In the ever-evolving landscape of retail and advertising, the Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) market has emerged as a dynamic and transformative force. As technological advancements continue to reshape consumer behavior and expectations, retailers are increasingly turning to DOOH. To create more engaging, data-driven, and personalised experiences.

In this blog, we will explore four key trends driving the growth and evolution of DOOH in the retail sector. The rapid growth trajectory of the market, the expansion of digital inventory, the improvement of data utilisation, and the rise of interactivity and personalisation.

These trends not only highlight the increasing importance of DOOH. Also present significant opportunities for retailers to enhance their marketing strategies and connect with consumers in innovative ways.

1. Growth Trajectory of DOOH:

The Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) market has been on a rapid growth trajectory in recent years, with industry forecasts predicting a significant increase in DOOH’s share of the overall Out-of-Home (OOH) market.

This surge is driven by the rising investment of retailers and brands in digital signage and programmatic DOOH. As these stakeholders recognise the channel’s potential to deliver highly effective and targeted marketing campaigns. The popularity and impact of DOOH are set to continue rising.

Its non-block nature, the ability to insert into customer’s every day life without interrupting their activities. Its wide reach are some of the attractive features of the channel. This growth trajectory presents a golden opportunity for retailers to leverage DOOH as an integral part of their marketing strategy, enabling them to reach broader audiences and achieve greater engagement.

2. Expansion of Digital Inventory:

Retail media owners are increasingly focusing on expanding their digital OOH inventory, transitioning away from traditional assets and digitising existing sites. Screens are just easier to manage than posters.

This shift towards digital displays in high-traffic areas such as retail locations, transportation hubs, and shopping centers provides brands with new opportunities to reach consumers at the last point of influence.

The expansion of digital inventory in retail environments is fuelling the growth of DOOH as a key part of their retail media strategy. By strategically placing digital displays in areas with high footfall, retailers can effectively capture consumer attention and influence purchasing decisions.

3. Improvement of Data:

One of the most significant advantages of DOOH is the ability to harness data to optimise advertising campaigns. Retailers can utilise their own audience data, such as membership lists or e-commerce customer information, to enhance their DOOH networks. By incorporating footfall counter sensors, such as cameras, retailers can gain valuable insights into the number and type of people engaging with their content, making it one of the most reliable ways to quantify the number of Impacts delivered.

This data-driven approach enables brands to make informed decisions. About their advertising investments, ensuring that their messages reach the right type of audience and the right amount of people. This combined with the deprecation of several targeting methods in other channels, particularly online and its cookies. Contextual data is becoming a key part of digital advertising across the landscape. This is where retail is king, where shoppers are already at the point of purchase, with interest and context already included and significant amount of first party data is available for further detail. The improvement of data utilisation in DOOH is driving increased advertiser confidence and investment in retail media networks.

4. Increased Interactivity and Personalisation:

The rise of interactive and personalised DOOH experiences is another key trend transforming the industry. Retailers are leveraging advanced technologies such as touchscreens, gesture-based controls, smart content management systems and video analytics to create more engaging and tailored DOOH campaigns.

These interactive features not only capture consumer attention.  Also gather valuable data and deliver personalised messaging that resonates with the target audience. As consumers increasingly expect more interactive and personalised experiences. This trend is likely to gain further momentum in the DOOH space. Retailers who embrace these technologies can create memorable and impactful campaigns that drive consumer engagement and loyalty.

The digital out-of-home (DOOH) market is rapidly evolving, offering retailers unprecedented opportunities to connect with consumers in innovative and impactful ways.

The growth trajectory of the market, the expansion of digital inventory, the improvement of data utilisation, and the rise of interactivity and personalisation are all key trends shaping the future of DOOH in the retail sector.

By embracing these trends and integrating DOOH into their marketing strategies. Retailers can enhance their brand visibility, engage with their target audience more effectively, and drive business growth. As technology continues to advance, the potential of DOOH will only expand. Making it an essential component of the modern retail landscape.

