The powerful collaboration between BackLite Media and Viola Outdoor has already achieved unparalleled results. We proudly showcase the latest success in our programmatic DOOH offering with the Etihad Airways campaign, running seamlessly across BackLite Media and Viola Outdoor assets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

This campaign sets a new benchmark for precision-targeted advertising, leveraging iconic digital locations like Viola Outdoor's Vision Network and The Pointe at Al Reem alongside BackLite Media's Digital Icons and The Curve at Al Qana.

By strategically placing digital screens in high-traffic areas, the joint digital inventory of our two brands ensures maximum visibility and impact for advertisers, setting a new standard in the region's Programmatic DOOH advertising ecosystem. This launch marks a significant milestone in the UAE's journey toward becoming a global Programmatic Digital Out-of-Home advertising leader.

We're changing how brands connect with audiences using real-time data and dynamic digital displays, creating more meaningful interactions. Leveraging the latest technology and user-centred design, PrDOOH offers a seamless experience for deploying and monitoring ads across our network of digital screens, whether in urban environments, retail spaces, and destinations.

With this campaign, we are proud to launch the UAE's first-ever nationwide Programmatic Digital Out-of-Home (PrDOOH) network, revolutionising the advertising landscape across key locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This cutting-edge network leverages advanced technology to deliver targeted, data-driven campaigns, providing unparalleled reach and engagement opportunities for brands.

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Creative consultant Dino Burbidge explored Out of Home creative at the World Out of Home Organization's Europe Forum in Milan earlier this month.

Burbidge, who has been one of the most popular speakers at recent WOO Global Congresses according to audience feedback, is a creative consultant specialising in the intersection of creativity and technology, a key issue in digital OOH especially.

He suggested that creative is critical, the next most important element in a campaign is sheer brand size, adding effectiveness and profitability. But not all OOH creative is created equal and he outlined the science and practical tips required to create effective campaigns.

WOO CMO Richard Saturley says: "Dino has brought an added dimension to our Global Congresses, most recently in Hong Kong, and we're delighted to welcome him to our regional Europe Forum. We all recognise that creative is important but it's notoriously difficult to pin down. Dino did just that with his unique combination of creative coalface experience and understanding of the behavioural science in Out of Home."

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The Campaign Breakfast Briefing: Out of Home 2025 brought together experts across brand, media agencies, media owners, and adtech at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi on Nov. 22 to discuss OOH challenges and future trends.

The OOH industry has not only claimed its spot as a credible and highly effective form of traditional advertising, driving brand consideration, purchase intent, and business outcomes, but it has also been chosen by consumers as a highly trusted medium, given its permanence and placement within the natural urban landscape.

Advancement in digital technologies, the move towards standardised measurement, and the dawn of programmatic in the Middle East are transforming OOH into a precision-targeted medium, permitting for far more personalised and relevant campaigns and offering greater flexibility and efficiencies within the industry.

To discuss all this and more, a room brimming with experts – from client-side marketers to media and creative agencies, media owners and suppliers, and measurement and adtech players – gathered at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi on 22 November 2024 for the Campaign Breakfast Briefing: Out of Home 2025.

Panel 2 – Is the journey to programmatic just as valuable as the destination?

The panel discussion shifted gears at the event with a conversation around programmatic, delving into the journey towards programmatic.

The panel, moderated by James Harrison, Chief Product Officer, BackLite Media, welcomed on stage Andrew Hamblin, Chief Revenue Officer, LDSK; Ashnee Thacker, Senior Account Manager, The Trade Desk; Yasmine Al-Turk, Advanced DOOH & Digital Supply Lead, GroupM MENA; and Sean Gadsby, Head of Programmatic, BackLite Media.
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Panelists discussed the technology ecosystem, including Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs), Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs), data integration, and what it would take to unlock the true benefits of programmatic DOOH. The speakers agreed that the future of OOH is definitely programmatic but openly stated the a need for more (and better) digital inventory – and collaboration between DOOH players – to reach the “critical mass” needed for programmatic. Scale is lacking despite client demand, they said, but shared how sector-wide collaboration between the likes of Elevision, JCDecaux, BackLite Media and others are slowly turning the possibility into a reality.

