Tag: DOOH

India – Times Innovative Media Ltd. (Times OOH), part of the Times Group, has introduced digital bus shelters in Bengaluru, expanding its network of premium digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising assets in the city.

The digital bus shelters feature L-shaped screens with a 125 sq. ft. display area, ensuring high visibility even from a distance. The screens are designed for clear, crisp imagery, particularly during evening hours, allowing for maximum visual impact.

The shelters also support dynamic, real-time content, such as time, weather, and air quality index (AQI) updates, along with trigger-based advertisements. This functionality enables brands to run more targeted and timely campaigns.

In the initial phase of the project, Times OOH has installed 20 digital bus shelters at key junctions, near malls, and in high-traffic marketplaces to maximise visibility and take advantage of increased footfall and dwell times. Future phases are expected to further expand the city’s digital advertising network.

The launch of these digital shelters aims to meet diverse campaign needs, offering flexible slot-based display options and exclusive branding opportunities for advertisers with varying budgets. In line with its vision to innovate outdoor advertising, Times OOH also emphasises sustainable practices, reinforcing its commitment to environmental responsibility.

Rohit Chopra, COO at Times OOH, said, “Times OOH is optimistic about the growth of the digital OOH format. With our extensive experience in outdoor advertising, we are dedicated to expanding our offerings with advanced features and capabilities. The launch of digital bus shelters in Bengaluru is a testament to this commitment. After careful analysis of traffic patterns and advertiser requirements, we strategically installed 20 digital bus shelters, and the response from clients has been overwhelmingly positive, with a significant uptick in enquiries and bookings.”

The introduction of digital bus shelters expands Times OOH’s regional presence, providing brands with a platform to engage Bengaluru’s urban audience. Major brands like Ibaco, Yes Bank, Bhima Jewellers, and IKEA have already adopted the new format for increased visibility.

Singapore – Vistar Media has announced the expansion of its Vistar Academy education platform across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. This strategic growth introduces new, complementary courses designed to equip both industry veterans and newcomers with the essential skills and knowledge needed to excel in the rapidly evolving digital out-of-home (DOOH) landscape.

Vistar Academy stands as a dynamic learning platform offering interactive training courses and certifications that delve into the core tools, tips and best practices of DOOH advertising. Catering to everyone from seasoned experts to those new to the industry, Vistar Academy provides a comprehensive educational experience tailored to meet the needs of a diverse user base.

Since launching in August 2023, the academy has welcomed nearly 2,500 members, seeing over 1,300 Accelerate certifications granted, showcasing that there is a strong appetite within the industry for knowledge and learning.

Vistar Academy enables participants to deepen their understanding of the DOOH landscape through a variety of learning modules. The platform offers insights into the foundations of programmatic technology and its revolutionary impact on the out-of-home industry. Learners are equipped with critical strategies for targeting, creative development and campaign measurement, all of which drive success in OOH advertising. 

Additionally, users gain access to real-world tools and best practices that enhance their ability to plan and execute highly effective OOH campaigns.

Moreover, the educational content at Vistar Academy also explores how DOOH can amplify the impact of other media channels, helping advertisers create more cohesive and powerful campaigns. Participants will learn proven strategies for selling programmatic DOOH, supported by success metrics such as consumer behaviour insights, DOOH performance data and ROI statistics that highlight the strength of the channel. 

The platform also addresses common challenges and misconceptions about programmatic DOOH, equipping users with the knowledge to overcome obstacles and maximise the effectiveness of their campaigns.

Ben Baker, managing director for APAC at Vistar Media, said, “The expansion of Vistar Academy into the APAC region underscores our commitment to empowering all levels of the advertising community with the resources they need to succeed. Whether you’re aiming to become an expert in programmatic OOH or seeking to enhance your current knowledge, Vistar Academy offers the guidance and training to unlock new opportunities and accelerate your goals.”

Taiwan – Vistar Media, a global provider of out-of-home (OOH) media technology solutions, has forged new strategic partnerships with two major Taiwanese media owners, KanBan Culture and PilotTV Holdings, significantly expanding its footprint in the region.