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How does AdMobilize technology function within malls and destinations?‍

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AdMobilize’s technology has been developed to capture audience exposure to digital screens and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) assets in the real world. Just by placing camera sensors on digital screens, our clients, such as BackLite Media, can know how many people pass by, linger on, and even view their screens, capturing detailed information about the impact of campaigns.

We deliver post-campaign reports to BackLite’s clients through our computer vision software, which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to count and categorise the audience based on their physical attributes, but without identifying individuals and being able to quantify a campaign’s impact without compromising the public’s privacy. Computer vision, or allowing a computer to “see,” is one of the most advanced fields within AI and machine learning, allowing us to achieve high levels of accuracy when detecting audiences and getting the correct information for advertisers.

Al Qana in Abu Dhabi and Dubai Festival City, where this is especially difficult to quantify, having technology like this to quantify the audience is critical to driving successful campaign results. These are locations where people attend and spend significant amounts of time in them, pass by sections multiple times and have high dwell times compared to a street where they are just passing through. This is important for brands to understand as it can influence the type of content they can place and the time they have to catch the eye and communicate with their target audience.


What demographic information is collected from BackLite locations?

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In recent years, there has been remarkable progress in AI and Computer Vision. One area that has shown significant progress is AI at the edge. This refers to the software running entirely on local machines installed at each site without saving or sending images or videos to the cloud. Our software solution uses the connected camera as an optical sensor instead of a recording device. This means the camera scans the mall/destination within milliseconds, detecting the objects it has been trained to identify. The people detected before BackLite’s screen can be analysed for various physical attributes. For example, the software can determine each person’s age and facial expression by examining their face and assigning a gender based on their facial and body features. It can also measure the amount of time each person spends in the area of exposure to the screen. By analysing the angle of the face, the software can determine if the person looks towards the screen and how long they pay attention to it.

The client is provided with data to prove their ads have been seen and to add context to where they are displayed. This includes the number of people reached, the time available to grab their attention, and the duration of the message. The software collects this data anonymously by detecting people like objects.


Can we monitor traffic patterns across BackLite’s digital screen network in Al Qana and Dubai Festival City mall?‍

Indeed, you can. As the metadata or the aggregated and anonymised data gets sent to the cloud to be shown on our dashboards and permanently stored, trends start to set and work as benchmarks for each location and screen being measured. This is especially important for DOOH. In contrast with other marketing channels, such as online, where every laptop is considered similar and has one person in front, each DOOH location is a world by itself. Screens come in all shapes and sizes, and each area has very different traffic patterns. Collecting this information over time helps marketers have benchmarks for making decisions on and adapting content.
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What new technologies has AdMobilize developed to enhance clients’ campaign assessment capabilities?

Computer Vision has been around since the 1960s, so it’s a familiar technology. However, it’s still in the early stages of OOH advertising. Due to advancements in precision and computer power, this technology is becoming more widely used. As the scale of usage increases, more functionality will emerge. For example, OOH can trigger content based on previous or real-time data, making campaigns more targeted. Our proprietary technology and patented features, such as the ability to play content based on the audience in front of it, will enable marketers to design targeted campaigns.

PrDOOH is becoming the norm in the industry. Trusting the data and using it not only for reporting but also for interactivity and targeting will be essential. Our platform collects this information and helps screen owners connect that data to programmatic platforms and content management systems so that they can use that data to place the right content in the right place at the right time.

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DPAA Study Outlines Trends and Growth Opportunities for U.S. Digital Out-of-Home Market, with 96% of Marketers and Agencies Planning to Increase or Maintain Spending in the Next 12 Months

Eight in 10 Respondents to Recommend DOOH in Next Year, According to New Omnichannel Decision-Makers Study sponsored by Kochava

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DPAA, the global trade marketing association, driving the growth and digitization of out-of-home (OOH) media and its growing role in the Omnichannel mix, has today unveiled its newest study on the state of the marketplace.

