OOH Advertising Checklist: Everything Brands Need Before Launching a Campaign

Most OOH advertising checklist campaigns that go wrong were not badly planned. However, brands miss one or two steps – usually under time pressure. Specifically, it tends to be the same three steps. Proof-of-display was not arranged. Artwork specs arrived late. Or the site had a visibility issue no one checked.

This checklist covers all six phases of an OOH campaign launch. Use it before every campaign, regardless of size or format. Also, share it with the media vendor and creative team at the brief start. Not after the artwork is done.

Phase 1: Strategy and Brief

This is the most important phase. However, it is also the most often skipped or rushed. Specifically, every decision flows from this phase. That means format, site, budget and measurement.

Campaign goal: State the primary goal in one sentence. Awareness, store footfall, product launch or festive recall – pick one. A campaign that tries to do everything typically achieves nothing.

Target audience: Define the audience by city, age, income bracket and movement pattern. “Urban India” is not an audience. “SEC B women, 28-40, commuting in West Delhi” is.

City and zone: Select the city and specific zones based on where the target audience moves. The zone should follow the audience, not the available inventory.

Budget signed off: Confirm three separate budget lines: media rental, production and GST. Also confirm who owns each line.

Seasonal timing: Identify whether the campaign falls in a festive premium window. Diwali, Navratri and Ganesh Chaturthi all carry a 1.5x to 2x rate premium.

For a detailed guide to the campaign planning sequence, see OOH campaign planning.

Phase 2: Format and Site Selection

Format follows the goal, not the other way around. Furthermore, the specific site can have more impact than the format itself.

Format selected: Choose the format based on the campaign goal. Also check that it reaches the target audience where they actually move.

Site list reviewed: Get a shortlist of at least three candidate sites per zone. Do not commit to the first site offered.

Site photos confirmed: Get photographs taken within the last 30 days. In fact, visibility can change after a nearby building goes up.

Traffic data verified: Ask for the audience or traffic methodology behind any impression estimate. Confirm the source and the date of the data.

Availability confirmed: Verify that the site is available for the exact campaign dates, not just approximately. Also confirm whether another brand is immediately preceding or following.

Visibility check done: Stand at the site and look from the audience’s direction of travel. Confirm there are no obstructions that photographs would not reveal.

For transit-specific site selection, the checklist extends to routes, depot scheduling and permit zones. Specifically, see the guide to

For transit-specific site selection, the checklist extends to routes, depot scheduling and permit zones. Specifically, see the guide to transit media advertising for the additional steps.

Phase 3: Booking and Compliance

A booked site is not a live site. However, a signed contract with clear terms is closer to one. Specifically, these items protect the campaign if anything changes between booking and launch.

Agreement signed: Confirm the media rental agreement covers the exact dates, site address, dimensions and creative format.

Permits obtained: Check whether the format and city require municipal or authority approval. Specifically, Delhi Metro station branding requires formal DMRC approval – allow 10-12 weeks.

GST confirmed: Clarify whether the quoted rate includes GST at 18% or excludes it. Also confirm who bears the tax liability in the agreement.

Proof-of-display agreed: Confirm the vendor’s proof-of-display commitment in writing before signing. Specifically, agree on the number of photos, format and delivery date.

Make-good terms noted: Check what happens if a site becomes unavailable. Furthermore, confirm whether the vendor replaces the site or refunds the media rental.

Payment terms clear: Confirm the payment schedule and what happens if creative is delayed. Also note any penalties for late artwork submission.

Want a ready-to-use campaign planning checklist for your next OOH buy? Request a Custom Campaign Planning Checklist →

Phase 4: Creative and Production

Creative problems are timing problems. Consequently, briefing the creative team after booking the media causes every delay. Always brief before, not after.

Artwork specs obtained: Get the exact specifications from the operator before briefing the design team. Specifically, confirm dimensions, bleed margins, file format and resolution.

Brief issued: Send the creative brief only after the media plan is confirmed and specs are in hand. Also include the campaign goal, audience and tone guidelines.

Artwork approved: Sign off on the artwork before sending it to print. In particular, check that the brand name reads clearly from a distance.

Print deadline met: Submit artwork to the operator by the required date. Specifically, late artwork submission is the most common cause of missed install windows.

Transit specs separate: For bus, auto and cab wraps, the vinyl specs differ from hoarding specs. Also, confirm the installation schedule with the depot or operator separately.

DOOH asset submitted: For DOOH formats, submit the digital file in the correct format and aspect ratio. Furthermore, confirm the upload deadline and live-check process.

Phase 5: Go-Live and Monitoring

Go-live is not the end of the checklist. However, it is where most brands stop paying attention. In fact, the go-live check catches the creative errors, wrong placements and install delays. These all affect campaign performance.

