Is the journey to Programmatic just as valuable as the destination?

Our Chief Product Officer, James Harrison, poses this thought-provoking question as we gear up for the Campaign Middle East Out-of-Home event.

This panel will discuss how programmatic DOOH enables targeted and data-driven advertising through flexibility, efficiency, and real-time capabilities. Panelists will cover the technology ecosystem, including Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs), Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs), data integration, and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in campaign optimisation.

Key topics will include advanced audience targeting, adaptive creative content, and measurement strategies. Lastly, the importance of industry standards, transparency, and collaboration will be emphasised to enhance the PrDOOH landscape.

Moderator:
→ James Harrison, Chief Product Officer, BackLite Media

Speakers:

→ Sean Gadsby, Head of Programmatic, BackLite Media

→ Andrew Hamblin, Chief Revenue Officer, LiveDOOH Signkick

→ Ashnee Thacker, Senior Account Manager, The Trade Desk

→ Yasmine AlTurk, Advanced DOOH & Digital Supply Lead, GroupM MENA

About The Event:

Campaign Middle East's annual Out-of-Home (OOH) Breakfast Briefing, will gather key stakeholders across brands, agencies, OOH providers, and adtech leaders at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi on the 22nd of November, 2024.

Join us for an insightful event focused on the OOH advertising sector in the Middle East, where industry leaders will address the critical need to foster stronger partnerships to drive mutual growth and innovation. Experts will share strategies to unlock significant impact for brands by increasing the share of OOH in their media mix. Panelists will also highlight the need for data-driven decision-making and post-campaign mobility analysis.

The event will also shed light on achieving greater transparency and visibility in inventory ownership, reducing visual clutter, and prioritising quality over quantity in creative assets. Delegates will have the opportunity to explore the latest approaches to measurement, including the use of attribution analytics, optimising campaign performance, understanding audience demographics, and differentiate top-performing inventory.

Furthermore, discussions will delve into the crucial aspects of sustainability and ESG, challenging stakeholders to move beyond KPIs to make a tangible impact on the ground. Here’s your opportunity to keep your finger on the pulse of all that’s happening within the industry. See you there!

Over the last years, the growth of Out of Home advertising has out-performed the ad market growth and especially since COVID, the market share of OOH is growing even faster; the latest public numbers of Ströer as well as Nielsen statistics demonstrate the acceleration of the OOH momentum in Germany.

Besides the structural challenges of other classic broadcasting media of tv, print and radio, it’s clearly the digitization of the out of home infrastructure as well as the seamless integration into the broader digital marketing universe via tech, data and content which are driving this development. In Germany, OOH is getting very close to a Nielsen-measured market share of 10%. Nevertheless it’s still an early phase of that structural shift towards OOH.

So all digital – all good? It’s always the times of success when you make most of the mistakes. The OOH industry needs to keep an eye on a couple of aspects to further strengthen its relationship with all stakeholders and business partners:

• Converting classic sites to digital screens need to go hand in hand with leveraging the new opportunities for creative and impactful solutions for advertisers: it’s not about the hardware – it’s about the outcome & ROI for clients.
• OOH and even more Digital Out of Home have the lowest carbon footprint amongst all relevant media channels – so it’s a great opportunity to work with market partners to create more sustainable marketing plans by leveraging the strengths of (D)OOH
• Especially the digital infrastructure of media owners offers many opportunities to create extra benefit for municipalities and the public: it can play a role as an information tool for citizens, an element of traffic management in cities, a feature of public warning systems as well as a marketing platform for cultural life in smart cities.

And just as most of the current momentum is digital, it’s crucial to not overseeing the importance and USPs of classic out of home. Both the impact of large visuals in the public as well as the narrow-casting opportunities for local targeting campaigns and local customers require more focus of sales teams and potentially extra investments to protect the industry’s overall infrastructure long-term.

OOH becomes more and more digital – but it’s not all digital (yet). And both is good.

Retail media networks have rapidly evolved, unlocking exciting opportunities for both advertisers and retailers. By leveraging first-party data from both physical and digital channels, these networks offer valuable insights into shopper habits that strengthen omnichannel strategies.

But did you know that 82% of purchase decisions are made in-store, and 62% are impulse buys?

The power of in-store retail media is undeniable. With targeted promotions and advertising at key touchpoints, retailers and brands can shape consumer behaviour, driving sales while creating a seamless online-to-offline experience that reaches shoppers at every stage of their journey - down to the last metre, in-store.