The “DPAA 2024 Omnichannel Decision-Makers Study” was conducted by Advertiser Perceptions, the leader in providing research-based strategic market intelligence to the complex and dynamic media, advertising, and ad tech industries, and sponsored by DPAA member Kochava (a leading omnichannel measurement provider for advertisers and publishers). This is part of the DPAA’s mission to promote and educate brands and agencies about the growing breadth of capabilities digital OOH (DOOH) offers, while sharing insights and best practices with member companies in order to drive industry growth.  DPAA Members have used this study – the previous iteration was conducted in 2021 – to form sales and marketing strategies and tactics.

According to the study, eight in 10 respondents will recommend DOOH to be part of their media plans over the next 12 months, with 96% of Marketers and Agencies Planning to Increase or Maintain Spending in the Next 12 Months

The study also found that DOOH is increasingly perceived as digital video …

• 58% see DOOH as an important part of omnichannel video campaigns.
• 41% consider DOOH to be an extension of TV/video planning.
• 49% of integrated video teams include DOOH alongside TV, mobile and online, up from 36% in 2021.
• 76% of advertisers believe DOOH has become less siloed, and an integrated part of cross-channel strategies (up from 66% in 2021).

The full study – and accompanying white paper – are available exclusively to DPAA members who receive exclusive full access to both. This includes additional analyses on sources of DOOH budgets, opportunities for future growth including dynamic advertising, data-driven interactivity, and programmatic; reasons why brands and marketers include DOOH in omnichannel plans, integration into broader media plans and many other topics.

“We are incredibly proud of the work the DPAA has done over the years to educate advertisers while building a community of DOOH evangelists that are aware of the value that comes from the increased digitization of out-of-home.  From programmatic buying and innovations like AR, VR, interactive QR codes, 3D capabilities and more, to accessing the robust data that powers addressability, contextual marketing, measurement and attribution in a brand safe environment, this study shows that the future is bright for DOOH,” said DPAA President and CEO Barry Frey.  “DOOH continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas of the overall ad ecosystem, and with increased reach, scale and full-funnel opportunities taking shape, it’s easy to be optimistic about this exciting sector, whether a brand, agency or media seller.”

“DOOH has reached an inflection point, increasingly merging with cross-channel strategies, empowered by programmatic buying and data-enabled measurement,” said Grant Simmons, VP of Kochava Foundry. “We’re thrilled to partner with DPAA to illuminate the true potential of DOOH.”

“The robust growth of DOOH advertising in the last 3 years has been a key driver – alongside CTV – of the health of the advertising economy overall,” said Sarah Bolton, EVP of Business Intelligence, Advertiser Perceptions. “The confluence of rapidly expanding data-enablement capabilities and contextually relevant and retail-adjacent screen locations, along with breakthrough creative executions, only points to continuing investment and innovation in the space.”

Advertiser Perceptions surveyed 150 US marketers and agencies involved in omni-digital advertising decision-making. To qualify for the study, which took place in February 2024, marketers and agencies had to be spending a minimum of $1M on advertising annually. Respondents were two-thirds agencies and one-third marketers. The results from this study were also analyzed in part by contrasting them with those from a survey conducted in September 2021 using a similar methodology and respondent profile.

About the DPAA:

DPAA (www.dpaaglobal.com) is the global trade marketing association, driving the growth and digitization of out-of-home (OOH) media and its growing role in the Omnichannel mix. Membership in the DPAA community brings many business acceleration benefits, including a wide array of products. DPAA offers members an extensive database of research, best practices and case studies; tools for planning, training and forecasting; social media amplification of news; insights on software and hardware solutions; further integration into the advertising ecosystem by connecting DOOH networks, brands, agencies, ad tech and others. DPAA’s 2024 Global Summit is scheduled for October 15 in New York City.

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The global Out-of-Home (OOH) industry finds itself in an interesting position: as with other mainstream media it's facing the challenge of rampant big tech but, uniquely, that is an opportunity in itself as digital OOH carves out a bigger share of the market.

