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

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

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

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

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BackLite Media has announced the release of SpotLite 2.0, its annual publication created in collaboration with Campaign Middle East.

This edition of SpotLite focuses on the dynamic and ever-evolving Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising industry, particularly emphasising the transformative potential of Data, Measurement and Programmatic Digital Out-of-Home (PrDOOH).

SpotLite 2.0 brings together insights from some of the industry’s most influential voices.

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Contributors include experts from the UAE Government Media Office, World Out of Home Organization, IAB MENA, The Out-of-Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), Data Partners like Seventh Decimal and Admobilize, and Programmatic Platforms like The Trade Desk and Place Exchange. Each offers unique perspectives on the current state and future direction of Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising.

James Bicknell, CEO of BackLite Media, said, “The publication delves into a wide range of topics, from integrating data-driven techniques to the creative opportunities offered by Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising.
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“These articles provide a comprehensive overview of the trends and innovations poised to shape the next chapter of OOH advertising.

“We thank Motivate Media Group for their invaluable assistance in agency distribution across the UAE, enabling SpotLite 2.0 to reach an even wider audience.

“This collaboration underscores our commitment to expanding its influence and fostering growth within the industry.”

SpotLite 2.0 is a crucial resource for marketers, brand managers, and out-of-home specialists. It provides valuable insights and strategies for navigating the rapidly changing landscape of OOH advertising. The contributions from esteemed authors reflect the industry’s current state and provide a forward-looking view of its promising future.

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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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In a compelling panel discussion titled "Measuring the World: The Pace Quickens" at the WOO Global Congress in Hong Kong with Media4Growth as its media partner, industry leaders from various countries shared their insights on the complexities and advancements in third-party data measurement. The panel, moderated by Gideon Adey, CEO of Gurooh, had as panel speakers Denise Turner, Chief Executive of ROUTE; Pawan Bansal, Chairman Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA); Mats Rönne, Chairman of the Outdoor Committee, Outdoor Impact, Sweden; and Charles Perry-Okeden, Independent Chair, Outdoor Media Association (OMA) and MOVE, Australia.

The session kicked off with an introduction to the panelists and their respective backgrounds. Denise Turner, who heads ROUTE, an out-of-home audience measurement service in the UK, emphasised upon the intricacies involved in the metrics’ operations. Despite her extensive experience in agencies, publishing, and marketing, she acknowledged the unique challenges in measuring OOH audiences. She highlighted ROUTE's commitment to expanding coverage to Northern Ireland, reflecting her dedication to comprehensive data collection.

Pawan Bansal provided a glimpse into India's vast and diverse market. He laid emphasis on the importance of scalable and affordable models to measure the 1.4 billion audience more definitively. He also highlighted the use of mobile data as a starting point, noting the complexities of ensuring data reliability and representativeness.

Mats Rönne from Sweden shared insights into the country's long-standing tradition of public data availability. He emphasised the importance of transparency and the need to measure people rather than devices. Rönne highlighted Sweden's robust system that integrates various data sources to ensure accuracy and reliability in audience measurement.

Charles Perry-Okeden provided an in-depth look at Australia's MOVE 2.0, a revolutionary advancement in audience measurement. MOVE 2.0, developed over five years, integrates over 100 data sources, creating a sophisticated activity-based model. This model tracks individuals' travel behaviour and calibrates the data with numerous datasets to provide a comprehensive view of audience movements. Charles stressed upon the importance of making complex data accessible and trustworthy, a sentiment echoed by other panelists.

Challenges and Innovations in Data Measurement

The discussion delved into the challenges of integrating multiple data sources. Denise pointed out that layering data correctly is crucial to avoid destabilising the entire measurement system. Transparency and rigorous evaluation of data sets are vital to maintaining the integrity of the measurement process.

Pawan explained India's method of cleaning mobile data to ensure it accurately represents the population. By dividing India into millions of hexagons, they track mobile movements to create a reliable panel. This meticulous process highlights the challenges of using mobile data as a primary source.

Role of Sensor Data‍

Sensor data was another critical topic discussed. Denise spoke about ROUTE's ongoing tests with various sensors to enhance volume counts and make data more contemporary. The sensors' ability to provide real-time data could revolutionise audience measurement, although the variability in sensor performance necessitates thorough testing and validation.

