Bauer Media Outdoor UK, the Out of Home (OOH) media owner, has unveiled new findings from its latest Audience in Focus report, a triannual study exploring how OOH advertising can help strengthen consumers’ trust in brands in an increasingly digital world.
The research surveyed 2000 UK adults and found that 55% would trust an AI-recommended brand more if they saw it advertised in public spaces, such as billboards and bus shelters. This rises to 68% among 18-34-year-olds, highlighting OOH advertising’s potential role in reinforcing trust in brands discovered through AI.
However, trust in AI recommendations remains limited, with just 10% of UK adults saying they completely trust them. Meanwhile, more than three-quarters (76%) would seek other sources to check a brand’s trustworthiness before buying.
Trust also remains a key consideration when choosing what to buy, with 81% stating they prefer to buy from brands they trust. This rises to 87% among 18-34-year-olds and 86% among families.
Lindsay Rapacchi, Research & Insight Director at Bauer Media Outdoor UK, commented: “As consumers increasingly turn to AI for recommendations, it’s interesting to see that they still look for reassurance when deciding which brands to buy from. Our research suggests that seeing a brand advertised in the real world can help build that confidence. While the ways people discover brands are changing, familiarity and trust remain important in influencing purchasing decisions.”
Audience in Focus is Bauer Media Outdoor’s triannual audience research report, exploring UK consumers’ attitudes, habits, values and behaviours, including shopping and travel habits and the role of OOH in influencing brand decisions. The September 2026 study surveyed more than 2000 UK adults, with findings analysed across key audiences, including adults, families, 18-34s, main shoppers and ABC1s.
Bauer Media Outdoor UK is a client of Bluestripe Communications, owned by Bluestripe Group, the publisher of New Digital Age.