Proof-of-display received: Confirm you have received photos of every site, showing the correct creative and the correct date.

Creative verified: Check that the artwork installed matches the approved version. Specifically, verify the brand name, message and colour accuracy.

All sites confirmed live: Cross-check every booked site against the proof-of-display list. Also flag any sites not confirmed live within 48 hours of the scheduled install.

Remove date locked: Confirm the campaign end date and the removal schedule with the operator. Consequently, late removals can affect site availability for the next campaign.

Post-campaign report agreed: Confirm the format, content and delivery date of the post-campaign report before the campaign runs. Do not ask for it after the campaign ends.

Phase 6: Measurement Setup

Measurement set up after the campaign cannot reconstruct what happened during it. So decide the measurement approach before the campaign goes live. Also record all baseline metrics before the first site goes up.

Goal metrics defined: Write down the two or three metrics that will determine whether the campaign succeeded. For example, branded search volume, store footfall lift or app installs by city.

Baseline recorded: Capture pre-campaign metrics in the target cities before the campaign launches. Similarly, capture the same metrics in a non-campaign city as a control.

Branded search tracking: Set up a branded keyword search tracker to measure volume in campaign cities during and after the campaign.

Geofencing configured: If geofencing is part of the plan, set up the audience pool around the OOH sites before the campaign goes live. Specifically, this pool drives retargeting after the campaign ends.

Digital retargeting ready: Confirm that the geofenced audience will be eligible for digital retargeting on Meta or Google. Furthermore, prepare the ad creative before the campaign starts.

Reporting scheduled: Book the post-campaign review meeting before the campaign goes live. In fact, a review with no date never happens.

Why Most OOH Campaigns Miss a Step

However, knowing the checklist and using it are different things. In most cases, OOH campaigns skip steps because the brief starts too late.

Specifically, teams brief the creative before confirming the media plan. So artwork specs are unknown. As a result, the design team guesses the dimensions. Consequently, the print is wrong. Therefore, the install slips. The campaign goes live one week late.

Also, teams arrange proof-of-display after the campaign starts, not before. So there is no record of what went up and when. Furthermore, the vendor’s reports arrive a month after the campaign ends.

Instead, well-run campaigns start with a confirmed media plan and a signed brief. Both come before designing the creative. In short, sequence matters more than budget.

For a sequenced approach to planning, see CashUrDrive’s guide to campaign planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Using the Checklist

Q1. When should I start this checklist for a Diwali campaign?

For Diwali 2026 (8 November), Phase 1 and 2 should be complete by mid-September. Specifically, metro station branding requires booking 10-12 weeks out because of DMRC’s approval process. Other formats need 4-6 weeks. However, the creative brief should not go out until you confirm Phase 2. So the sequence matters as much as the timeline. So the sequence matters as much as the timeline.

Q2. Which phase do most OOH campaigns get wrong?

Phase 4 (Creative and Production) causes the most problems. However, Phase 1 is where those problems begin. Specifically, a brief without a confirmed media plan produces artwork for unknown dimensions. Consequently, late artwork causes late installation. In fact, the creative phase is usually blamed first. However, it gets the least planning time.

Q3. Do I need this checklist for a small single-city campaign?

Yes. In fact, smaller campaigns are more at risk. There is less redundancy to absorb a missed step. For example, if one transit vehicle misses its install date, that is 100% of the campaign. However, the checklist scales down naturally. Specifically, not every phase will have the same number of items. Also, measurement setup (Phase 6) may be simpler for a small campaign. However, it should still be done before launch.

Site and Vendor

Q4. What proof-of-display should I ask for?

Ask for geotagged photographs of each site, taken within 24 hours of installation. Also ask for the date stamp and the vendor’s representative name on the submission. Specifically, these prevent disputes if the creative is wrong or the install is late. Furthermore, agree on the proof-of-display format in the booking contract. Do not arrange it after the campaign starts.

Q5. What if a site becomes unavailable after booking?

This is why the make-good clause in Phase 3 matters. Specifically, the agreement should name the make-good option. Is it a replacement site or a pro-rata credit? However, a verbal make-good commitment is not enforceable. So always confirm it in writing before signing the booking.

Use the Checklist Before Every Campaign

OOH campaigns fail at predictable points. Specifically, they fail when the brief starts late. They also fail when site photos go unchecked. Or when teams skip proof-of-display. Or when measurement starts too late.

However, none of these failures require extra budget. They require earlier action and a clear sequence. So use this checklist as a standard operating procedure, not a one-time reference.

In summary, the best OOH campaigns are not the ones with the largest budgets. They are the ones where every phase ran in the right order.

Download / Request a Custom Campaign Planning Checklist

 

Author: CashUrDrive Editorial Team

This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by the CashUrDrive editorial team.