Charles discussed how MOVE 2.0 uses sensor data to calibrate volume counts and temporal profiles in environments like malls and airports. This integration helps create a more granular and accurate picture of audience behaviour.

Concluding Thoughts

The panel concluded with a consensus on the importance of transparency, trust, and collaboration in the evolving landscape of audience measurement. By incorporating diverse data sources and ensuring rigorous validation processes, the industry can provide reliable and actionable insights for media owners and advertisers alike.

As the world becomes increasingly data-driven, discussions like these underscore the necessity of continuous innovation and adaptation in audience measurement methodologies. The pace is indeed quickening, and the industry's leaders are at the forefront, navigating the complexities to deliver precise and trustworthy data.

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The 63rd World Out of Home Organization (WOO) Annual Congress took place in Hong Kong from June 5-7, drawing a record number of 500 participants from 47 countries.

The Thursday morning congress began with Dr. Bernard Chan Pak Li, Under Secretary for Commerce at the Hong Kong Government, welcoming over 500 delegates.

Tom Goddard, President of the World Out of Home, delivered a passionate speech, portraying Hong Kong as a dynamic global stage. He introduced the day's theme, "Growing the OOH Sector," with great enthusiasm that resonated throughout the venue. Goddard sparked excitement by discussing the critical growth factors driving the industry forward, from the essential use of measurement data to the importance of sustainability, automation, collaboration, and networking. He highlighted the industry's breakthrough in surpassing the 5% market share threshold (reaching 5.2%) and questioned whether this signifies sustained growth for OOH. Goddard emphasised the urgency of embracing sustainability and spotlighted Ad Net Zero as a model of responsible media practices. Tom highlighted Abu Dhabi's Multiply Group acquiring BackLite Media, along with Viola Communications and Media 24/7, to build a strong media presence in the UAE. He also thanked Omar Fayed and Jawad Hassan for their support of the World Out of Home Organisation.
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He also emphasised the potential of retail media and urged stakeholders to seize emerging opportunities. The climax of Goddard's address was when he praised the value of global collaboration within the World Out of Home channel, highlighting the strength in unity and the diverse representation of the over 500 delegates from 42 countries.

Here are our key takeaways from the event:

1. Integration with Online Media

WOO President Tom Goddard suggested viewing online media as a companion rather than a competitor, noting that "all the DOOH solutions are on the DSPs planners are used to using daily."

2. Growth of PrDOOH:

Programmatic Digital Out of Home (PrDOOH) is projected to reach 30% of DOOH bookings over the next 18 months. Benjamin Milne highlighted the need for "more data and measurement and simplification through automation to activate bookings."
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3. Embracing Programmatic Strategy:

Each OOH company should develop a programmatic strategy to secure a larger share of the omnichannel market. Sylvain Le Borgne from JCDecaux emphasised, "The specialists were used to OOH. Now we have a new generation of buyers used to online digital, and we need to use their language."
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4. OOH Ad Spend and Automation:

According to the WOO Index, Out-Of-Home (OOH) ad spending reached $41.9 billion in 2023. However, Annie Rickard pointed out that "everyone believes OOH does not get enough share; automating the medium everywhere will help.

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‍5. Free Regulation DOOH Ad Zones in Seoul:

Daewon Kim from Seoul discussed the creation of three "Free Regulation DOOH Ad Zones," which involve dozens of OOH companies rolling out cutting-edge digital screens to transform districts into iconic places to visit. This model is suggested for replication in every major city.

