How to Win Memorial Day Weekend with Your DOOH

Because your brand deserves more than a cameo between burgers and bug spray.

Memorial Day weekend is more than just the unofficial start of summer—it’s a high-stakes moment for brands looking to break through the noise and into real-world attention spans. And if you’re in the business of barbecue gear, beer, sunscreen, or literally anything people buy in May, now’s the time to get serious about your advertising.

Forget fighting for space in an overstuffed inbox. Memorial Day is made for big screens, bold messages, and well-placed ads that actually meet people where they are—outside.

Insights

Let’s start with the obvious: people are out.
57% of U.S. consumers plan to celebrate Memorial Day weekend, and 95% of them intend to spend. Not just scroll, not just browse—spend.

Need more incentive? According to our research, the lead-up to the holiday sees wild spikes in outdoor-related purchases:

• Bug spray? Up 130%
• Pool gear? Up 103%
• Grills? Smoking hot at 63%

For brands in home goods, food and beverage, and seasonal retail, an ad campaign seems almost mandatory.

Where’s the Foot Traffic?

Everywhere.

According to Coresight Research:

• 30% will be dining out
• 21% will hit physical stores
• 17% will still shop online—but likely while standing in line somewhere

That means your audience is in parking lots, drive-thrus, outdoor malls, on their way to pick up a case of something cold and a pack of hot dogs. DOOH puts your message in front of them at the moment it matters, so make sure you’re strategically targeting the spots people will be if you plan on messaging to them during Memorial Day.

Start Early (Because Shoppers Already Have)

Most brands treat Memorial Day like a one-day event. The smart ones? They show up a week or two before.

That’s because people aren’t waiting until Monday to plan—they’re already shopping for grilling gear, beach stuff, and backyard upgrades the week before. Your ads need to show up while they’re still making decisions, not after they’ve spent the budget.

Want to get ahead of the competition? Get your campaign up by the Monday before the weekend. That’s when the spike in seasonal buying really kicks in.

Numbers to Know

• 57% of US consumers plan to celebrate Memorial Day weekend, with 95% of celebrants planning to make purchases, creating a significant advertising opportunity
  
• Seasonal OOH Boost: In the weeks leading up to Memorial Day, outdoor-related advertising sees significant increases, with unit sales spiking for products like bug repellent (+130%), pool accessories (+103%), and grills (+63%), making these prime categories for OOH campaigns (Numerator, 2023).
  
• Shopping Behavior: According to Coresight research, dining out (30%), in-store shopping (21%), and online shopping (17%) were the top three ways consumers planned to spend during the Memorial Day weekend.

Rotate Your Creative Like the Pros Do

Here’s a DOOH advantage that way too many brands ignore: you can change your message in real time. And you should.

What works Friday afternoon isn’t what works Monday morning.

Friday–Sunday:
Play up party prep, weekend-only deals, last-minute essentials.
Think: “Don’t forget the grill tongs” or “Stock up before Monday.”

Memorial Day (Monday):
Shift the tone. Focus on nostalgia, reflection, or post-party recovery.
Think: “One more burger won’t hurt” or “Your backyard deserves an upgrade.”

Rotating your creative keeps your message fresh and shows people that you’re actually paying attention—not just recycling one ad all weekend.

For more tips like this, be sure and check out our Beginner’s Guide to DOOH here.

Make the Creative Count

This isn’t the place for subtlety.

Use color, movement, and visuals that evoke summer mode instantly. We’re talking pool floats, tongs flipping burgers, cold drinks, sandals on sidewalks. Bonus points if your copy brings a little personality—something that makes people smirk, nod, or think “That’s smart.”

Flex Your Dynamic Muscle

DOOH lets you adapt in real time. Use it. Countdown clocks, limited-time sales, or weather-specific messaging (“It’s 86°—perfect day for a patio set”) are way more effective than static branding.

Make It Easy to Act

DOOH might drive awareness, but it shouldn’t stop there.
Add a QR code. A simple short link. Even a “Next exit for deals” CTA. Turn that glance into a click—or better yet, a purchase.

So go ahead and fire up your DOOH ad campaign for Memorial Day. Start early. Rotate often. Show up where it counts.