In today’s media landscape, flash is king. Every day, people are exposed to an onslaught of information, but the best advertisers know how to create ads that cut through the noise.

In our digital-first world, out-of-home media is often overlooked by advertisers in favour of pursuing online marketing efforts. This represents a huge missed opportunity, as outdoor advertising is one of the most effective ways to engage with customers and inspire them to take action. Since the pandemic, more people are venturing out of their homes daily, making it more important than ever to incorporate OOH ads in your marketing efforts.

We’ve put together 6 tips to create impactful OOH ads that help you connect with your audience.

1. Let data lead

Creating a successful OOH ad campaign requires in-depth knowledge of your target audience, media channel preferences, and what drives their decision-making.

By gathering and analysing customer data, you can create strategic campaigns that focus on the needs of your target audience and consider how you can connect with them at each touchpoint.


2. Know your audience

The best way to design an ad that resonates with your audience is to understand who—and where—they are. Modern marketing is all about leveraging customer data to deliver a personalised experience, and OOH ads are no different.

A recent Zendesk study found that 76% of consumers expect a personalised experience. Data analytics can help you deliver that, maximising the impact of your campaign and facilitating cross-channel integration so you can offer customers a cohesive experience through OOH ads, digital advertising, and social media.


3. Make it contextual

When it comes to OOH ads, there are many formats and settings to choose from. The best campaigns are a culmination of data, technology, creativity, and context.

Tesco’s ‘Together this Ramadan’ billboard campaign used contextual targeting techniques, placing their billboards in areas with large Muslim populations and using digital technology to display both a fasting and non-fasting message, depending on the time of day. The campaign resulted in a 275% increase in mentions of Tesco and Ramadan on social media and remains a great example of how selecting the right setting is key to the success of your OOH ads.

Another tactic to consider is positioning your ad near a point of sale. Engaging with audiences effectively at or near a point of sale allows you to witness the power of OOH advertising in action, from building brand awareness to driving sales.

By placing OOH ads along the path to purchase and in proximity to certain retailers,  your OOH ads end up functioning as a last-mile sales push, transforming the customer’s intent to buy into a completed purchase. This approach not only streamlines the customer journey but also captivates audiences by offering them a digital experience in the physical world.

Through the use of data analytics, you can effectively determine the location and movement patterns of your audience, giving you greater insight into your own media placements.

4. Keep it simple

When you’re working with OOH ads, the amount of time you have to make an impression can vary depending on your choice of location.

While certain venues, like roadside billboards, tend to have a low dwell time, others, like bus stations, might have longer to make an impact. Your chosen venue and its corresponding dwell time should play a significant role in shaping the creative and messaging of your OOH ads.

For ads in places with lower dwell time, like the side of a bus, a simple, uncluttered ad with a clear message tends to make the biggest impact. In venues with higher dwell times, like train stations, people have more time to interact with ads, so you can include more visual elements as well as text and go into greater detail about the brand and its specific offering.

Colour selection should also take into consideration the placement of the ad and its surrounding environment to ensure that it will stand out and make an impact on passers-by. Colour is crucial to designing an effective ad campaign. In fact, studies show that colour has the power to increase brand awareness by 80% and influence 85% of purchase decisions.


5. Get creative

Want to optimise your business outcomes through advertising? Creativity is key to setting yourself apart from the competition and getting noticed. In fact, creativity is the main driver of marketing effectiveness, second only to the size of your brand.

While you likely can’t change the size of your brand overnight, you can place a greater emphasis on exceptional creative work, allowing it to be the driving force behind your ad creation and marketing campaigns.


6. Make it inclusive

OOH is not only one of the most effective ways to reach your audience but also one of the strongest channels to deliver inclusive messaging. With OOH ads being placed in public spaces, viewing them is a shared experience for audiences. Representation matters, and in an increasingly multicultural society, it’s key that you engage with consumers in ways that are meaningful to them, especially as OOH reaches more than 98% of the adult population.

Diversity and inclusion begin behind the scenes by hiring the right people to conceive of and create ads that speak to a diverse range of viewpoints and experiences.


7. Designing an effective OOH ad campaign

The key to a successful OOH ad campaign is to design an eye-catching ad that moves people and has a visual impact while keeping your messaging simple.

