Digital out-of-home (DOOH) is on the cusp of something big.
Over the years, digital signage – in airports, elevators, gas stations, gyms and on public transit – has gone from novelty to the norm (though it’s still a minority of the market).
As people moved around less during the pandemic, spending in the channel plummeted. But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, DOOH has reemerged as a growth channel. In the process, it’s more open to new types of transactions, including programmatic.
The programmatic pipes have been laid, Associate Editor Anthony Vargas says. But they’re not being used as much as they could be.
One challenge for OOH is that it’s seen as a branding medium, not one that drives performance. For advertisers to give DOOH their performance (or programmatic) budgets, they need better measurement. Mobile phones can provide precise location data, such as foot traffic measurements or attributing in-person store visits.
Other big challenges: The DOOH market isn’t as automated as buyers want, and it’s still hard to compare it to other channels.
What’s possible
Then, Managing Editor Allison Schiff is down in Miami to attend the MMA’s inaugural Possible conference. She gives us a rundown on the vibe and how Elon Musk’s much-hyped attendance at the conference went over with attendees. (At least he acknowledged that Twitter is “a trainwreck sometimes.”)
