Vistar Study: 3D Creative Drives 67% Awareness Lift in Digital Ads
Vistar found 3D digital out-of-home ads drive 67% higher brand awareness. Media planners targeting over-50s see the biggest impact—here's what the data shows.
The numbers are in, and they make a strong case for going three-dimensional. A new study from Vistar Media found that 3D creative in digital out-of-home advertising (the digital billboards and screens you see in malls, transport hubs, and along roads) is 67% more effective than still, non-moving ads at building brand awareness.
The study, called "Science in Motion," surveyed 7,513 people across the Netherlands between November 2025 and January 2026. It was produced in partnership with Omnicom Media and JCDecaux, two of the largest media-buying and outdoor advertising businesses in the world.
Motion Beats Static Across the Board
The research tested four creative formats head-to-head: static images, limited motion (like a spinning logo), full video, and 3D visuals. Motion of any kind outperformed static ads by a clear margin.
Adding motion to a digital out-of-home ad produced an average 33% uplift in ad recall and a 50% increase in brand awareness compared to static creative. Even static ads performed well on their own, delivering a 38% lift in aided ad recall. This suggests the digital screen environment itself is a powerful driver of recognition, regardless of what is on it.
Full-motion video lifted ad recall by 41% compared to a control group, only marginally ahead of static (38%). But when it came to top-of-mind awareness (the measure of which brand first comes to mind in a category), 3D took first place with a 10% uplift over the control group. Vistar attributed this to 3D's stronger sense of depth and physical presence.
Age Determines the Best Format
One of the more practical findings is that the best creative format depends on who you are trying to reach. Respondents aged 18 to 34 responded most strongly to motion in general. But for people aged 50 to 65, 3D was the standout format, delivering nearly double the brand awareness impact of other creative types.
That distinction matters for media planners. A campaign targeting older consumers around a health product, financial service, or premium brand may achieve more by investing in 3D creative than in full-motion video production.
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Limited Motion Can Match Complex Video
One takeaway for advertisers working with smaller budgets: elaborate production is not always necessary. Limited-motion executions, such as a logo that slowly spins or an element that gently pulses, can be as effective as complex video in reinforcing brand memory.
As Martine Hammink, Vice President of Creative Studio and Creative Solutions at Vistar Media, put it: "Sometimes motion is not permitted due to local regulations, and at other times there is a lack of time or budget for complex animations. 'Science in Motion' provides brands and design teams with the data and insights needed to make the best creative choices within those constraints, closely aligned with campaign objectives."
APAC Context
Asia Pacific is the world's largest market for 3D digital out-of-home advertising, valued at approximately US$1.4 billion in 2024 and growing at 11.8% annually. The region is already ahead of global peers in adopting these formats.
One important regional nuance: motion is not universally permitted across APAC markets. Local regulations in certain cities and countries restrict animated or video content on outdoor screens, particularly near traffic or sensitive locations. Hammink explicitly flagged this as a key constraint for creative teams working across the region.
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