PR Newswire
Airport advertising usually evolves in slow, incremental steps—new screens here, refreshed signage there, occasional digital additions when budgets allow. But Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) is skipping the incremental phase entirely.
Clear Channel Outdoor’s Airports Division has been selected, after a competitive procurement process, to overhaul BUR’s entire advertising and sponsorship ecosystem. And they’re not just upgrading a few displays. They’re rolling out an almost fully digital, Hollywood-inspired media network designed to match the airport’s creative surroundings—and to sync perfectly with the airport’s major reconstruction project, the Elevate BUR terminal opening in October 2026.
For advertisers, this represents a rare opportunity: a top-to-bottom, brand-new airport environment launching in one of the most influential creative markets in the world.
It’s also another sign that airport media is entering a renaissance—one driven by digital transformation, better measurement, and the broader industry shift toward experiential, data-powered brand storytelling.
A New Airport Terminal Gets a Hollywood-Caliber Media Makeover
BUR has always been the underdog of Southern California airports—a convenient, lower-stress alternative to LAX, with proximity to major studios and production hubs. Unlike LAX, though, Burbank rarely had the kind of high-impact advertising footprint that could keep pace with the entertainment capital ten minutes away.
Clear Channel’s new eight-year partnership aims to change that, turning the new terminal into a showcase that blends technology, design, and Hollywood-grade theatrics.
What’s Being Built
Clear Channel plans to create an immersive and cohesive media environment built around three core pillars:
A Nearly 100% Digital Media Network
Traditional static placements are being largely retired. In their place comes a suite of digitally driven displays engineered to fit directly into the new architectural design. Clear Channel says these units will feature themed accents—such as gold-trimmed frames evoking Hollywood’s vintage grandeur—to complement the terminal’s aesthetic.
This is a departure from the generic “airport modernity” trend. BUR wants flair, and Clear Channel is leaning in.
Anamorphic + UHD Displays
High-resolution screens capable of 3D anamorphic content—those eye-catching ads that seem to jump off the screen—will be placed in strategic terminal zones. These formats have exploded in popularity over the past three years, especially in major markets like Times Square, Piccadilly Circus, and Tokyo’s Shinjuku district.
BUR joins the growing list of travel hubs experimenting with the format, and that alone gives brands a new canvas in a region packed with creative talent ready to use it.
A Designed-For-Storytelling Space
Instead of simply dropping screens onto walls, Clear Channel is building a media environment meant to feel cohesive and narrative-driven. Think fewer random ad placements and more curated zones that support long-form brand stories—similar to the direction airports like JFK’s T8, LaGuardia’s Terminal B, and Singapore Changi have taken.
This is increasingly what major advertisers want: not just reach, but resonance in premium, uncluttered spaces.
The Dual-Channel Advantage: Airport + Roadside
One of Clear Channel’s competitive advantages in Southern California is its extensive roadside network. That network now becomes part of the pitch.
With high-profile billboards (digital and static) across LA’s sprawl—including coveted corridors connecting directly to Burbank—advertisers can create full-funnel continuity from the airport to the street. That includes the legendary Sunset Strip, a location famous for entertainment and brand launches.
Clear Channel describes the opportunity as a “360° connection” for brands:
- Reach passengers in-terminal with dynamic digital content
- Extend storytelling across city highways and high-traffic corridors
- Maintain brand consistency through unified creative strategies
- Activate contextual or sequential targeting across screens
This dual-channel capability mirrors the broader industry trend of merging airport media with citywide digital-out-of-home (DOOH) networks. Lamar, JCDecaux, and Ocean Outdoor have all moved in similar directions in their respective markets.
But few airport-city ecosystems come prepackaged with the kind of creative cachet Los Angeles offers.
Why BUR? A Small Airport With Outsized Influence
Hollywood Burbank Airport isn’t one of the country’s biggest hubs. Roughly six million passengers passed through BUR in 2023—far from mega-airports like LAX (66 million), JFK (62 million), or ATL (104 million).
But influence doesn’t always track with size.
BUR’s Strengths Include:
- High concentration of entertainment industry travelers
- Strong mix of business flyers and high-frequency commuters
- Faster foot traffic and cleaner visual lines—ideal for digital media
- Proximity to studios, production houses, agencies, and top brands
- A passenger base that statistically over-indexes in spending, tech savviness, and travel frequency
This is the same reason advertisers aggressively target places like SFO’s Terminal 2 or LGA’s Terminal B despite their modest foot traffic: the type of traveler matters as much as the count.
Elevate BUR: The Terminal of the Future
Clear Channel’s installation arrives alongside the construction of the new 355,000-square-foot terminal replacing BUR’s outdated facility. That fresh slate gives media planners the flexibility to integrate screens and sponsorships at the architectural level.
Terminal Upgrades Include:
- New shopping and dining options
- Expanded gate areas
- A modern ticketing lobby and baggage screening system
- A redesigned TSA checkpoint
- A new baggage claim experience for faster exiting
- ADA-compliant upgrades and earthquake resilience enhancements
- A new parking structure with EV charging
- A redesigned on-airport access road
This is a complete transformation, not a facelift. And because the build-out is happening in tandem with Clear Channel’s media network, advertisers will enter a space designed for high-impact digital storytelling from day one.