In order to unlock the benefits of OOH ads, creativity needs to be at the center of your process.

By combining creativity and data analytics to guide your decision-making, you’ll be able to create an ad that resonates with your target audience and inspires them to take action.

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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 do you envision the growth of Programmatic Digital Out-of-Home (PrDOOH) in the UAE and the region over the next five years?

Over the recent years, we have observed significant involvement from various stakeholders in the PrDOOH landscape. This includes more suppliers facilitating the programmatic purchase of their inventories and more DSPs augmenting their capabilities by incorporating DOOH into their omnichannel strategies. This alone is a great catalyst, knowing that four years ago, the region needed more screens to be traded programmatically. Advertisers have already started to test PrDOOH campaigns in the UAE; however, broader adoption is essential. More advertisers need to embrace and experiment with this buying model to collaboratively work with the supply side and speed up the growth of Programmatic DOOH in the UAE and the MENA region.

Last year, the World Out of Home Organization hosted its first face-to-face MENA Forum in Dubai, where many important topics were discussed, including in-depth discussions on PrDOOH, emphasising the industry’s commitment to its advancement.

The initiation of the IAB MENA DOOH Taskforce is also a great contributor to the growth of PrDOOH in the region, as 21+ people from 15 different member companies work closely to provide valuable output on DOOH and PrDOOH for the industry.


How will data analytics play a key role in the evolution of PrDOOH strategies in the UAE?

Data analytics will be instrumental in steering the evolution of PrDOOH in UAE as advertisers increasingly seek to maximise efficiencies in their strategies. This emphasises the need for a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of their DOOH campaigns. Through data analytics, advertisers can make data-driven decisions at every stage of their campaigns.
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• Planning: By understanding audience composition (behaviours, demographics, etc.) and empowering more precise targeting, DOOH ads are delivered to the most relevant viewers. Advertisers will also be able to understand the context in which their DOOH ads are displayed through location, time of day, and environmental conditions. These factors can be leveraged to ensure that ads are contextually relevant, increasing their effectiveness.

• Mid-campaign Optimisations: Through real-time analytics, advertisers can monitor the performance of PrDOOH campaigns as they unfold and make dynamic adjustments to optimise campaign delivery, ensuring maximum impact.

• End-of-campaign Analysis: Attribution modelling through data analytics will assist advertisers in determining theimpact of PrDOOH on consumer actions. Robust data analytics will provide comprehensive performance metrics and analysis for PrDOOH campaigns. Advertisers can assess impressions, engagement rates, and other metrics to gauge the success of their campaigns.

As described above, the application of data analytics in PrDOOH is mainstream in global markets. However, enhancing its practicality in the UAE and the region necessitates strengthened collaboration among all stakeholders. This collaboration is crucial for increasing investments and expanding the PrDOOH lumascape to narrow the gap between regional and global data-driven practices and capabilities of PrDOOH.

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How are technological advancements shaping the future of PrDOOH campaigns in the UAE, and what impact do you anticipate?‍

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One of the most attractive technological advancements in DOOH is Forced Perspective 3D (FP3D) ads, which create a dynamic and immersive dimension to brand messaging, captivating audiences with visually striking content that stands out in the real world. A great example is BackLite’s The Curve @ Al Qana, FP3D billboard in Abu Dhabi, which offers viewers a unique experience.

Further examples of technological advancements in DOOH include:

• The integration of data feeds and real-time triggers

• Interactive elements via touchscreen technology

• Mobile integrations with cross-channel experiences and Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms for real-time optimisation.

In conclusion, PrDOOH will become prevalent in the UAE. Early adoption is key. Despite challenges, regional players are developing solutions for the evolving industry. UAE’s advancements make PrDOOH strategic for innovative and impactful advertising.

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The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has confirmed to Campaign Middle East that is now reviewing the updated Dubai Out of Home Advertising Manual as a unified reference for technical specifications and traffic safety requirements on all federal roads.

Sharing his thoughts in an exclusive interview, Dr Abdullah Al-Shwaikh from the Outdoor Media Office, OOH Section, UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (UAEMOEI) commended the latest updated guidelines for OOH in Dubai as “a source of pride for all of us.”