Global advertising is forecasted to reach about $900bn this year, with online taking 70%. That still leaves $270bn for other media, assuming online continues its dominance (much of it from search.) $270bn is far more than the entire ad market was worth ten years ago ($187bn.)

Here are some trends:

1. Recovery from the pandemic: The OOH industry has recovered from the pandemic when it was hit harder than most media, reaching 2019 levels last year with most analysts forecasting strong growth in 2024 and beyond. Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) is the main driver by revenue although classic (static) OOH remains the biggest by volume in many parts of the world.

2. Measurement is crucial for growth and that has been a problem for OOH in many parts of the world with different countries and media owners using different systems and some no system at all. The World Out of Home Organization has been instrumental in making the case for more consistent, reliable and easy-to-use data and significant progress has been made although there is much more to do.

3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is having a huge impact on the media industry, particularly the agency planning and buying side. Programmatic is now a fact of life and set to become even bigger, as more of the decisions made by media agencies are made by machines not humans. This means that measurement gains even more in importance - we need to give the machines what they need too. 

4. Consolidation in OOH ownership is inevitable after a post-pandemic period when there have been relatively few such deals. Private Equity, in particular, will be a major buyer.

5. OOH's opportunity to be an impactful medium: On the part of many advertisers there is a growing realisation that impact is becoming harder to achieve with so much media available, especially online. OOH has a unique opportunity to expand into this space, given its prominence in many of our cities and status as an affordable 'broadcast' medium. TV, the previous leader, is slowly but surely, losing its place as the high impact medium as its reach reduces. 

Value is not pushed hard enough, which is surprising when one analyses the low and extremely competitive Cost per Impression (CPM) being delivered by our channel.

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Beyond a dynamic, flexible, scalable, insight-focused, analytics-based, and precise targeted approach, DOOH is also revolutionising requirements for creativity, attention, and engagement. So, what’s the catch?

The drive towards DOOH (digital-out-of-home) is only getting busier by the day.

Unlike static OOH ads, the digital sibling, which promises a more dynamic, flexible, scalable, measurement-focused, analytics-based, and a precise targeted approach is gaining traction on the tarmac.

Niall Sallam, CEO of Elevision, said, “Real-time data and content updating capabilities enable brands to act on current trends and campaign performance, further refining their campaigns to capture and retain viewer attention more effectively than traditional static ads.”

Backlite Media’s COO James Harrison said, “Out-of-home ads utilise mobile device detection, sensors, and cameras to collect precise data on foot traffic and viewer engagement. This makes the data less susceptible to manipulation and provides a more accurate measure of ad performance. Advanced tools and third-party auditors ensure transparency and verification, confirming that ads are displayed in the specified locations and at the agreed-upon times.”

Beyond enhanced and impactful campaign performance through programmatic, DOOH is also squeezing the best out of marketers and advertisers by revolutionising requirements for creativity, attention, and engagement.

“The world of creative opportunities with DOOH is limitless with interactive features like QR codes, augmented reality experiences, as well as social media and brand activation integrations. These features enhance consumer interaction and experience, allowing for more immersive and engaging content,” Elevision’s Niall Sallam added.

BackLite Media’s James Harrison, echoed the sentiment saying, “Leveraging dynamic content that responds to real-time data like weather and local events, DOOH ensures advertisements are highly relevant and captivating. DOOH is setting a new standard in marketing by attracting, engaging, and leaving a lasting impression on its audience. Strategically placed in high-visibility locations, DOOH ads effortlessly capture attention. Personalising content using audience data makes these advertisements more memorable and impactful.”
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However, this creativity that captures attention comes with a rider: they must find a way to be more engaging and garner impressions without being overly distracting

Campaign Middle East spoke to Dr Abdullah Al-Shwaikh from the Outdoor Media Office, OOH Section at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, UAE, who said, “Let us talk about the biggest challenge faced by highways in dealing with digital advertisements, which is an awareness challenge related to the extent of advertisers’ commitment to and awareness of the safety conditions related to outdoor advertising.”