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If done right, the industry can open up avenues to use multiple triggers based on multiple data sources to get really granular with targeting, promising greater speed, flexibility efficiencies, as well as agility within MMM. But before people get their hopes too high, the industry needs to jump over the hurdles of education, fragmentation, standardisation, data quality and recognised attribution.

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"Pairing with digital platforms amplifies exposure and drives higher ROI. Within the Multiply Group’s media vertical, our strength lies in offering diverse solutions that meet clients’ needs," says, Viola Outdoors, Ahmed Emam.

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What makes OOH remain one of the most effective forms of traditional advertising?

OOH advertising thrives by effectively reaching broad urban audiences and boosting brand awareness and market share. Pairing with digital platforms amplifies exposure and drives higher ROI. Within the Multiply Group’s media vertical, our strength lies in offering diverse solutions that meet clients’ needs. Our media reaches a broader population and offers a grand scale to provide a multi-city solution, delivering the highest value through tailored media plans. Our unique locations and network of high-impact products across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, complemented by high-quality creative and data-driven strategies, make OOH irreplaceable for brands seeking to connect deeply with their audience. This combination of teams and resources allows us to respond to client needs more effectively, offering large-scale campaigns that deliver significant impact.

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Is OOH undergoing a creative renaissance against stereotypes and visual clutter?

Absolutely, and within the Multiply Group’s media vertical, our teams are driving that creative renaissance. We’ve expanded our inventory and innovative capabilities by combining expertise from different sectors, ensuring that brands break through visual clutter with meaningful, high-quality campaigns. We scale these creative approaches to reach a broader audience within the main arteries and high-density communities. This dual approach enables us to deliver more custom, immersive brand experiences, whether focused on premium markets or mass reach.

The creative renaissance in OOH is about using technology, design, and storytelling to deliver campaigns that are not just seen but remembered. We are a unified group at the forefront of that movement.

How does OOH perform at every stage of the marketing funnel?

OOH has proven effective across all stages of the marketing funnel. Within the Multiply Group’s media vertical, we leverage our combined inventory—our high-impact platforms offer unparalleled visibility for brand awareness. Iconic placements provide prime spots for brands looking to establish their identity, while a broader network helps reach an extensive, diverse audience. Further down the funnel, dynamic content and data integration allow us to engage specific audiences at the consideration stage, driving deeper interaction. This multi-funnel approach positions OOH as a critical component in any marketing strategy, ensuring that brands can engage consumers from awareness to conversion.

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What are the top demands from brands and clients in 2024?

In 2024, brands will increasingly demand flexibility, personalisation, and digital innovation from their OOH campaigns. They want seamless integration with digital platforms, programmatic buying, and the real-time adjustment of content. We can deliver precisely that with the combined strength of Multiply Group’s media vertical. Our innovative and focused solutions complement the ability to scale campaigns and reach a broader population. This ensures that we meet the needs of every client, whether they require a premium campaign or a wide-market solution. By merging our capabilities, we offer more tailored, multi-city solutions that provide the highest value to the market and become the most resilient and comprehensive offering for any client.

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AI-driven tools are allowing us to run smoother campaigns and deliver better client results, says BackLite Media's James Harrison.

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What OOH innovation has excited you the most recently and why?

One of the most creatively-inspiring innovations I want to see more of is the use of augmented reality (AR) in OOH advertising. AR adds a layer of interactivity and immersion that traditional ads can’t match. Imagine billboards that allow passersby to interact with virtual objects or characters overlaid on the real-world scene through their smartphones. This technology grabs attention and creates memorable experiences that enhance brand recall and engagement. It’s a fascinating blend of creativity and technology, reshaping how brands connect with their audiences in the physical world.

Are audience analytics and programmatic DOOH changing the advertising landscape?