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with Dubai Municipality and Department of Economy and Tourism, recently updated its OOH advertising manual to include expansion of dedicated OOH zones, standardised design criteria, guidelines for innovative 3D ads, improved site planning for advertisements, updated spacing criteria between billboards and intersections, and new procedures for the construction of billboards and commercial signage.

Commenting on the impact of the changes across the UAE, Dr Abdullah Al-Shwaikh revealed, “We at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure are now reviewing the guidebook with the federal Roads and Transport Authority to ensure there is no duplication of efforts or wastage of resources, given the presence of many guidebooks issued by the state municipalities and federal entities. I will not hide the fact that we are in the process of adopting this guidebook as a unified reference for technical specifications and traffic safety requirements on all federal roads through coordination with the entities that issued the guidebook

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Dr Abdullah Al-Shwaikh has been involved in the evolution of OOH guidelines for over two decades. Those were the days when the World Trade Centre served as a milestone while travelling between emirates, and stastic posters of varying sizes were plastered onto lamp posts, pillars, and facades of buildings under construction.

In conversation with us, Dr Abdullah Al-Shwaikh recounted a meeting in June 2004, in a cramped room during the scorching UAE summer, when he attended a meeting with concerned entities at what was then known as the General Secretariat of UAE Municipalities.

“The aim then was to issue the first edition of the inaugural outdoor advertising guide. To be honest, no one expected that the outdoor advertising market in the UAE would reach these levels,” Dr Abdullah Al-Shwaikh added. “Twenty years later, thanks to our country’s wise policy in dealing with regional crises, the outdoor advertising market in the UAE, particularly in Dubai, has become one of the most sought-after points by multinational hubs to announce all that is new in the world.”

When asked what’s next, Dr Abdullah Al-Shwaikh shared that the time had come for a guide that governs the actual design and content on the OOH and DOOH billboards.

“What’s next?” he responded, “I believe we now need a parallel guide that governs the advertising content itself, in line with each area. It should also ensure the higher interests of the city of Dubai and the state, making it mandatory for advertisements published in different languages and setting ethical and aesthetic standards for advertisements.”

“This is another lengthy discussion for another day,” he concluded.

How will the best practices from Dubai be translated across the UAE? Stay tuned for our continuous and timely coverage from the forefront of the outdoor advertising industry.

A day after Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) released its updated guidelines for OOH advertisers, industry leaders have voiced their full-throated support for the move.

Dubai’s RTA, in collaboration with Dubai Municipality and Department of Economy and Tourism, updated its OOH advertising manual to include improved site planning for advertisements, updated spacing criteria between billboards and intersections, and new procedures for the construction of billboards and commercial signage.

Interestingly, the updates also included standardising design criteria, aesthetic elements, while introducing guidelines for innovative elements such as 3D ads, drones, and modern lighting.

“These updated guidelines, including revised spacing criteria between billboards, ensure audiences have more dedicated visibility and increased performance on each campaign and advertisement, effectively reducing visual clutter in the city,” James Bicknell, CEO, BackLite Media said.

Elevision’s Chief Operating Officer, Eamon Sallam, said, “We feel the elements related to standardised design criteria and spacing regulations are set to make the most immediate impact on the industry. With the continued proliferation of OOH assets across the country, clutter and poor designs have had a negative impact on the industry.”

Safety takes top priority‍

Aligning with Dubai’s vision under the Urban Plan 2040, the updated guidelines also prioritised the safety and security of road traffic and pedestrians.

The OOH manual revision process included the involvement of a global consulting firm with expertise in OOH advertising and traffic safety, Dubai’s Roads and Transport authority stated in its announcement.

“We must prioritise citizens’ and residents’ safety by maintaining sites that uphold the city’s aesthetics and following these regulations,” Backlite Media’s James Bicknell added.

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Expanding OOH zones across Dubai

Additionally, updates to Dubai’s OOH manual also included the addition of new zones in Dubai designated for OOH advertising, the strategic distribution of billboard locations, the expansion of digital advertising, and diversifying billboard types to achieve optimal investment returns.

“Expanding dedicated OOH zones and digital advertising opportunities is particularly exciting, offering advertisers greater potential for impact and return on investment,” Backlite Media’s James Bicknell said.

