Captivate + WeWork:  A Game Changer for Marketing

Just a few short years ago, most people worked from a central location, and the office environment was simple. Today, that environment is as varied as the workforce itself. Thirty-one percent of Fortune 100 companies returned to the office in 2022, and 77% are engaging in (or planning to implement) a hybrid system for employees. Although many business owners and corporate decision-makers envision a full return to the office in the not-so-distant future, many are looking for flexibility as they accommodate their company’s specific needs.

For a significant number of business owners and their representatives, coworking spaces provide the ideal solution. Members of these spaces range from start-ups to small businesses to global blue chip brands who are looking for flexible workspace solutions in certain markets for employees. The common thread, however, is the value of influence, decision making & buying power these professionals represent in these modern, bustling, state-of-the-art workspaces. 

With so many high-value business professionals logging more than seven hours each day on their PCs, smartphones, and tablets, digital ad spend is expected to rise rapidly through 2027—nearly 11% in 2023 alone. Even with the surge in spending, advertisers are finding it difficult to capture the attention of the very professionals who are most likely to purchase their products and services. Busy with work, their target audiences are scrolling right past online ads—and more than 40% install ad-blocking software.  

With these things in mind, let’s look at why the combined forces of the Captivate’s office media network and digital displays in WeWork coworking locations could be a game changer for marketers. 

The Advantages of Coworking Locations for Workers and Their Employers  

A relatively high percentage of business decision-makers are moving forward with plans to accommodate various in-office and hybrid work situations. Although recent polls suggest job-seekers tend to favor companies willing to offer the type of flexibility hybrid scheduling offers, those workers also feel that their time spent in the office is essential for sharing ideas, developing meaningful business connections, and forging positive relationships with their coworkers. Their employers tend to agree, citing benefits for productivity, collaboration, and a better work/life balance. That’s where coworking locations fit into an effective hybrid equation.  

Much like the “hackerspaces” that emerged in the mid-1990s, coworking locations function as spaces where members have common areas to work independently while also building an atmosphere of community. Only about half of most coworking populations identify as freelancers, telecommuters, or consultants looking for a way to share the cost of office space, reception services, break rooms, internet access, or meeting rooms. 

The remaining 40% of people investing in coworking spaces are employed by organizations also utilizing the facilities to give their workers access to business essentials when they aren’t in the corporate office setting. For advertisers trying to get past the limitations of their more traditional online marketing strategies, the advantages of placing their client’s ads on a network of digital out-of-home (DOOH) screens in coworking locations are increasingly clear. 

How Digital Out-of-Home Ad Placement Helps Marketers Reach High-Value Professionals

Experts estimate that 140 million Americans are planning vacations, browsing social media, and shopping online in today’s digitally connected office and coworking workspaces. More than 40% of B2B decision-makers read at least three pieces of digital content before reaching out to a sales representative, and 70% say they’re open to making online purchases exceeding $50,000. 

That translates to a significant number of influential professionals with considerable spending power finalizing purchasing decisions for their companies and teams, planning business trips and family vacations, and looking for ways to enjoy their discretionary income during their “downtime” throughout the day.   

Related: Modernizing B2B Marketing to Connect with Hard-to-Reach Professionals

With so many important purchasing decisions made during business hours, internet ad placement alone may not have the impact a brand is hoping for. Now that most adults are connected to the internet for an average of seven hours each day, they’re targeted with 4,000 to 10,000 ads. Only four of every 100 attract more than a single second of viewer attention. Current evidence suggests ads need to hold consumer attention for at least 2.5 seconds to make a lasting impression. Most online ads don’t.

Not only does placing ads on DOOH screens help today’s marketers overcome some of the many challenges of capturing the attention of professionals known for spending a significant portion of their day ignoring ads, but your clients could also benefit from a boost in brand awareness and consumer engagement. But not all network providers offer the same level of targeted audience delivery and engagement. Captivate screens present your clients’ ads in the right setting, the right context, the right frequency, and in a way today’s busy professionals appreciate and enjoy.  

The Value of WeWork’s Coworking Spaces

Founded in 2010, WeWork is a global network of flexible workspaces. Today, the organization has more than 700 locations in 120 cities—in spaces where people across multiple industries come together. Their flexible membership options provide access to hot desks, office space, private booths for business calls, meeting rooms, and more. Members reserve their space from a downloadable app. 