This strategic move aligns with Vistar’s goal to bolster its OOH marketplace across the APAC region, bringing its advanced programmatic digital out-of-home (DOOH) solutions to Taiwan’s expanding outdoor advertising sector. Integrating KanBan Culture and PilotTV Holdings’ inventory into Vistar’s global marketplace represents a crucial milestone in the company’s continued regional growth across Asia-Pacific. 

Speaking on the partnership, David Mou, chief visionary officer and chief business development officer at KanBan Culture, said, “KanBan seeks to onboard the most iconic, impactful, and contextually significant DOOH inventories in Taiwan onto the global pDOOH ecosystem. Vistar Media’s technical prowess, brand stature, and most significantly, its well-rounded support, enable KanBan to credibly and confidently deliver pDOOH executions to brand clients’ and media owners’ simultaneous satisfactions. Vistar is therefore instrumental in enabling KanBan to convert the minds of successful but otherwise traditional IO media owners towards pDOOH acceptance.” 

YF Juan, international operations at PilotTV Holdings, added, “As Taiwan’s programmatic DOOH leader for retail, transportation, and healthcare channels, PTV-i welcomes programmatic buyers through our collaboration with Vistar Media. This partnership is set to enhance the reach and effectiveness of DOOH campaigns across our extensive network, and we look forward to opening up our premium inventory to buyers both local to Taiwan and around the world.” 

These new partnerships further strengthen Vistar’s global DSP, allowing buyers worldwide to easily purchase DOOH ad space from a single account. Following recent successes like launching programmatic capabilities in China, opening a Melbourne office, and achieving 182% YoY growth in Southeast Asia, Vistar reaffirms its commitment to expanding its OOH marketplace across the region.

Ben Baker, managing director of APAC at Vistar Media, said, “Taiwan represents a significant growth opportunity for Vistar Media, and we are thrilled to officially enter this vibrant market thanks to partnerships with media owners in the region. Our presence in Taiwan will allow us to provide advertisers with the tools they need to create impactful, data-driven digital out-of-home advertising campaigns.”

He continued, “Through our partnerships with KanBan Culture and PilotTV Holdings, our global and omnichannel demand-side platform (DSP) buyers across APAC can access a wider range of inventory that was previously difficult to reach. Taiwan’s bustling urban areas and high-foot traffic locations are ideal environments for programmatic DOOH, and we look forward to helping brands capture the attention of this important market and achieve measurable results.”

Beyond its new inventory in Taiwan, Vistar Media maintains a strong presence across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, mainland China, and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong – Blue Insurance Limited has tapped Omnicom Media Group (OMG) Hong Kong for its latest programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH) campaign that featured a retargeting strategy plan to achieve high accuracy and audience engagement. 

For this campaign, Blue Insurance aimed to boost awareness and consideration for its ‘Term Life Insurance (TL3)’ offering. To achieve this, OMG HK recognised the need for an innovative strategy to enhance the campaign’s effectiveness and introduced an advertising opportunity through clinic TVs.

The OMG HK team capitalised on using clinic TVs and strategically selected MTR stations near residential areas to raise awareness of life insurance among target audiences.

Blue Insurance and OMG HK placed digital ads on TV screens in clinic waiting rooms to educate patients on the importance of life insurance while they waited for consultations. This approach utilised a smaller, more targeted setting to engage consumers who might be considering insurance options. The campaign focused on approximately 60 clinics to effectively reach the intended audience.

The team also strategically chose MTR stations near 14 residential areas in Kowloon and the New Territories for ad placements. The ads were displayed on JC Decaux’s (JCD) trackside TVs and new 98-inch Ultra Digital Panels, making Blue Insurance the first client to utilise this cutting-edge technology. These panels represent JCD’s inaugural digital, 4K screens within their transport advertising network.

Unlike traditional OOH advertising, programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) placements deliver contextually relevant ads to individuals in the vicinity and enable retargeting on desktop or mobile devices, providing Blue Insurance with greater precision in their advertising efforts. The accuracy and effectiveness of this retargeting strategy revealed that over 90% of the retargeted audience, who were near the pDOOH ads, expressed interest in insurance products, with 68% specifically showing a keen interest in life insurance.

