How DOOH Drove a 13% Sales Lift for a Leading Pasta Sauce Brand

With our partners at Screenverse, Smartify's Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) network played an important role in a leading national pasta sauce brand's 2025 campaign, contributing to a +12.99% lift in average sales per household, 1.8x the category norm, and demonstrating the power of targeted DOOH media in driving real, measurable purchases in a crowded grocery category.

Campaign Overview

To grow sales and reinforce brand choice across key Southeast markets, a leading national pasta sauce brand ran a DOOH campaign from August 4, 2025 to October 31, 2025, with measurement extending through November 30, 2025. Smartify's urban panel inventory in retail and city environments was part of a broader DOOH mix that reached audiences across residential, office, retail, and roadside venue types.

The campaign delivered strong scale across three key DMAs: Tampa–St. Petersburg (Sarasota), FL; Orlando–Daytona Beach–Melbourne, FL; and Charlotte, NC. It generated more than 37.1 million impressions and reached over 1 million households at an average frequency of 36.7. Sales were measured across major national and regional grocery retailers, including Walmart, Publix, Food Lion, Winn-Dixie, and Harris Teeter.

The Study

To evaluate the campaign's sales impact, a study was conducted using a test-versus-matched-control methodology. The test group (exposed to the campaign) and the control group (not exposed) were carefully matched and balanced on pre-period buying behavior and demographics, including age, gender, household income, and geography, with sales effects measured against a receipt panel of 23 million monthly active households.

The results pointed to a clear lower-funnel effect:

1. Average Sales per Household: Exposed households saw a 12.99% lift in average sales per household versus control, 1.8x higher than the shelf-stable grocery category norm of 7.25%.
2. Household Penetration: The lift was driven primarily by a 10.10% increase in household penetration, 2.3x higher than the category norm of 4.41%, meaning the campaign brought more new buyers into the brand.
3. Sales per Buying Occasion: Exposed households also spent 1.99% more per buying occasion than the control group, outperforming the category norm of 1.53%.

Often, when campaigns lift both household penetration and spend per occasion, we see purchase frequency stay flat or dip slightly. Here, the campaign was able to bring in more households and drive higher basket spend when consumers converted.

Translated to the full campaign, exposure generated 7,211 incremental purchases and $31,858 in incremental sales, on top of $277,199 in attributable purchases after exposure.

Beyond Sales: Foot Traffic

The campaign also drove measurable movement in-store. Among exposed households, store visits rose 0.69%, unique visitors increased 0.08%, and overall trips grew 0.77% versus control, translating to 79,055 incremental visits and 396 incremental visitors across the campaign.

For a high-frequency, everyday grocery item that can be purchased almost anywhere, any measurable foot traffic lift is a meaningful signal. Just as notable, consumers who did visit showed strong engagement, averaging roughly 20 visits per visitor, a sign that DOOH effectively reinforced repeat behavior among existing shoppers.

“Average sales per household rose 12.99% — 1.8x the shelf-stable grocery category norm of 7.25%.”  Impacts for DOOH Advertising

Impacts for DOOH Advertising

These results highlight the role of targeted, place-based DOOH media in influencing purchase behavior, not just building awareness. In an increasingly crowded sauce category dominated by well-known brands, driving this level of sales lift is a strong indicator of DOOH's ability to move consumers down the funnel.

Within a holistic media mix, DOOH continues to outperform relative to category norms, working as a lower-funnel amplifier that reinforces messaging during key shopping moments. By reaching consumers throughout their daily journeys, from home and the office to retail and roadside, Smartify's digital network connects brands with audiences in measurable, meaningful ways.

DOOH advertising is a powerful tool for brands looking to boost awareness, consideration, and conversion. Contact us to learn more about working with Smartify to deliver high-performance advertising solutions that drive real business outcomes.