Every month, OAAA’s editorial team sits down with an industry leader to discuss the latest insights, trends, and best practices for the OOH industry
What excites you about OOH right now?
There are so many things that excite me about the OOH industry. I am excited about the technological advancement through the MRC with standardized measurements, increased programmatic opportunities, and our medium’s digital transformation. As we continue to evolve as an industry, technology is catching up to validate what we have known and have seen firsthand through our clients’ success with OOH.
It is exciting to see the collaboration among the industry as well as our access to information, whether it be online articles, OOH publications, conferences, or online forums. The conversations I've had with people in and outside the industry about OOH are much deeper than ever before. I believe through this shared knowledge; the industry will continue to unite and strengthen OOH’s position in the media realm.
But what intrigues me the most right now is the amazing talent that I am seeing coming into the OOH industry. Whether it be through our industry associations both locally and nationally, programmatic and digital partners, the audience measurement community or the creative think tanks, all are doing amazing work, and changing the way the industry is perceived, regulated and consumed. I believe our future is very bright and in good hands!
What message do you have for brands that haven’t bought OOH before?
Wait, What!? You haven’t bought OOH!?
All joking aside, I believe in getting an understanding as to what the brand is trying to accomplish and the goals of the client. The messaging and how they will measure the campaign’s success is very critical to the partnership. I love the quote by American educator Stephen Covey, “seek first to understand and then be understood.” Once you understand the clients’ needs then you can share your knowledge and how you can help them best accomplish their goals.
Out of home says it all. With approximately 90% of the population over 25-years-old and having a driver’s license, which is 250 million people, it gives you the best chance to get your message in front of your potential customer. It's about educating the clients on the assets you possess in the market, market trends, and patterns to help best deliver their message to a specific targeted audience. The message is always on!
Whether you are building a brand for awareness or a call to action, OOH has the ability to drive customer engagement.
What’s the next big thing for OOH?
I think a universal measurement standard that is easy to interpret and share with our buyer is essential for securing OOH’s place in media plans as we move forward. I believe we are getting very close.
In addition to that, I think technological advancements will also allow for real time messaging based on market conditions and audience patterns. I think the experiential space will continue to evolve.
I am excited about the growth potential of programmatic buying. I think there is more work to do regarding creative content and how it transitions into OOH. I want to make sure we continue to meet our creative standards for maximum effectiveness.
Why is OOH advertising so important for brands to effectively engage in local communities and what measurable impact have you seen from these campaigns in terms of results?
Over 80% of our business is locally driven. Branding is essential to getting name recognition and the ability to deliver who/what/where, as we’ve had a massive influx of new residents to our area. Myrtle Beach is the fastest growing metro area in the United States.
There are so many examples but the one that stands out is an Entertainment/Dinner Theater. It was a start-up without a brand, logo or market awareness. We were able to build trust and a partnership that allowed us the creative liberty to design a logo and an OOH campaign to launch their new concept. They have gone from one show a night to 4 and have just opened their second theater. I am happy to say 100% of their marketing budget is spent in OOH! The partnership and belief in OOH is stronger than ever.
We consistently use our medium to help local charities and foundations. Meals on Wheels of Horry & Georgetown County receives no government funds and relies strictly on local donations and volunteers. They were in danger of closing their doors due to lack of funds, food and volunteers so we took the initiative and reached out to them to see how we could help.
As a result of our newfound partnership, we redesigned their logo as well as made recommendations for improvements on their website and social media. Since partnering with them on their PSA campaign, they’ve gone from 50 to over 400 volunteers, as well as feeding over 892 local homebound and elderly. They also saw an increase of 1,225% in donations at last year’s gala event over the year before. We expect an even greater turn out for their 3rd annual gala that will take place this September. They attribute their success to our partnership and the power of DOOH advertising.