Jacky Wong, senior performance manager at OMG Hong Kong, said, “While OOH focuses on reaching a large audience, DOOH prioritises targeting quality. Our goal is to optimise ad spend for our clients by accurately retargeting users on mobile and desktop, ensuring every dollar is spent wisely for maximum impact.” 

Joanne Choy, senior manager of brand, distribution, and marketing at Blue Insurance Limited, also said, “The campaign has enabled us to successfully raise awareness of term life insurance and refundable critical illness insurance among our desired consumer groups. OMG Hong Kong is working with us to review the campaign and offer ways to better utilise retargeting for future initiatives. We are glad to have a partner that understands the importance of innovation and one that equips us with the knowledge and strategies to constantly enhance our marketing efforts.”

In an increasingly fragmented channel landscape, digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH) is helping brands reach more customers than ever before. 

Unlike online or mobile advertising channels that are often limited by ‘one-to-one’ devices and mediums, DOOH is a one-to-many medium and has the ability to reach bigger and often captive audiences; and unlike traditional OOH advertising like static billboards and banners, DOOH formats are flexible and dynamic, allowing advertisers to change and optimise their ads in real time. 

These advantages have led to DOOH becoming the fastest growing advertising channel in 2023, outpacing all other media channels in ad spend – a trend that is likely to persist as AI technologies continue to be integrated into the ecosystem. AI is now being used to improve every aspect of DOOH advertising, from targeting and personalisation to creative development and measurement. 

DOOH is raising the bar

DOOH ads are an increasingly invaluable tool for advertisers who want to reach a large audience, leverage data to target intelligently, and deliver engaging content. 

Not only can they be placed in high-traffic areas such as highways, airports, and shopping malls, but they can also be targeted to specific demographics, such as age, gender or by audience groups (e.g.commuters or families), and interests by integrating data from mobile devices and other sources. A DOOH ad for a new clothing store, for example, could be targeted to people who have recently visited a clothing store website or by store proximity to drive footfall to a store opening. DOOH placements can also be bought and sold programmatically, which can be particularly powerful when paired with strategies like geofencing, where relevant ads are programmed to show up as a user enters a particular geographical area.

DOOH ads are also more engaging than traditional OOH ads, such as static billboards. Interactive DOOH ads, for example, allow viewers to engage by using touch screens, gesture recognition, or other technologies. The most interesting juxtaposition of traditional, digital and experiential has been the integration of cutting-edge technology like Augmented Reality, 3D ads, live streaming and gaming tech with billboards. 

But it’s not just advertisers – DOOH are winning consumers over too. Research shows that a majority of global consumers (70%) believe DOOH “feels really current” and find it to be a useful format for learning more about products or brands, with 72% describing it as “very” or “quite” informative. A majority also find DOOH ads to be more memorable and trustworthy when compared to social media or online video formats. These favourable perceptions, coupled with the creative and measurement advantages that DOOH offers has made it an essential channel while crafting an omnichannel strategy..

AI is taking DOOH to the next level 

With the inclusion of AI, DOOH advertising is becoming more experiential, dynamic and personalised than ever before. Ads can now be tailored to not only the specific demographics and interests of the people who are viewing them, but their emotions, facial expressions and even the environment they’re in by integrating with facial recognition, geolocation, and other data-driven technologies. 

AI can also be used to optimise DOOH ad campaigns in real-time, based on factors such as weather, traffic, and even the mood of the audience. The result is not only more effective but memorable advertising. We’ve seen this materialise in pDOOH campaigns done by brands such as Air Asia, in Malaysia, and AQUA in Indonesia. 

More recently, giga!, a Singapore-based mobile service provider, integrated pDOOH into its marketing strategy. The advertisements dynamically transitioned between ‘sunny’ and ‘rainy’ versions based on real-time weather conditions in Singapore. When it rained in any part of the island, customers were able to redeem free data. This innovative approach was an extension of the brand’s successful “Feeling Good” four-year anniversary campaign, allowing customers to share new mobile lines with their loved ones for just SGD$1, as detailed in the official brand statement. Notably, the pDOOH campaign was strategically rolled out across prominent locations in Singapore, including One Raffles Place, Raffles City, 313 Somerset, and Bugis Street. Additionally, dOOH posters were also strategically placed at bus stops islandwide to maximise incremental reach and uplift brand image. 