When:

Thursday, November 14, 2024 · 5:00 a.m. Abu Dhabi (GMT +4:00)

Agenda:

• Explore how in-store media can drive last-minute purchases by reaching shoppers at key points in their journey.
• Learn how immersive, targeted content can elevate in-store shopping, creating a more engaging and personalised experience.
• Understand how in-store media provides actionable, real-time data to optimise campaigns and improve performance.
• Discover how integrating in-store media with an omnichannel strategy boosts intent and measurable sales growth.

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Presenters:
▪️ Ben Allman, Director of Sales, ANZ Broadsign
‍▪️ Sam Hegg, Head of Strategy & Planning Coles 360
‍▪️ Barry McGhee, General Manager at reooh (oOh!)
▪️Tamera Francis, Features & Premium Editor, Inside Retail Australia
‍▪️ Zoe Berends, National Business Manager, L'Oréal

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Register here: https://lnkd.in/enUxvyu6

The head of the World Out of Home Organization (WOO) indicates that the growth of out-of-Home (OOH) advertising, particularly in Europe, is largely driven by digital screens. Notably, digital screens account for 40% of revenues despite representing less than 10% of locations.

At the WOO Europe forum in Milan, WOO President Tom Goddard emphasised that a significant opportunity is being overlooked with classic (static) formats, which still comprise most OOH locations. For instance, in the UK, classic formats reach 90% of all adults within a week at only about 20% of the cost compared to digital formats. He referred to classic OOH as the industry's "sleeping giant."

Goddard further explained that classic advertising is a powerful branding and directional tool. He noted that major fast-food chains like McDonald's and KFC often secure long-term contracts for prime static billboard locations because they are adequate for their marketing efforts. Due to their reliability and extensive reach, classic formats are essential for comprehensive marketing strategies.

In summary, Goddard outlined his "Ten Commandments" for OOH growth:

1. Reposition the Classic Channel
2. Digitise More Inventory
3. Consolidate Ownership
4. Measure all formats in all markets
5. Automate the entire trading process
6. Collaborate more and support National Trade Associations
7. Control carbon footprints
8. Leverage the potential benefits of AI
9. Take advantage of Retail Media
10. Enjoy yourself!

Tom's insights at the WOO Europe forum provided a positive outlook for the OOH industry. By balancing the strengths of both classic and digital formats, the industry is poised for innovation and growth, promising a vibrant future for OOH advertising on a global scale.

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Registration is now open for the World Out of Home Organization Europe Forum in Milan from November 4-6.

Proceedings will start on the Monday night with Welcome drinks at the Forum venue. In addition, we’ll be holding a celebration dinner on the Tuesday evening, venue to be confirmed.

The Forum will include one and a half days of presentations on the expanding World of Out of Home from Media Owners, Buyers, Tech Suppliers and Clients with a lunchtime finish on the Wednesday.

The European Forum follows another record-breaking Global Congress in Hong Kong with over 500 delegates as well as a second regional APAC Forum in Bali and the first Africa Forum in Cape Town.

WOO CMO Richard Saturley says: "WOO is now a thoroughly global organization but we felt it time to bring a Forum to Europe where the Out of Home industry is booming, overtaking North America for the first time in terms of revenue.

"Returning to Milan for the first time since 2012 is a great way to celebrate the advances in technology and creativity that are driving the medium forward. Interest in Milan has been massive so we urge members to register as soon as they can."

Ströer Co-CEO Christian Schmalzl has been annonced as our first keynote speaker and we'll be announcing more speakers in the coming weeks.

Click here to register: https://registration.global-studio.it/cmsweb/Index.asp?IDEvento=1955&Lang=EN

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The 2025 World Out of Home Annual Congress will be held in Mexico City from June 4th to 6th. This is the first time the WOO Annual Congress has been held in Latin America and follows the highly successful WOO Annual Congress in Hong Kong, its first visit to Asia, earlier this year over 500 delegates attended.

Helping to host the 2025 event will be ALOOH, the trade body representing Out of Home in the region. ALOOH  was formed in 2018 and both Gabriel Cedrone (ALOOH President) and Guillermo de Lella (ALOOH General Manager) are Vice Presidents on the WOO Board.

WOO President Tom Goddard says: "WOO is the only global media organisation that represents equally all main markets and it's right that we should now go to Latin America, a dynamic, rapidly-growing market in every respect.

