OOH FAQ: Times Square Advertising

August 1, 2024

Times Square.

Even if you’ve never set foot in New York, those two words likely paint a vivid picture – after all, it’s one of the most Instagrammed places on earth and more or less synonymous with New Year’s Eve. But why? People don’t visit Times Square to ride a roller coaster or a Ferris wheel. You’ll find no Bellagio Fountains, Mirage Volcano type spectacle here. The ball only drops once a year. So what draws more than a quarter of a million people every day (SOURCE: Times Square)?


It’s the billboards.

Without out of home advertising, Times Square would be just another intersection. With it, it’s one of the most electrifying places there is, a brightly glowing beacon that radiates and sends ripples across commerce and culture alike. If what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, what happens in Times Square shouts out to the whole world.

So, you probably know Times Square. But what do you know about it? 

We tend to hear some pretty frequently asked questions about Times Square advertising. That’s why we decided to feature the “Crossroads of the World” in our latest OOH FAQ.

How much does a Times Square billboard cost?

It depends. Like out of home more generally, the cost of Times Square campaigns has a few input variables. Timing is a big one. The specific unit selected is another, as we currently offer advertisers seventeen different Times Square billboards to choose from – more than any other OOH provider. That means we can build a plan based on your budget and objectives.

Seventeen billboards?! How do I choose? Which Times Square billboard is right for me?

Broadly speaking, it depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. But first, you’ll want to decide between digital out of home, with its full-motion video and advanced creative capabilities, and traditional static billboards, which offer an advertiser 100% share of voice 24/7 as opposed to a 10- or 15-second flip in rotation.

Which Times Square billboard is best for mass reach?

Arguably, the focal point of Times Square is 2 Times Square at the top of the bow tie, right behind the iconic red steps. There you’ll find some of our most-seen digitals: The Cube, an attention-commanding asset with six faces pointing east, west, and south; The Giant Twins, a pair of 96-foot-high behemoths visible from 10 blocks away; and The Summit, located atop the building, earning its name roughly 500 feet above street level. 

Can I do a Times Square billboard on a budget?

For brands that know the value of Times Square advertising but may not have a blockbuster budget, there’s The Wedge, a two-sided screen along the Broadway side of 2 Times Square; or The Bird, a one-of-a-kind corner-spanning multi-face canvas that rises to a height of nearly 15 stories. Traditional static billboards can also prove cost-effective; we have eight of those.

Can I do a 3D billboard in Times Square?

Yes! Our XScape dimensional OOH technology can be used for 3D campaign creative on The Cube, The Bird, and The Digital Beast. Measuring 9,300 square feet in size, the Beast is one of the largest anamorphic 3D canvases in the world. The Beast is also suitable for livestreamed content, such as runway fashion shows. For brands that need help bringing a 3D billboard vision to life, our XLabs and STUDIOS teams are here for you.

Can I combine and synchronize content on more than one Times Square billboard?

Now we’re talking! Brands can saturate pedestrians and motorists with a 2 Times Square Domination. Choose from a top-down partial domination including The Summit and The Giant Twins, a bottom-up that swaps in The Cube for The Summit, or a complete domination that includes all three. 

Another approach: the brand-new, 62-foot-wide stacked screens of Duffy’s Duo can be purchased together. They’re located in Duffy Square, the lively part of Times Square with the red steps and TKTS counter, where you’ll also find frequent special events including concerts, DJ sets, and yoga classes.

And then there’s the nuclear option – taking over Times Square with content synchronized across ALL of our digital screens.

What about traditional static billboards in Times Square? 

We have eight traditional static billboards in Times Square, including the last remaining non-digital spectacular. Dramatic and unmissable, the Times Square Tower stands out, allowing one brand to tell its story over nine faces spanning the corner of 7th Avenue and 42nd Street. Movie studios are frequent advertisers on this impactful asset; auto, tech, fashion, and CPG brands are also a good fit.

Can I have a digital Times Square billboard all to myself?

For 100% share of voice on our digitals, advertisers can buy by the hour – a tactic called a roadblock. Roadblocked hours can also be broken up into chunks and spread across the day, say, 15 minutes at a time, for maximum impact and exposure. But for absolute saturation, advertisers can combine a roadblock and a Domination.

Are Times Square billboards just for brand awareness?

Times Square billboards can make an impact down-funnel too. By combining our smartSCOUT™ data with Geopath’s analytics, media buyers can get seriously granular in terms of what type of audience they want to hit, and which of our Times Square inventory are best suited to reach them.

How do Times Square billboards fit into my overall media mix?

Times Square has such a massive reach, locally, nationally, and internationally, that an ad here travels. The viral social media spread and earned media that advertisers get in Times Square mean that an ad here makes a splash in other channels too. In fact, by shifting spend from TV and digital to Times Square billboards, the resulting word of mouth can generate earned impressions there too! Times Square placements also go well with MTA transit advertising, especially since the Times Square-Port Authority-42nd Street complex is the busiest subway station in New York City.

Can I buy a Times Square billboard programmatically?

Yes, you can! The Summit, The Wedge, The Cube, The Digital Beast, and Duffy’s Duo are all available programmatically on your favorite DSP.

Are there any special considerations for buying a billboard in Times Square for New Year’s Eve?

Don’t wait. We typically see New Year’s buys start in early Q3.

Why should I buy my Times Square billboard from OUTFRONT?

We’ve got the largest billboard inventory in Times Square – but that’s just the beginning. Buy from OUTFRONT and you don’t just get a billboard – you get us behind you. We take a partnership approach so brands benefit from the expertise of our local and national teams, the talent of STUDIOS (our in-house creative agency), and the innovation of XLabs. We are a true one-stop shop.

More than that, we are the Times Square experts and can answer all your questions. We truly understand the Square itself, how the players work, and what people are trying to achieve. We take a truly consultative approach, providing advertisers with the knowledge needed to make the best possible media plan, even if it’s one that includes units from our competitors.

Contact us now to bring your brand to the Crossroads of the World.

Author: Jay Fenster, Marketing Manager @ OUTFRONT

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