September 14, 2020  |  Expertise

Rise of Digital OOH

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GroupM estimates outdoor accounted for $39B in global ad revenue during 2019, +5.3% from 2018 and projected to be +2.5% in 2020. Much of that growth is from Digital OOH, which is projected to growth 10% each year through 2021.

Over the past few years, the large traditional OOH players including Lamar and Clear Channel have invested in technology to shift inventory from static to digital in order to be purchased programmatically. Digital OOH provides better measurement, permits greater creativity and allows for customization by daypart by day and by market.

In the US, digital OOH spend is projected to increase 7% in 2020 to $3.7B, beating out digital audio and influencer marketing.  The draw is that when digital OOH is coupled with data on a consumer’s smartphone, brands can provide the kind of personalization that’s usually only found digitally.

Even non-traditional vendors are getting into the game, Uber is launching Uber OOH in April ‘20 across Atlanta, Dallas and Phoenix. The program will start with 1,000 cars and pay drivers $300 to install the 4 feet screen which sits atop a roof rack. In collaboration with ad tech company Adomni, Uber will sell the space by location and time of day.

Better Tech Allows for Deeper Engagement

Advanced technology allows brands to make a big splash during a short window and gained earned media impressions. Puma did just that over the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend.

Puma wanted to connect with consumers in an authentic and unique way for the launch of their newest sneaker, the Sky Dreamer, part of their Hoops product family.

Puma launched a two-day campaign in Chicago using audience targeting and situationally aware screens with hologram technology. In partnership with outdoor platform Firefly, outfitted smart media displays with hologram projectors to display 360-degree images of PUMA’s newest sneaker, on the roofs of parked cars in front of multiple Chicago landmarks. The hologram spins at 30 frames per second creating the most realistic 3D hologram experience in the market today.

This first ever holographic campaign of its kind pushed boundaries and will further elevate consumer expectations.

The Future of Digital OOH

In the race for true customization at scale Delta who has been focused on innovation and technology is taking screen projections even further, by partnering with Parallel Reality for the future of airline travel. Built by Misapplied Science and founded by former Microsoft and Disney Imagineering veterans, the technology has been in development for the past decade. The technology uses a different kind of pixel which allows individuals in one room looking at the same screen to see different images. By partnering with Missapplied Science, Delta tapped into a consumer pain point and looked for ways to ease the stress for airport travelers.

Delta announced these new features at CES in February and teased the future of more seamless air travel. If you are traveling through the Detroit airport this year you will have the opportunity to opt into the beta-test.

While this technology is still in its infancy, if it can really deliver true 1:1 customization without a wearable, the applications could be limitless and will change digital OOH as we once knew it. Misapplied Sciences is looking to broaden their technology distribution targeting stadiums, theme parks and retail stores.

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