether that’s a two-week pop-up or a six-month campaign.

How do you measure the effectiveness of out of home marketing?

We integrate several measurement approaches: foot traffic counters track how many people pass the installation, dwell time sensors measure how long people engage with it, social media monitoring tracks mentions and hashtags, QR code scans show direct engagement, and for DOOH ads, we can track interaction rates with touch screens or AR features. We also work with third-party measurement providers for verified impression data in major markets.

What locations work best for interactive OOH advertising?

Interactive outdoor ads perform best in locations where people have dwell time: transit shelters where people wait for buses, subway platforms, airport terminals, high-traffic pedestrian areas like Times Square, college campuses, and urban shopping districts. Places where people are rushing past at 60 mph are better suited for bold visuals than interactive technology.

What happens to the installation after the campaign ends?

We handle de-installation and can either return elements to you, repurpose materials for future campaigns (if you’re planning additional OOH advertising), recycle materials when possible, or arrange proper disposal. Many clients opt to keep signature pieces for office displays or internal events. Our sustainable approach prioritizes reuse and recycling over landfill disposal.

Can you handle OOH advertising in multiple cities simultaneously?

Yes. We regularly manage national campaigns with installations in multiple markets. Our centralized fabrication facility allows us to build all components in one location, then coordinate shipping and installation teams across the country. This ensures consistency across markets while streamlining logistics and quality control.

Case Studies

From replicating a C-5M Super Galaxy to crafting a 20-foot sprinkler for Target and a donut swing for Dunkin’, our creativity has no limits. We’ll work within your budget to deliver standout experiences that set you apart.

Starbucks: Custom 3D Billboard

Our 3D billboard transformed Starbucks' Frappuccino promotion into captivating OOH advertising, boosting engagement with an interactive temperature-reactive display.

Coca-Cola: Bus Shelter Ad

This transit shelter had custom vending mechanisms, refrigeration, electronics, and 100 cans of Coke concealed in the 7” deep space. A one-of-a-kind vending machine dispensed Coke in exchange for a smile.

Skrewball: Branded Environment Bus Shelter Ad

Discover how a bus shelter ad transformed into a branded environment, elevating Skrewball's transit advertising with an immersive 10-foot bottle scented installation.

Ready to Make Your Brand Part of the Landscape?

Out-of-home advertising cuts through digital noise and puts your brand directly in front of people living their lives. When you combine strategic placement, bold creative, and fabrication that brings ideas to life in three dimensions, OOH advertising becomes one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal.

Let’s talk about your next campaign. Whether you’re exploring outdoor billboard advertising for the first time or looking to upgrade from static to interactive OOH ads, we’ll help you figure out what makes sense for your goals and budget. Contact NPARALLEL + Atomic Props to start planning your out-of-home marketing campaign. We’re ready to build something wild.

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