“We welcome the establishment of the RTA’s updated guidelines as we feel they will provide an overall net benefit to the industry. All stakeholders, including media buyers, media suppliers, and most importantly the general public, should experience improved interactions with OOH media as a result of these guidelines. As a premium media supplier Elevision is excited to see an increased standard across all aspects of the local industry,” Elevision’s Eamon Sallam said.

Overall, the updates in Dubai’s OOH manual aim to boost existing advertising and creativity while ensuring safety and compliance, supporting Dubai’s growth and ambition to stay at the forefront of global advertising.

The manual also classifies all types of OOH advertisements according to the type of ad, location, and information delivery to users. It is enriched with images, measurements, and dimensions to elevate the OOH advertising industry in Dubai.

“As the CEO of BackLite Media, I fully support the updated Out-Of-Home (OOH) advertising guidelines introduced by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). At BackLite Media, our ethos is to build well-designed sites in strategic locations that enhance the city’s landscape rather than clutter it, ensuring that our work aligns with the new RTA manual,” James Bicknell concluded.

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Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has revealed updated guidelines for OOH advertisers. The new guidelines include several changes that will affect OOH advertising in the city.

These include improved site planning for advertisements, elevated traffic safety standards, updated spacing criteria between billboards and intersections, standardised design elements, the introduction of pilot areas, and new procedures for the construction of billboards and commercial signage.

The new guidelines were revealed in the latest edition of the Dubai Out-Of-Home (OOH) Advertising Manual that is launched in collaboration with Dubai Municipality and Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism.

The updated manual also incorporates many different aspects such as standardising design criteria, aesthetic elements, and regional landscaping that reflect Dubai’s unique identity.

With the aim of supporting advertisers in the creative and innovative application process, the manual has also included a variety of geometric and artistic forms. These creative forms will help inspectors monitor companies’ compliance with advertising regulations in Dubai.

The guidelines have included the addition of new zones in Dubai designated for OOH advertising, as well as the expansion of digital advertising. According to the RTA, these measures ensure that Dubai “maintains its leadership in this industry”.

In the statement, it also mentioned that these updates consider the standardisation and unique identity of the Emirate, as well as the strategic distribution of billboard locations, focusing on asset blending and diversifying billboard types to achieve optimal investment returns.

The release of this Manual underscores the collaborative efforts of the RTA and its partners to streamline government systems and procedures, aligning them with the aspirations of the leadership and the objectives of the Dubai Urban Plan 2040.

These initiatives aim to cement Dubai’s position as an “ideal platform” for investment in OOH advertising. The manual aims to foster an environment that encourages companies and investors to increase their advertising expenditure and compete in promoting their products and showcasing their brands.

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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BackLiteMedia is thrilled to announce the launch of The Triple Crown Abu Dhabi, part ofThe Landmark Series, a cutting-edge Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) network featuring three gigantic screens strategically positioned on Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street in Abu Dhabi.

The rollout of The Landmark Series into Abu Dhabi represents a significant milestone in the evolution of DOOH advertising in the capital. Offering premium brands unparalleled visibility and engagement opportunities.

The Triple Crown's three colossal screens dominate the bustling Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street, ensuring that every passerby is captivated by the high-definition displays. These state-of-the-art screens are designed to deliver vibrant content that captures the attention of commuters, residents, and tourists alike, making them an ideal platform for advertisers aiming to reach a diverse and affluent audiences.

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James Bicknell, CEO of BackLite Media, commented on this moment, "Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street is one of Abu Dhabi's most prominent roads leading to Abu Dhabi Airports and Al Bateen Executive Airport, known for its high traffic and strategic importance. The location of The TripleCrown ensures maximum exposure for brands, as the screens are visible to thousands of vehicles daily. This prime positioning guarantees that advertising messages will significantly impact brand awareness and engagement. The high-resolution displays showcase every advertisement with stunning clarity and brilliance."

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Advertisers benefit significantly from the strategic placement and large size of digital screens, which ensure their messages have a broad reach and are seen repeatedly by a diverse audience. 

BackLite Media is proud to lead this transformative project, continuing its commitment to innovation and excellence in theOut-of-Home advertising industry.

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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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