"Mexico City is a fantastic venue and our 2025 Annual Congress will be a major stepping stone as we reinforce Out of Home's status as the most progressive and effective non-online global medium."

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Annie Rickard, Manging Partner of OOH Capital, steered a panel discussion on "Why Automate and Why Now?", with Ben Milne, Global Head of OOH Business, dentsu, Emma Hegg, Group Director – Platform Strategy, oOh! and Gavin Lee, Sr Director – Product, Broadsign

Annie Rickard, Manging Partner of OOH Capital, steered a lively discussion with industry luminaries who shared their thoughts on why it's time to automate OOH advertising transactions. The Hong Kong WOO Global Congress session on "Why Automate and Why Now?", moderated by Annie Rickard, featured industry experts Ben Milne, Global Head of OOH Business, dentsu, Emma Hegg, Group Director – Platform Strategy, oOh! and Gavin Lee, Senior Director – Product, Broadsign. Their contributions shed light on the critical importance of automating OOH advertising transactions.

Ben Milne expressed concerns over the prevailing perception of OOH advertising. Despite his efforts to optimise client investments in OOH, he noted a growing pressure on marketing budgets, compelling advertisers to seek more measurable investments. Ben highlighted the disparity between programmatic digital OOH and traditional methods, emphasising the urgent need to remove barriers and simplify access to OOH. He advocated for automation to enhance measurability and accessibility, thereby allowing advertisers to focus on advocating for OOH inclusion in media plans.
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Gavin Lee echoed Milne's sentiments regarding the necessity of removing barriers hindering OOH advertising. He stressed upon the importance of collaboration in automating all OOH processes to simplify access and improve measurability. Gavin argued that by ensuring the benefits of OOH are easily measurable and accountable, the industry can bridge the growing divide between digital and non-digital OOH, capturing a larger share of the expanding advertising market.

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Highlighting the significant growth of Australia's OOH advertising sector, Emma Hegg revealed that OOH is currently constituting nearly 15% of the overall media spend according to the 2024 SMR figures. She emphasised the sustained growth of programmatic advertising since 2022, which now accounts for 11% of OOH media spend. However, Emma cautioned that not all programmatic growth is incremental, with some budgets shrinking. She stressed the need for industry-wide efforts to simplify and automate processes, reducing friction and cost.
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Highlighting the significant growth of Australia's OOH advertising sector, Emma Hegg revealed that OOH is currently constituting nearly 15% of the overall media spend according to the 2024 SMR figures. She emphasised the sustained growth of programmatic advertising since 2022, which now accounts for 11% of OOH media spend. However, Emma cautioned that not all programmatic growth is incremental, with some budgets shrinking. She stressed the need for industry-wide efforts to simplify and automate processes, reducing friction and cost.

Urging the importance of collaboration between media vendors, technology partners, and agencies, Emma said that stakeholders need to come together to address the unique challenges faced by OOH vendors. She underscored the lack of global standards and fragmented approaches to audience measurement as obstacles to automation. To realise the full potential of OOH advertising, she called for unified industry standards, collaboration with technology partners, and the development of platforms that add value across the value chain.

Reiterating the imperative for OOH advertising growth, Gavin stressed the need to attract more advertisers and boost their spending. He spotlighted the inefficiencies in managing numerous small campaigns compared to larger ones and pushed for a reassessment of minimum booking thresholds. Gavin also underscored the significance of industry collaboration, standardisation, and leveraging existing infrastructure to streamline processes and optimise OOH's role in omnichannel solutions.

Pushing for a re-evaluation of booking thresholds and emphasis on industry collaboration, Gavin highlight the need to adjust to shifting market dynamics. Rickard's closing remarks serve as a rallying cry for the industry to embrace automation and foster a collaborative culture to propel OOH advertising forward.

Also Ben's concerns regarding the perception of OOH advertising resonated with advertisers under mounting pressure to justify marketing expenditures. The industry's pivot towards programmatic digital OOH accentuated the necessity to adapt and modernise traditional practices. However, challenges persist, as underscored by Emma, particularly concerning standardisation and audience measurement. Collaboration emerges as a central theme, urging stakeholders to collaborate to drive innovation and overcome hurdles.

Annie wrapped up the session by underlining the critical role of collaboration and automation in the OOH advertising realm. She recognised the advanced tools and data in use but pointed out the lack of platform connectivity and continued dependence on manual labour. She emphasised the widening gap between digital and non-digital OOH, emphasising the urgency to unify and leverage technology for cost reduction and efficiency enhancement.