Unlocking efficiencies for advertisers

AI has the potential to greatly improve the effectiveness of DOOH advertising. Unlike traditional OOH, DOOH can help advertisers track the number of people who see an ad or take an action after through mobile beacons, QR codes and geolocation technologies for example. AI technology can further supercharge DOOH measurement and targeting through its ability to build a probabilistic model of who has seen the ad. 

By taking into account a variety of factors, such as the location of the ad, time of day, and type of device being used, this model can help predict which people are most likely to have seen the ad. This information can then be used to target and amplify future ad campaigns more effectively. The use of AI also opens doors to more engaging campaigns by integrating with innovations like eye tracking technologies, for example, that can measure where people look when they see a DOOH ad and how long they look at it for. It can also help unlock efficiencies by automating tasks like testing and optimising creatives in real time. 

As AI technologies continue to evolve and improve, brands will continue to gain from the ability to innovate, track and optimise their DOOH advertising. It’s the ambitions of the AI-focused businesses being formed today that will likely drive this growth in the years to come. And with Southeast Asia currently a hotbed for AI innovation, brands and businesses in the region have everything to gain from this shift.

This article is written by Divya Acharya, Vice President, Solutions Design & Development & Marketing Science, APAC, at GroupM Nexus

The insight is published as part of MARKETECH APAC’s thought leadership series under What’s NEXT 2023-2024. What’s NEXT 2023-2024 is a multi-platform industry initiative which features marketing and industry leaders in APAC sharing their marketing insights and predictions for the upcoming year.

UAE – Location Media Xchange (LMX), the enterprise software provider for out-of-home (OOH) media owners, has announced its partnership with UAE-based digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising company BackLite Media to offer advertisers access to a more expanded inventory.

Through this collaboration, advertisers can leverage BackLite Media’s comprehensive DOOH inventory while also capitalising on the benefits of programmatic buying and the streamlined workflow integration of LMX.

BackLite Media offers premium DOOH media opportunities across a wide range of settings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, including bustling highways like Sheikh Zayed Road and upscale malls and destinations.

LMX will seamlessly connect its supply-side platform (SSP) into BackLite Media’s dynamic DOOH inventory to give advertisers streamlined access to an extensive audience across the UAE.

With the integration of both platforms, advertisers can now seamlessly tap into this extensive inventory through their DSPs with a variety of programmatic buying options, including open auction, programmatic guaranteed, and private marketplace deals.

BackLite Media and Moving Walls herald a new chapter in programmatic OOH media evolution in the UAE. As the partnership gains momentum, it stands poised to contribute to the continued evolution of programmatic advertising in the UAE market.

Sean Gadsby, head of programmatic at BackLite Media, said, “This new partnership has further opened up our Programmatic inventory to the rest of the world. With over 200+ screens available in our Programmatic network and more significant expansion planned for 2024, it is the ideal time to partner with Moving Walls. Moving Walls has a depth of experience in the Programmatic DOOH space, and we look forward to working closely with them to develop the market here in the UAE.”

He added, “I have met with Srikanth and the wider team at multiple industry gatherings across the globe, and we are delighted to finally make our partnership official. The future looks bright for Programmatic DOOH in our region.”

Commenting on the partnership, Srikanth Ramachandran, founder and group CEO at Moving Walls, also shared, “BackLite is well known as one of the most premium DOOH providers not just in the region but globally. This partnership makes it easier for global and regional advertisers to advertise on some of their iconic media assets in the UAE.”  

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Locations Media Xchange (LMX), an enterprise software provider for out-of-home (OOH) media owners, announced its integration with Xibo’s SSP Connector, empowering Xibo users to access and execute advertising demand directly from the LMX platform.

