The IAB MENA DOOH Task Force has announced the release of its Guide to Programmatic Digital Out-of-Home (pDOOH).

The advertising group has shared that the guide is “an essential” resource to transform the digital advertising landscape in the MENA region.

Even though 30 per cent of the total OOH investment in the region is spent on digital screens, IAB found that only 1 per of the digital screens were purchased programmatically. In contrast, as found in the ‘IAB MENA’ Attitudes to Programmatic’ survey, the region’s perceived scale of Programmatic DOOH is significantly higher than the current figures.

Given the positive market sentiment towards the pDOOH, the guide aims to educate and highlight the potential and growth opportunities of pDOOH.

The free whitepaper aims to equip advertisers, agencies, and stakeholders with insights into Programmatic DOOH in MENA.

The guide compares traditional DOOH advertising with programmatic DOOH (pDOOH), looking at the workflow differences, data-driven planning, targeting, and monitoring benefits.

It also discusses pDOOH’s flexibility, real-time optimisation, and targeted advertising, offering a roadmap for its integration in media strategies.  It lists regional pDOOH suppliers and the digital screen formats available in the MENA region.

The guide was developed collaboratively by 20 industry professionals from 17 member companies such as BackLite Media, Choueiri Group, Elan MENA, GroupM, MCN, Omnicom Media Group, Talon, Publicis Media, Pikasso, The Trade Desk, and Seventh Decimal.

“Collaborating together really drives increased collective knowledge.  By doing this, we aim to shed a light on the huge potential of pDOOH across MENA as a key part in the future growth of our region,” said, Ian Manning, Executive Director at IAB MENA.

Programmatic DOOH is poised for exponential growth in the region. In 2023, investment in DOOH was estimated to reach $350 million, and forecasts suggest that this figure will more than double to over $700 million by 2029.

According to IAB, the growth is primarily driven by the rapid digitisation and automation of OOH screens in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, coupled with the increasing demand from advertisers seeking dynamic and measurable ways to connect with audiences.
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