6. Retail Media's Hidden Power:

The congress highlighted the secret superpower of retail media in the outdoor advertising space.
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7. Sustainability:

A new WOO website has been dedicated to this critical subject underscored the urgency of sustainability in the OOH industry. We had the pleasure of hearing from Four speakers on Sustainability at the World Out of Home Organization's Global Congress - on the theme of "The Clock is Ticking"
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Additional Insights:

- Sylvain Le Borgne from JCDecaux discussed the importance of data in the OOH space and confirmed the industry is on the right path to implement data tools and solutions across every step of the campaign.
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- Michael Provenzano from Vistar highlighted the increased activity of cross-border buying in DOOH, which allows brands to activate multiple markets simultaneously via programmatic means.
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- Emma Hegg from Platform Strategy led a panel with Benjamin Milne, Gavin Lee, and Annie Rickard, emphasising the need for automation across all OOH, not just digital. She noted that manual interactions between clients, buyers, and media owners increase the potential for issues and decrease the desirability of investing in the media.
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- Chris Ngan from The Trade Desk showcased how incorporating DOOH into an omnichannel strategy consistently improves digital performance by increasing click-through rates (CTR) and lowering cost per acquisition (CPA).
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- Lindsay Rapacchi from Clear Channel demonstrated how increasing market penetration leads to higher market share and more loyal brand buyers by building reach among light category buyers and leveraging category entry points in consumers' minds.
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The congress was not just an event but a revolution for the OOH industry. Its deep dive into automation, intertwining with online media, and paving the way for sustainable practices promised a dawn of innovation and progress. These two days were insightful and transformative, sparking inspiration within us all.

And adding to the excitement, the news that we'll meet again in Mexico next year to continue this journey was the perfect conclusion.

Our sincerest gratitude extends to Tom Goddard, Anna Maria Pisano, Richard Saturley, Mark Flys, and the entire World Out of Home Organization team. Your dedication crafted an event that wasn't just brilliant and flawless but a beacon of inspiration and community. These events are beyond valuable; they are transformative. You all are indeed the architects of change in our industry.
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🌏 We're setting sail to Hong Kong!

We proudly announce our sponsorship at the prestigious World Out of Home Organization Hong Kong Congress in June 2024. As we navigate the evolving landscape of out-of-home advertising, this event represents an incredible opportunity to engage with global Out-of-Home leaders, share ideas, and showcase our commitment to advancing the industry.We look forward to discovering and shaping the evolving landscape of Out-of-Home media, connecting with industry leaders, innovators, and critical stakeholders shaping the future of out-of-home advertising.

Why Asia this time? The region is a massive global economic force with China vying with the US for biggest economy (and biggest national OOH market) and many of the developments we're seeing in Asia will become the reality for the industry in the rest of the world too, notably the growth of digital OOH and the use of Artificial Intelligence (A!).

At this year's Annual Congress we will look to cover many of the themes impacting on OOH including:

• The impact of AI on many aspects of our businesses
• Sustainability – still the Elephant in the Boardroom, for some
• The growing importance of Retail Media
• Audience Measurement evolution – still front and centre as an issue for OOH
• Making OOH easier to buy with AdTech and how we tap into the omnichannel dollars

These are the forces shaping the global media market in 2024 and beyond and all of them pose formidable challenges for OOH. Retail media, in particular the exponential growth of retailer websites from the likes of Amazon and Walmart, may seem a world away from OOH but it's a phenomenon we have to find a way of competing against and potentially complementing; just as we did, for decades, with television.

All of these will be explored in depth in Hong Kong via a stellar line-up of speakers and panellists from all sides of the media industry and the planet

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We are excited to announce our recent collaboration with CFI Financial Group on their campaign along Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.

The campaign's objective was to boost awareness of their trading platforms and services. We recommend using the high-impact advertising spaces at The Dubai Jawhara, located right next to the Museum of the Future and Digital Icons. These essential locations have screens near Downtown Dubai and Um Seqquim Road, and they have been selected for their unparalleled visibility to High-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs) and ability to effectively capture the attention of the brands' target demographic, reaching millions of passers-by.

Thank you to Leen Daoud for her continued support and trust in our company, and we look forward to collaborating with you on future campaigns.

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Great things happen when technology and Out-of-Home unite!

Prime Video & Amazon Studios's - Citadel Interactive DOOH campaign on our Dubai Festival City network has been shortlisted for the MMA Global Smarties MENA Awards 2024 in the Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) category.

The campaign utilised advanced hand detection and gesture recognition technology to track and identify hand movements in real-time dynamically. This feature allowed the campaign artwork to seamlessly transform, resulting in an immersive and interactive experience that delighted visitors.

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