This is a blog by Mark Verzijl, Consultant at Sciential.

Brands want to get noticed by their audience. Some companies are able to do this more efficiently and targeted – for instance, because they operate in the business-to-consumer space. For b2b-orientated life science brands it can be challenging to address the right audience through the right channels.

LinkedIn Ads is a proven channel where companies can target a professional audience based on job characteristics. However, since more and more life science companies find their way to this channel, it becomes harder to stand out. Of course, advertising on search engines and contextual websites is also highly recommended to include in your marketing communications mix – but it makes sense to look beyond the proven paths.

Therefore, I strongly recommend life science brands in the b2b space to consider targeted digital-out-of-home advertising. Out-of-home is the container term for all advertising happening in the real world. Think of the billboards in the shopping streets of highways. Or the flashy ads in train stations. Nowadays, out-of-home ads are no longer the huge wallpapers that need to be placed manually. These creatives are fully digital and can be bought with programmatic advertising tools. With the same ease as you are currently advertising on Google and LinkedIn.

My tip is to target life science hubs to build a brand in this specific field. Most hubs contain multiple potential clients. The waste is not really waste because industry-wide eyeballs still help you with establishing your brand. Moreover, these ‘real’ ads also contribute strongly to perceived brand authority. Being visible in for instance bus stops on life science hubs could be extremely effective and relatively cost-efficient. Since this tactic is still basically a hidden gem, jumping into digital out-of-home can make you stand out from your competitors almost instantly.