By Mohammad Owais
December 3, 2025
Once concentrated in major Indian metros, digital out-of-home advertising is fast expanding to tier-3 cities, with Etawah being the newest region to adopt large-format digital screens. The expansion represents a serious change in the way brands can reach small-city audiences and marks a new era for marketers targeting Bharat’s fast-growing consumer base.
A recent visit to Etawah showed a surprising number of digital billboards installed across key junctions-a sight earlier reserved for Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi. The presence of DOOH screens in a traditionally smaller market underlines how outdoor advertising infrastructure is accelerating beyond metro geographies.
From Bengaluru to Etawah: DOOH’s Geographic Leap
One of the tech hubs of India, Bengaluru-a Tier-1 city-has long been investing in digital billboard formats, especially across high-traffic corridors. Seeing such installations appear in a tier-3 region like Etawah underlines a big nation-wide trend:
- Lower hardware costs and improved LED manufacturing
- Cheaper local installation and maintenance
- Growing advertiser interest in Bharat markets
- Increased local entrepreneurship in outdoor media
These factors taken together are allowing smaller cities to install digital screens at a rate not previously considered possible.
Why This Expansion Matters for Marketers
The arrival of digital billboards in tier-3 cities opens new possibilities for advertisers:
- Digital Targeting Meets Local Reach
Brands accustomed to metro DOOH can now run synchronized campaigns across India, reaching audiences in regions previously untouched by digital outdoor media.
- Greater Visibility to Local and Regional Brands
High-impact visuals, previously inaccessible or unaffordable, are now in reach for Tier-3 businesses.
- Faster Campaign Rollouts
Digital screens allow for creative changes within minutes, quite an upgrade from traditional static flex boards.
- Entry of New Consumer Segments
Small-city audiences are increasingly connected and aspirational. DOOH gives brand communication a premium feel in these markets.
A Positive Signal for India’s Advertising Ecosystem
Marketers say the proliferation of digital billboards into smaller cities reflects India’s maturing ad infrastructure. As purchasing power rises beyond metros, brands are looking for innovative ways to reach audiences in Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets-and DOOH provides high-impact visibility sans dependency on traditional print formats.
For digital marketers, the expansion has come to mean that it’s now easier to integrate online and offline campaigns even in smaller regions, improving:
- Funnel attribution
- Brand recall
Campaign measurement Regional storytelling The proliferation of digital billboards in Etawah is more than just a local update — it’s a sign that India’s advertising landscape is changing fast and that smaller towns are active participants in the country’s digital transformation.