He explained, “On highways, where speeds typically exceed 120 km per hour, the technical conditions related to the size of the text, the colours used, and the speed of the advertisement display change. This is something that those working in the field need to pay attention to. There is no objection to the existence of digital billboards, but they must comply with the specifications to avoid causing any distraction to drivers and road users.”

That said, DOOH still makes its own case in terms of ROI and brand values.

While initial investments in digital infrastructure are higher, the long-term cost efficiency is significant. DOOH reduces the need for physical materials and labour associated with installing and rotating traditional billboards, resulting in lower operational costs.

In tandem, the shift to DOOH supports sustainability goals by reducing the carbon footprint of advertisements. Digital ads eliminate the need for printing and transportation of physical materials and offer quicker and more eco-friendly ways to update content.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Shwaikh added, “This includes less printing, fewer papers, reduced presence of equipment and machinery for billboard replacement, faster maintenance, among other benefits. I believe that with the decrease in the prices of digital billboards to less than $1,500 per square metre, more than 70 per cent of our billboards will be converted to digital billboards by the end of 2025.”

Clearly, OOH is transitioning towards DOOH, so much so that digital is set to capture 75 per cent of the OOH advertising market by 2027, according to IAB Compass findings.

Bill Fordyce, Chief Operating Officer – Media, ELAN Group, said, “The trends in OOH with launching new creative and dynamic campaigns has been positive over the past several years, with banks, QSRs, retail and automotive being the biggest users of dynamic campaigns. Digital now makes up more than 50 per cent of Elan Media’s overall revenue and continues to grow as we install new signs in the market and get new advertisers to spend on OOH.”

Elevision’s Niall Sallam, added, “This summer has been our busiest one yet across all networks, with a 30 per cent year-on-year growth from June last year, highlighting the significant growth of DOOH advertising in 2024. Advancements in programmatic buying and enhanced data analytics are driving more targeted and effective campaigns, further contributing to this upward trend.”
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So, what could possibly deter this acceleration towards DOOH? While the medium is not as vulnerable to bots, it’s not completely free of malicious attacks either.

Dr Abdullah Al-Shwaikh cautioned, “A few days before this interview, there was a particular incident in Egypt that was covered by the media, where a group successfully took control of several billboards and displayed some ideas that opposed the official direction, much like the film ‘The Hunger Games’.”

He added, “Yes, we know that with every new technology, there are those who exploit the ‘immaturity’ of the system, so to speak. However, over time, matters, legislations, systems, and the security of systems develop to avoid negatives and risks. I believe there will be more secure systems in the future who will play a role in monitoring and maintaining the security of outdoor billboards, overseeing them, and setting up appropriate protective regulations for them. In the end, security is indivisible, and we should be grateful that we live in the safest country in the world on all levels.”

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To take the conversation forward, Campaign Middle East also asked leaders about DOOH was addressing ad fraud – the act of delivering fake ad impressions, which seems to have skyrocketed over the past few years.

Elevision’s Niall Sallam said, “DOOH is combating ad fraud through the use of sophisticated technologies and transparent reporting systems. From attending various conferences this year, it is evident that collaborations between advertisers and tech companies are increasingly fostering a more secure and trustworthy advertising environment, significantly reducing the prevalence of fake ad impressions and other key metrics.”

Backlite Media’s James Harrison added, “DOOH programmatic platforms implement strict protocols and security measures to prevent fraud. These measures ensure that the ad inventory is genuine and that all transactions are transparent and traceable, enhancing the reliability and effectiveness of the advertising medium.”

Beyond preventing ad fraud, which digital ads are also working on, digital out-of-home has claimed bragging rights due to the lack of a ‘third party cookie on-off option’, as well as not being susceptible to skippable ads, ad blockers, or consumers simply scrolling past the digital ads … but we’ll get into the DOOH versus digital conversation another day.

All things considered, the future of DOOH still seem bright. Offering novel opportunities for creative storytelling informed by hard data, highly targeted advertising, while also creating avenues for climate-conscious, contextual, and purpose-driven advertising with real-time engagement, it is now setting new standards within a rapidly evolving region.

