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 several things that excite me about out of home right now. First and foremost, it’s OOH’s continued growth trajectory in the media space. Obviously, we could be growing more, but positive growth year over year is nothing to sneeze at, especially when you compare OOH to other forms of traditional media.
Second, the growth, stability, consistency, and resiliency of local advertisers excites me. They are the bread and butter of the industry. Time and time again, they continue to engage in and benefit from OOH. Finally, it’s the cohesiveness of our industry associations that have all worked hand in hand to further industry initiatives and causes, and strengthen the collaborative engagement of its members.
What message do you have for brands that haven’t bought OOH before?
Get on board! Pun intended. But seriously, it is not about the “what”, but more about the “why.” It is not about sending a message, but rather, asking the right question as to why they haven’t bought OOH. Are we not educating them properly? Are there perceptions or misconceptions in their minds that need addressing? Are their needs being addressed and is our place in their success communicated effectively? We need to keep asking the “why.” It has been proven that OOH is the most effective medium in reaching consumers. Believe me, there are enough case studies to prove our point.
What’s the next big thing for OOH?
I believe the next big thing is Media Rating Council (MRC) measurement standards for OOH. OUTFRONT’s Andy Sriubas wrote a great article on MRC in the recent May 31 issue of Billboard Insider. If you haven’t read it, please do so. In my opinion, this will further elevate OOH’s place in the media landscape and ignite additional growth at all levels in the industry.
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?
As I mentioned earlier, local advertisers and communities are the bread and butter of our industry. Brands know that paying attention to and engaging locally, and especially hyper-locally, not only moves the needle for them, but also builds trust and brand loyalty. When reviewing our sales reports and seeing that almost 90% of our business is local and that our growth in that sector continues to rise - that’s measurable impact enough for me, and I can assure you that translates for the brands as well.