How to Tailor Outdoor Brand Ad Creative for Different Audiences

Every marketer will tell you: know your audience. But too often, brands use the same creative to serve both new and returning users, relying on one-size-fits-all visuals and messaging to carry the load. To drive real results, your creative needs to meet people where they are in the customer journey.

Let’s break down how to tailor ad creative for prospecting vs. remarketing audiences to help your outdoor brand connect with the right customer at the right time.

Why Audience-Specific Creative Matters

You wouldn’t pitch a tent in the middle of a trail. So why send a bottom-funnel product ad to someone who’s never heard of your brand? Whether you're building awareness or converting past visitors, context is everything. According to Gourmet Ads, the intent and behavior of prospecting and remarketing audiences differ significantly, and your creative should reflect this.

Prospecting Creative: Sell the Brand, Not Just the Product

When you're reaching prospecting audiences, your main goal is to introduce your brand. At this stage, your creative should focus on:

• Telling your brand story: What sets you apart in the outdoor space? What values do you share with your audience?
  

• Highlighting lifestyle and mission: Instead of diving into product specs, show the bigger picture. Inspire curiosity and connection.
  

• Sparking emotional resonance: Use imagery and messaging that align with your audience's aspirations, not just their shopping list.
  

Think less “shop now,” more “here’s who we are.” Strong brand identity is what drives long-term success.

Remarketing Creative: Time to Get Specific

Once someone has visited your site or engaged with your content, it’s time to make your creative more direct. This is where you lean into what you know:

• Highlight specific products or collections you’d like to focus on to align with internal marketing calendars

• Promote launches of technical gear or seasonal releases with more tailored messaging

• Reuse messaging and visuals that have already resonated with this audience

You’re not starting from scratch, you’re reminding them why they were interested in the first place. As YouAppi notes, including a clear, compelling call‑to‑action, specifically tailored to your remarketing audience, can greatly improve conversion rates.

Crafting Your Creative Strategy

The best creative strategy starts with audience segmentation. Identify your audience types and plan accordingly:

Final Thoughts

Your ad creative isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different audiences need different messaging, and those who take the time to tailor their creative to those audiences will see that effort pay off in performance.

Learn how Foghorn Labs can help you tailor
creative strategies for every audience segment