At BackLite, we’ve integrated our inventory with global supply-side platforms (SSPs). By leveraging real-time data through AdMobilize and mobility data through Streach, we can precisely analyse foot traffic, demographics, and behavioural patterns. This enables us to create more personalised, relevant campaigns that engage specific audiences. Clients have realised that the programmatic DOOH allows for real-time optimisation and ensures that brands can maximise their reach and ROI with data-driven decisions. The acquisition by Multiply Group allows us to do something that couldn’t be done before: create scale, which is the lifeblood of PrDOOH; we can now offer massive reach across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Is AI making a marked difference regarding creative and operational efficiencies within the OOH space?

Yes. I can confirm that it’s here and assisting us in predicting traffic flows with AdMobilize, analysing content to enhance creativity with Neurons, and gauging attention through eye tracking to optimise content in real-time through AdMobilize and Broadsign. This opens new possibilities for brands to deliver more relevant and engaging messages. From an operational perspective, AI-driven tools are helping us streamline processes such as inventory management, media planning, and audience targeting. It’s allowing us to run smoother campaigns and deliver better client results.

How have digital technologies enhanced measurement capabilities?

They have been providing more precise and detailed data on campaign performance. We gain better insights into viewer demographics, engagement duration, and post-interaction behaviours through advanced audience tracking, location-based data, and integrated third-party platforms. These improved measurement tools enable us to deliver transparent reporting to clients, allowing them to grasp the direct impact of their campaigns and make real-time adjustments for optimal outcomes. This heightened accountability and data accuracy have transformed OOH into a vital component of every integrated marketing strategy.

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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.

Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising is a longstanding yet powerful medium for reaching broad audiences and building brand awareness. However, in today’s dynamic marketing landscape, innovation is key to keeping OOH relevant and impactful. This blog explores effective strategies to enhance OOH advertising and make the most of its unique advantages.

Understanding the OOH Advantage

OOH advertising’s strength lies in its high visibility and broad reach. Positioned in public spaces, OOH ads deliver continuous exposure across diverse geographic areas, making them a potent tool for high-impact brand visibility. Beyond reach, OOH campaigns can also be tailored to specific audiences through a range of formats and precise ad placements. The integration of data enhances this targeting capability, helping brands reach relevant consumers effectively.

Integrating Digital Efforts

Combining digital strategies with traditional OOH campaigns creates a unified brand experience across multiple channels. With technologies like dynamic content on digital billboards and interactive elements, brands can engage consumers in new and meaningful ways. This approach enables a seamless connection with the audience, enhancing the overall impact and extending the reach of both digital and physical ads.

Crafting an Effective OOH Advertising Strategy

1. Setting Clear Objectives:
A successful OOH strategy begins with clear, specific objectives aligned with overall marketing goals. These should follow the SMART framework—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—ensuring the campaign stays focused and purposeful.

2. Defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
To measure OOH campaign success, relevant KPIs such as brand awareness, foot traffic, online engagement, call-to-action responses, conversion rates, and social media sentiment are essential. Tracking these KPIs allows advertisers to assess campaign effectiveness and make data-driven adjustments for future strategies.

3. Understanding the Audience:  
Audience analysis is crucial for creating impactful OOH campaigns. By understanding target demographics, behaviors, and preferences, advertisers can craft messaging and select placements that resonate with their audience. Regularly updating these insights also helps adapt campaigns as demographics and market dynamics shift.

4. Budget Allocation:
Effective budget allocation across OOH channels requires careful planning based on campaign objectives, audience needs, and the strengths of each format. A well-distributed budget ensures optimal resource use, allowing for maximum impact across different OOH channels.

5. Selecting the Right OOH Channels:
Choosing the most suitable OOH formats—such as billboards, transit ads, or street furniture—is essential for targeting specific demographics. By aligning the channel selection with campaign goals, advertisers can maximise audience engagement and strengthen brand impact.

Innovating in OOH advertising requires a strategic approach that combines traditional and digital efforts, clear objectives, relevant KPIs, audience insights, effective budgeting, and the right channel mix. By following these strategies, advertisers can create compelling OOH campaigns that resonate deeply with their target audiences, delivering measurable results in today’s competitive market.

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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