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The 2024 WOO Expenditure survey captures expenditure globally for OOH across 2023 and give estimates of OOH expenditure for 2024. It is conducted by the use of a short form questionnaire to WOO members and OOH associations across the world and represents the most comprehensive survey of OOH expenditure globally.

Building on data for each year back to 2019, the WOO Global Expenditure survey allows us to track the effect of and recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic alongside local economic conditions and the investment into DOOH as it drives growth for OOH globally. Understanding these drivers of growth in particular markets allows WOO members and OOH Trade Associations to look to other markets for learnings to drive growth in their own markets.

The 2024 survey was completed by 109 members, covering 85 unique territories – collectively representing 95% of global GDP and 78% of global population. Unreported territories are modelled from similar territories based on population and GDP per capita where possible, or are excluded from the study.

Global OOH Spend in 2023 reached $41.9bn USD and represented 5,2% of global ADEX – breaking through the $40bn barrier, the 5% barrier and eclipsing the 2019 revenue figure of $36.3bn. OOH spend is forecast to grow to $45.3bn USD in 2024.
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Regionally APAC dominates with almost half of global OOH spend at $20.2bn across 40% of global GDP. Europe reports $10.3bn revenue, 25% of the total in line with its share of global GDP. North America ($9.4bn), LATAM ($1.3bn) and Africa ($0.7bn) track behind their share of GDP - although expenditure reporting in Africa is more challenging and is likely to be under-reporting much of the informal economy.

Global DOOH expenditure rose to $16.7bn USD in 2023 representing almost 37% of all OOH revenues and remains the main driver of OOH revenue growth globally.

Investment in DOOH infrastructure varies across the world with Europe ahead of the global average at 39.2%, APAC just under the average at 36.1% North America at 32.9% , LATAM at 31% and Africa at 20.1% of total OOH revenues.

The ‘headroom’ for growth in DOOH is exemplified by territories that have invested heavily in DOOH screens – of the top 10 markets by overall OOH volume: Australia (76% of OOH revenue), UK (65%), Germany (41%), China (40%) and South Korea (40%); lead the way in driving growth through DOOH.

Programmatically traded DOOH grew to a reported total spend of $1.2bn USD globally, representing 8.1% of total DOOH revenues. Although this data is not captured commonly across all markets so may be under representative of the total revenue traded this way. We anticipate significant growth to this figure in the 2025 report through a combination of increasing market adoption and more comprehensive reporting programmatically traded revenue.

The World Out of Home Organization’s Global Expenditure Survey is only possible through the collaboration of our members from across the world, and we thank our membership for their contributions to this survey. Additional geographical granularity and data spanning from 2019-2024 is available to our members via the members area of our website.

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We have observed a digital trend worldwide, which is also unfolding here. Through a market assessment and a deep understanding of the environmental factors, we have successfully installed industry-leading Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) screens capable of withstanding even the harshest conditions.

However, we recognise that digitisation alone isn’t enough. Hence, we’ve embedded data into our strategy. By partnering with Seventh Decimal and Admobilize, we can provide our clients with detailed reports encompassing play outs, impressions, reach, and frequency metrics.

We believe in harnessing the power of technology and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising to create exceptional experiences. This approach is reflected in our recent campaign for Amazon Prime Video at Dubai Festival City Mall. The Prime Video and Amazon Studios’ campaign for ‘Citadel’ fascinated mall visitors with its innovative use of technology.

The campaign dynamically identified and tracked hand movements in real-time by leveraging advanced hand detection and gesture recognition technology. This feature transformed the campaign artwork seamlessly, resulting in an immersive and interactive experience that delighted visitors. And it took home the Silver at the recent MMA Global Smarties MENA Awards 2024 in the DOOH category.‍

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The evolving needs of our clients reflect a shift towards data-driven and results-oriented solutions. They seek improved audience targeting capabilities to ensure their messages resonate with the right individuals at the right moment.

