Aaron Poole, marketing executive, PML Group with this week’s Out \ Look on Out of Home
Summer is (apparently) here and, as marketers know, the weather is one of the biggest factors that influence the decisions we make every day. It is one of the largest influences in our daily lives – it affects our mood, impacts how we dress, where to go, what to eat and even changes our buying habits. Tapping into the zeitgeist, Dunnes Stores latest summer OOH creative makes the most of whatever Irish summer comes our way, sunshine or showers.
Live from this cycle, the supermarket’s latest OOH burst brings a colourful mix of food-focused copy and mouth-watering visuals to the streets, combining classic brand cues with cheeky contextual twists. It’s part of a wide-reaching campaign planned by PML and Dentsu, running across bus shelters, commuter digital galleries and 6s, retail digital and the Green Screen.
The campaign doesn’t just look like summer but thinks like it too. Powered by LIVEPOSTER, dynamic digital copy responds to local weather in real time, switching between lines like “Sun’s out. Looks like grilling weather” and “Rain or shine – it’s always BBQ time.” These updates are backed by the brand’s consistent price-pointed offers (€5 off €25 / €10 off €50), a call to action that has become a staple of the brand’s presence on Outdoor.
That consistency is no accident. From Easter to Christmas Dunnes has made OOH a central storytelling platform, one that’s delivered across seasons and formats. The approach was recently recognised with a Retail category win at the 2025 IMPACT Awards, where their festive campaign for the Simply Better range topped the charts. The brand has also consistently maintained its position as a market leader, topping Kantar’s grocery market share (24.1% based on most recent 12 week figures).
Summer’s arrival brings new meals, new routines and fresh consumer intent, but the playbook remains focused: connect with audiences through relevant, responsive messaging, and make value easy to spot. Dynamic digital OOH enables brands to optimise and update screen displays in real time, in response to real-world circumstances, contexts and events such as changes in weather conditions. Our OCS travel and consumer survey finds that 73% of people have an interest in live digital screen information related to the weather.
Spirits market rises as late-night audience grows
New research from CGA by NIQ shows encouraging signs for the spirits category in Ireland as consumer habits in the On Premise continue to shift post-COVID. The latest data points to renewed momentum in late-night and high-tempo occasions, creating fresh opportunities for brands and venues via OOH.
Over a third of consumers (37%) say they’ve been going out to eat and drink more often this year compared to 2023. While volume sales have dipped slightly, value is up 8.4%, reflecting a willingness to spend a bit more on nights out. This comes as the number of people severely impacted by the cost-of-living crisis has dropped from 34% to 20% over the past year.
Later occasions are growing in prominence. 49% of consumers now typically visit pubs, bars or restaurants in the late evening, and 16% are staying out into the late-night, up 4 and 3 percentage points year-on-year, respectively. Meanwhile, earlier dayparts like lunchtime and mid-afternoon (which saw a boost during COVID) have lost share.
These shifts are feeding into spirits consumption, particularly in upbeat, high-tempo settings. High-tempo drinks made up 8% of all On Premise occasions in 2024, and nightclubs accounted for 8% of venues visited, both up year-on-year. Spirits volumes are up 0.4%, with value rising 9.8%, as categories like vodka, gin, whiskey and tequila grow their share on high-energy nights out.
Beyond cocktails, there’s been a noticeable rise in consumers choosing shots (21%, +2pts) and neat serves (19%, +7pts), driven in part by newer options like layered shots. After-work drinks, especially on Fridays, are also gaining ground as more people return to the office.
CGA’s client services director Phil Montgomery notes that while cost pressures remain, “there are reasons to be cautiously confident” heading into summer. For drinks brands and venues, staying close to changing habits, particularly across different dayparts, will be key to regaining share in a competitive landscape.
Smirnoff Ice Breaks Out of the Screen
Smirnoff Ice continues to promote its relaunch on OOH as the summer rears its head. The spirit brand’s RTD is quite literally getting closer to its audience this cycle with the launch of new forced perspective copy on DOOH near points of purchase. The creative uses a 3D illusion to position the can as if it’s physically floating out from the screen.
The campaign was planned by PHD and Source out of home with creative from Oliver.
Citroën ‘blooms’ ahead of festival launch
Following a successful 2023 and 2024, Citroën is back at Bord Bia as their official motoring partner. The car brand is leveraging their partnership via a large OOH campaign which is live this cycle ahead of the festival’s launch this weekend.
Planned by PML and EssenceMediacom, the campaign is live across digital and classic large roadside formats, including 48 Sheets, Metropoles and Golden Squares.
The creative from Bloom remains from 2024, featuring a bee sunbathing on a sunflower complete with ‘arms’ behind its head and ‘legs’ crossed, and dark eyes resembling sunglasses. This imagery playfully ties together the natural elements of the festival with a subtle nod to the comfort to be experienced from driving a Citroën.