“Iconic and Immersive”: Clear Channel’s Vision
Morten Gotterup, President of Clear Channel Outdoor’s Airports Division, described the plan succinctly:
“Our vision is to turn Hollywood Burbank Airport into an iconic and immersive media showcase that celebrates the creative spirit of Los Angeles.”
This is more than a marketing line. LA’s most influential audiences—creatives, execs, decision-makers—have notoriously high standards for design and brand execution. Half-baked digital networks don’t cut it.
The real opportunity here: BUR becomes not just a travel hub, but a stage for brands wanting to debut bold digital concepts, 3D creative, or Hollywood-themed activations.
In a region where content is culture, the medium needs to be part of the story. BUR’s redesign gives advertisers a platform that finally lives up to the zip code.
The Measurement Edge: New Nielsen Data Backs Airport Media ROI
Clear Channel timed its BUR announcement with new findings from a Nielsen Airport Study—part of a larger industry trend of using third-party data to validate out-of-home effectiveness.
According to the study:
- Airport media drives measurable consumer action, not just awareness
- Business travelers and high-frequency flyers demonstrate higher engagement and recall
- The airport environment remains uncluttered relative to urban media
- Travelers remain receptive even amid TSA-driven adjustments in flight volumes
In other words:
Airport audiences are affluent, focused, and primed to act.
This mirrors findings from JCDecaux’s global studies, Lamar’s internal DOOH analytics, and multiple neuroscience-backed research initiatives that show airport media triggers stronger cognitive encoding than standard roadside OOH.
As air travel continues to surge heading into 2025 and 2026—particularly in premium markets—BUR gives advertisers another high-quality touchpoint in an ecosystem where attention still comes at a premium.
Why Airports Are Becoming the Next Big DOOH Battleground
The BUR transformation isn’t happening in a vacuum. Over the past five years, airports have become one of the most aggressively contested sectors in DOOH:
- JCDecaux dominates global hub partnerships.
- Clear Channel has doubled down on U.S. and LATAM airport expansion.
- Outfront Media has sharpened integrations between transit and citywide digital networks.
- High-value contracts (like LAX TBIT or SFO’s Terminal 1) have set new expectations for digital-first environments.
Airports now represent the perfect storm of premium audience + premium environment + evolving digital capabilities. They also offer something rarely found in modern advertising: long dwell times.
Travelers stuck in security lines, boarding queues, lounges, and baggage claim zones are uniquely receptive. And in BUR’s case, that dwell time includes a heavy proportion of business travelers—highly desirable for B2B and tech marketers.
What Advertisers Can Actually Do With the New BUR Network
Digital airport environments have moved far beyond “slideshow billboards.” With Clear Channel’s new infrastructure, brands can activate:
● Dynamic targeting based on flight times
Serve one creative for early-morning business travelers, another for afternoon leisure passengers.
● Contextual storytelling
Tie creative to local events (film festivals, premieres, awards season).
● Sequential messaging
Deliver a brand narrative across multiple screens as travelers move through the terminal.
● 3D anamorphic activations
Perfect for entertainment companies, gaming publishers, luxury brands, or tech launches.
● Dual-channel road + air campaigns
Maintain visibility from terminal arrival through the Sunset Strip.
● Sponsorship zones
Lounges, walkways, gate areas, or interactive experiences aligned with brand identity.
As airports become more digital, the line between OOH, CTV, and experiential marketing continues to blur. BUR will be a prime testbed for next-gen campaigns that combine creative innovation with precision targeting.
The Business Impact: Why This Contract Matters
This win strengthens Clear Channel Outdoor’s footprint in the competitive West Coast airport market—one where partnerships like LAX, SAN, and SFO have historically drawn enormous attention and revenue.
A newly rebuilt BUR gives Clear Channel a showcase environment in the heart of Los Angeles’ creative corridor, putting it in direct competition with major players in high-impact DOOH.
For the airport, the partnership offers:
- A premium revenue stream
- A digitally modernized passenger experience
- A design-aligned, architecturally integrated environment
- Stronger appeal to brand partners and civic stakeholders
For advertisers, it delivers:
- A new premium digital hub in L.A.’s entertainment belt
- High-value, high-attention travelers
- Advanced DOOH technology + contextual targeting
- Unified campaigns across airport + roadside inventory
It’s a win across the board.
Final Take: Burbank Is About to Become a Digital Storytelling Stage
Hollywood Burbank Airport has always had location advantages. Soon, it will have the media infrastructure to match.
Clear Channel Outdoor’s new digital-first, Hollywood-inspired network—combined with the airport’s massive Elevate BUR rebuild—transforms the airport from a convenient regional travel alternative into a creative showcase built for modern brands.
If the execution lands as promised, BUR could easily become one of the most interesting digital airport environments in the U.S.—and a new hotspot for advertisers looking to reach influential audiences at their most attentive.
Los Angeles has no shortage of screens. But screens with audience, intention, and narrative cohesion? That’s more rare.
BUR is betting big that the future of airport advertising looks less like signage… and more like cinema.
BusinessWire