This growing demand has spurred the emergence of Programmatic Digital Out-of-Home (PrDOOH), offering efficiency and flexibility to optimise campaigns on the fly. In pursuing PrDOOH excellence, we’ve established an ecosystem, BackLite 360, that seamlessly integrates comprehensive data sources and solutions. This enables us to cater to our clients at every stage of the marketing funnel, delivering targeted content with precision.

When discussing technology in this context, it’s impossible to ignore the pivotal role of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Its presence is not just a concept but a tangible reality within the OOH sector.

Through platforms like AdMobilize and Neurons, AI is revolutionising how we predict traffic flows, analyse content for enhanced creativity, and gauge real-time attention through eye tracking.

Integrating new technologies with OOH will propell the industry forward and revolutionise its landscape. The impact has been profound, from harnessing the power of data and AI to the advancements in LED screen technology.
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Lindsay Rapacchi, Research and Insight Director at Clear Channel Outdoor, in his session on “Outdoor’s Secret Superpower” at the WOO Global Congress in Hong Kong emphasised OOH advertising's strongest attribute: broadcast reach. He observed that many media professionals don't fully understand why reach is crucial. Over the past year, he says that he conducted informal research with over 100 media professionals, including planners and clients, to discover their reasons for valuing reach. The top responses were identified to be priming people, increasing awareness, driving brand fame, and selling more advertising. However, Lindsay believes the most critical reason was missed: brands with smaller market shares have fewer, less loyal buyers.

Leveraging Light Category Buyers

Illustrating this with the UK washing powder industry, where Persil leads with a 22% market share, Lindsay emphasised that a brand's success, like Persil's in the washing powder industry, is primarily due to its high market penetration, not loyalty. Market penetration, attracting more buyers, is believed to drive growth, rather than solely focusing on loyalty.

Lindsay highlights the importance of understanding buyer distribution curves, where most buyers fall into the light category, purchasing infrequently. He argued for a strategy targeting this large segment of light buyers rather than solely focusing on heavy buyers, as traditional approaches tend to do.

He criticised the neglect of light category buyers in media plans, which often prioritise niche audiences. He suggested integrating light category buyers into media planning to unlock OOH advertising's full potential, as different channels reach varying numbers of these buyers. By prioritising reach to attract more light buyers, brands can achieve significant growth. Lindsay's call to focus on light category buyers offers a fresh perspective on brand growth strategies and the importance of understanding market dynamics beyond loyalty.

The winning duo

Discussing a UK study involving over 40,000 consumers and 250,000 brand interactions, he revealed that OOH and TV were found to be the most effective pairing, increasing productivity by a factor of four. However, he cautioned against relying solely on this combination, emphasising the importance of using a variety of media channels. He highlighted the need for brands to align their customer base with the broader market, using OOH to reach underrepresented demographics. For example, brands should not over-target older consumers at the expense of younger ones.

Refining the Recipe of Reach

In his strategy presentation, Lindsay outlined a holistic approach to media planning, emphasising the importance of reach in OOH advertising. He rejected a highly targeted approach, asserting that OOH's strength lies in its ability to reach a broad audience. Lindsay's strategy begins with a focus on programmatic digital OOH, leveraging mobile data to target specific audience segments that over-index for the brand. Integrating with other media channels, including radio and addressable TV, further expand reach and reinforce brand messaging.

Lindsay applied the "duplication of purchase" law, targeting competitors' customers who are more likely to overlap with the brand's customer base.

He advocated for a dynamic media plan that adapts to different consumer behaviours and contexts, exemplified by programmatic ads tailored to specific weather conditions and time slots.

Lindsay underscored the importance of balancing reach with targeted messaging, leveraging empirical evidence and consumer behaviour insights to optimise brand growth. He emphasised the foundational role of broadcast reach in OOH advertising while integrating insights from the duplication of purchase law and category entry points to refine and enhance media planning strategies.