It’s a cost-effective solution for a variety of work situations: management teams in large companies that want flexibility, small businesses that may not have enough workers to justify leasing a large building, teams working across multiple business locations in need of face-to-face time, and executives looking for an impressive space to interview applicants for high-level positions or meet with prospective clients while traveling between locations. WeWork coworking access is available on demand by the day or by the month.

Business owners looking for dedicated office space for teams of twenty or more have the option of leasing customizable suites with private amenities, flexible commitment terms, and cleaning services with monthly or annual memberships. 

For advertisers placing ads on digital out-of-home screens in WeWork locations, it’s an opportunity to target a valuable audience of professionals as they’re making their way to their desks, working in common areas, taking a stretch break, or waiting for elevators—in the quiet moments they’re most likely to be paying attention. Ads are delivered in close proximity to purchase and where B2B decisions are made and influenced.  Advertising on Captivate in WeWork locations can spark interest and conversations that lead to purchases, particularly when the ads are accompanied by relevant content displayed with the ads.

Why Advertisers Are Placing Their Ads Alongside Captivate Content on WeWork Screens

WeWork locations attract everyone from entrepreneurs, influencers, and freelancers to Fortune 500 professionals. 71% of WeWork members are between the ages of 25-54, a range that includes a high percentage of gen Xers and millennials, professionals with corporate budgets and considerable discretionary personal income. 

Members in WeWork powered by Captivate buildings are nearly 60% more likely to purchase products and services for their businesses than the average worker, and the majority of those purchases happen during the work day. They’re also spending time shopping for their families, planning holiday getaways, and looking for new ways to have fun. In short, WeWork subscribers have money, and they’re willing to spend it.

Captivate makes it remarkably easy to target the WeWork member audience and hold their attention because your clients’ ads are placed alongside engaging, contextually relevant content that busy professionals value. 

Recent studies confirm that ads optimized to hold viewer attention are three times more effective for building brand awareness and favorable associations than those that are not. As you contemplate some of the many possible benefits of adding a network of digital out-of-home office media screens into your marketing mix, imagine how impressed your clients could be with your ability to place their ads alongside expertly curated content selected to complement WeWork’s creative coworking environment, such as the following:

News, Weather Reports & Transit Updates in WeWork Lobbies

Together, WeWork and Captivate are giving advertisers access to business professionals in more than 185 locations across the US and Canada. That reach gives today’s marketers numerous opportunities to capture the attention of notoriously elusive audiences as they’re heading to work, taking a much-needed break, or making their way home for the day. 

Related: Captivate and WeWork: The Impact of Our New Partnership

Ads placed alongside news feeds and human interest stories foster a sense of community, while live weather reports and real-time transit updates provide the type of valuable information commuters need as they’re making plans throughout their day.

Financial News & Stock Market Reports in WeWork Elevator Banks

Elevator wait time can vary from one building to the next. The average is about 25 seconds. That leaves plenty of time for people waiting for a lift between floors to catch up on the most recent financial news and stock market reports. Having the ability to place the latest market indices, business news, and financial advice alongside ads for the credit unions, accounting firms, or other companies your agency represents could give those clients a significant advantage over their competition. 

The Best Programming Mix in WeWork Communal Workspaces

At Captivate, we’ve developed a WeWork-specific programming mix tailored to the needs and interests of modern professionals in coworking spaces. With a wide variety of partners like Forbes, Fodor’s Travel, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and many more, our content provides true value for the audiences you value. Our audience-targeting solutions ensure contextually relevant ads are placed in front of the right people at the right time. You’ll also have an impressive set of tools to track and monitor ad performance. 

WeWork Powered by Captivate: The Game Changer in Your Next Marketing Campaign

Coworking is an in-demand business solution serving the needs of remote workers, freelancers, and companies looking for flexible office solutions. WeWork offers innovative coworking locations in premium environments where personal and business purchasing decisions are made. Captivate powers WeWork digital out-of-home screens in more than 185 locations. It’s a partnership that could prove to be a game changer in your next marketing campaign.

When you join our network, you can count on brand-safe ad placement and opportunities for customized alignment. You’ll also have the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re offering a digital solution that provides unrivaled access to influential professionals and business decision-makers where and when your client’s messages could have the most impact. To get started, submit a contact form and schedule a demonstration.