The World Out of Home organization has announced the Award Winners for Individuals, Digital and Classic Creative, Sustainability and Technical Innovation at its Global Congress in Hong Kong, held on June 5 – 7.

The Technical Innovation Award was chosen from a shortlist of three by delegates at the Congress.

The Sustainability Award is in its second year after its inauguration at the Lisbon Congress last year, reflecting the organizations’s redoubling of its drive towards net zero.


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🏆 Creative Awards:

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Chair of judges Matthew Dearden of Alight Media says: "This year we had more entries than ever for our awards and, crucially, of a high standard.

"The awards exist to celebrate the great work and people in our global industry, those who have already achieved a great deal and those who are embarking on that particular path, plus highlighting vital global issues including sustainability. Through this celebration they inspire, challenge and energise us all to stretch ourselves and grow in the right way.

“I created the Chair’s award to recognise an outstanding entry that the judges loved and that deserves its own category.

"It was tough choosing between so many outstanding entries and I'd like to thank my fellow judges for their hard work, wisdom and commitment to the cause of an even more effective Out of Home medium."

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At the WOO Global Congress in Hong Kong, Jas Cai, Media Director and Chief Expert at Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) Marketing Procurement, presented a compelling case for the strategic use of Out-of-Home (OOH) media in enhancing consumer mindset. Her insights underscored how targeted, innovative, and premium OOH media placements can significantly influence consumer perceptions and drive brand engagement.

The role of OOH media in consumer engagement

OOH media is a powerful tool for capturing consumer attention in diverse environments. Jas emphasised that OOH media's broad reach and high visibility make it an ideal platform for brands looking to enhance their presence and resonate with their target audience. For Huawei, this has meant leveraging OOH media to create a premium brand image that aligns with their cutting-edge technology and high-quality products.

Strategic investment in premium OOH media

Huawei has strategically invested in premium advertising spaces that target high-income consumers who appreciate fashionable and premium experiences. These investments are crucial in ensuring Huawei's ads are placed in high-traffic, high-visibility areas such as metro stations and airports, where they can capture the attention of their desired audience. This approach not only maximises visibility but also reinforces Huawei's brand message of quality and innovation.

Three key strategies for enhancing consumer mindset with OOH media:

1. Targeting at scale: Jas highlighted the importance of launching campaigns that create a spectacular and impactful presence. This strategy involves spotlighting product benefits and capturing consumer attention through dominant, high-visibility placements. For instance, Huawei's global launch campaigns, such as the introduction of wearable props and new robotic devices, utilised premium OOH media to achieve 100% share of voice in key markets. These campaigns significantly boosted sales and improved brand perception.

2. Consistent, high-value brand messaging: Delivering consistent and high-value brand messages in strategic settings is essential for triggering purchase intentions and enhancing consumer understanding of product functions. Huawei's campaigns often integrate visually consistent and continuous messages across various OOH platforms. For example, the Chinese New Year campaign featured illustrations of products across metro and bus media, maximising impressions and improving key brand perception indicators related to premium and fashionable attributes.

3. Innovations with connectivity: Jas stressed the need for innovative approaches that break traditional boundaries and foster interactive consumer experiences. By leveraging social platforms and integrating them with OOH media, Huawei creates holistic and engaging campaigns. A notable example is the collaboration with Xiaohongshu, a popular social platform in China, which generated significant engagement, particularly among young female consumers. This campaign integrated interactive elements with OOH media placements, boosting brand prominence and consumer interaction.

Building a premium brand through OOH media

OOH media's unique ability to deliver high-impact visuals in public spaces makes it an ideal tool for building a premium brand image. Huawei's strategic use of OOH media, especially in high-income and high-traffic areas, ensures that the brand message is seen by the right audience. This not only enhances brand awareness but also reinforces the brand's association with quality, innovation, and fashion.

Jas's presentation at the WOO Global Congress highlighted the critical role of OOH media in enhancing the consumer's mindset. Through strategic investment in premium OOH placements, consistent and engaging communication, and innovative connectivity approaches, Huawei has successfully leveraged OOH media to shape consumer perceptions and drive brand engagement. As OOH media continues to evolve, its potential to influence consumer mindset and build strong, premium brands remains unparalleled. By focusing on high-impact, strategic placements and integrating innovative approaches, brands like Huawei can continue to enhance their presence and resonate deeply with their target audiences.

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