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In a captivating session at the WOO Global Congress in Hong Kong, Dino Burbidge, Innovation Consultant and CEO of Dinova, took the centre-stage to share his insights on the ever-evolving landscape of OOH advertising. Known for his unique approach to blending technology, creativity, and business acumen, Dino presented an engaging overview of the current state, upcoming trends, and futuristic possibilities in the OOH industry.

Setting the Scene: The Hype Curve

Dino kicked off his talk by introducing the concept of the Gartner Hype Curve, a model that maps out the journey of emerging technologies. The curve starts with an "innovation trigger," ascends to the "peak of inflated expectations," plunges into the "trough of disillusionment," rises up the "slope of enlightenment," and finally reaches the "plateau of productivity." He noted that many current technologies, such as generative AI and post-quantum cryptography, are riding high on this curve, while others like NFTs and Blockchain have experienced varying degrees of hype and disillusionment.

The Now: Technologies at the Plateau of Productivity

Focusing on technologies that have already reached the plateau of productivity, Dino highlighted four key examples:

1. Roblox: With 71 million daily users and six million active at any given moment, Roblox is a significant platform for brands targeting younger demographics. Dino emphasised its role as a quasi-metaverse where brands can create immersive experiences and even leverage programmatic video advertising through virtual billboards.
2. Sense of Smell in Gaming: Introducing a unique sensory dimension, technologies like the "Scent for Games" box can emit specific smells based on in-game events, enhancing the immersive experience for players. This innovation could be extended to various environments, including shopping malls and advertising spaces.
3. Runway ML's Motion Brush: This AI tool allows for subtle animation within static images, enabling advertisers to create dynamic yet refined visual campaigns. By highlighting and animating specific areas of an image, brands can add a layer of engagement to their otherwise static content.
4. Location-Based Loyalty Programmes: Technologies like FOBI enable brands to integrate loyalty programmes into digital wallets, triggering rewards based on proximity to certain locations. This creates opportunities for personalized and location-specific marketing campaigns, driving customer engagement and data collection.

The Next: Emerging Technologies and Trends

Looking ahead, Dino identified several technologies poised to impact the OOH industry:

1. Gaussian Splatting: A breakthrough in 3D rendering, Gaussian Splatting involves creating scenes using "splats" in the air, which are computationally efficient and enable real-time rendering on low-power devices. This could revolutionise how 3D content is displayed in advertising.
2. Apple Vision Pro: At $3,500, this augmented reality device demonstrates Apple's prowess in locking 3D scenes into real-world environments. Dino posed intriguing questions about the implications for advertising, where virtual billboards could compete with physical ones for viewer attention.
3. OpenAI's Multi-Modal Models: As AI models evolve to handle text, video, code, and music, the potential for AI-generated content in advertising grows. Dino advised caution, recommending human oversight to ensure quality and relevance in AI-generated campaigns.
4. Business Process Outsourcing via Video: Highlighting a novel approach, some companies are outsourcing customer service to remote operators via video calls. This could extend to personalised interactions in retail and advertising settings, offering 24/7 customer engagement.

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The Wondrous Future: Pioneering Innovations

Concluding his session, Burbidge delved into futuristic concepts that could redefine OOH advertising:

1. ChatDev: Utilising AI to autonomously develop software, this experiment demonstrates the potential for AI-driven project management and development. In the future, similar technologies could streamline the creation of advertising content and strategies.
2. Wearable Screens: Inspired by the BMW car with colour-changing paint, personal screens integrated into clothing or accessories could display dynamic content based on the wearer's location and context, turning individuals into mobile advertising platforms.
3. Adversarial Pixels: Addressing the ethical concerns of AI training, Dino discussed the idea of poisoning AI models with misleading data to protect proprietary content. This highlights the importance of safeguarding creative assets in an AI-dominated future.
4. Robot Snails: A quirky yet practical innovation, these soft robotics can clean and maintain advertising displays, ensuring they remain pristine and engaging.

Dino's presentation at the WOO Global Congress was a thought-provoking journey through the current realities, emerging trends, and speculative future of OOH advertising. His insights underscored the dynamic nature of the industry and the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

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