This integration bridges the gap between Xibo and LMX, enabling Xibo users to access advertising demand from the LMX platform and streamline the supply path for advertisers, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency on a global scale.

Moreover, the integration also marks a step forward in enhancing monetization capabilities for Xibo users while providing advertisers with a direct route to a diverse and comprehensive digital signage network.

Talking about the integration, Srikanth Ramachandran, CEO of the Moving Walls Group, said, “With this integration, Xibo users gain direct access to our expansive advertising demand network. We are excited to offer this opportunity to Xibo users, allowing them to tap into premium advertising demand effortlessly.”

Meanwhile, Dan Garner, director of engineering at Xibo Signage, commented, “We are delighted to add LMX by Moving Walls as a partner via our SSP connector; representing an exciting opportunity for Xibo networks in the region to unlock the power of programmatic DOOH.”

With this integration in mind, LMX and Xibo Signage said in a press release that they will continue in their goal to enrich the capabilities and opportunities available to digital signage networks, to ensure that both advertisers and media owners can seamlessly and efficiently connect within the evolving digital out-of-home landscape.

Singapore – Moving Walls, the out-of-home (OOH) media enterprise software provider, has announced its partnership with Place Exchange, a programmatic OOH media supply side platform (SSP), to provide businesses with seamless access to a vast network of digital OOH inventory.

The new partnership will allow Moving Walls OOH’s software users to access Place Exchange’s expansive network for digital OOH inventory.

Moving Walls’ buy-side OOH planning and buying software is used by brands and partners across multiple regional marketing hubs like Singapore, Japan, India, Latin America, and the Middle East that utilise DOOH for their marketing campaigns.

And with this partnership, Place Exchange’s inventory of over a million DOOH displays from leading OOH media partners around the globe will be available on Moving Walls’ buying platform.

This gives marketers seamless access to a diverse range of venues and formats, including roadside and city centre billboards, street furniture, transit hubs, retail locations, entertainment venues, and more, helping them get a consolidated view of campaign planning and measurement.

Srikanth Ramachandran, founder and group CEO at Moving Walls, said, “This type of partnership goes a long way to removing the friction of executing truly global DOOH campaigns.”

“Many of our buy-side partners are used to running multi-market advertising campaigns, and DOOH remains the most impactful way of driving reach in a new market. With Place Exchange, our partners can now extend these campaigns into some of the most advanced DOOH markets,” he added.

Commenting on the partnership, Ari Buchalter, CEO at Place Exchange, also shared, “We’re thrilled to introduce Place Exchange’s premium inventory to Moving Walls users and give our supply partners the opportunity to engage with more international advertisers.”

He added, “DOOH is a unique medium with sophisticated audience targeting and performance measurement capabilities on par with other digital channels, and we are excited to unlock these capabilities in new markets for global activations.”

Sydney, Australia – Global digital out-of-home (OOH) marketplace VIOOH has announced new hires for its newly created commercial roles in Australia and New Zealand, with Ryan Sullivan as partnerships director and Mitchell Hodges as technical solutions manager. 

The announcement comes as VIOOH prepares to release its third annual “State of the Nation” for programmatic DOOH report for the Australian market. 

In his new role, Sullivan will be responsible for taking the management of existing media owners forward, supporting them to transform their businesses through programmatic selling. 

Sullivan joins VIOOH from Bench Media, an independent programmatic media agency in Australia. He is also one of Australia’s earliest advocates of programmatic DOOH and brings with him extensive programmatic experience to VIOOH, having worked with numerous brands and agencies over the years, helping to develop their internal programmatic capabilities. 

Meanwhile, Hodges brings with him valuable experience and will provide crucial support for media owners by guiding technical implementation and spearheading revenue growth and partner education.

Prior to his appointment, he was with Yahoo DSP, where he drove omnichannel campaign success and product development across prDOOH, CTV, Video, Audio and Native. Hodges was instrumental in the recent successes in prDOOH from Tourism Tasmania and SIXT Auto Club Membership.

The new hires are a first for the OOH marketplace in the ANZ region, with both positions based in Sydney. They will sit within the commercial team led by Gavin Wilson, global chief customer and revenue officer at VIOOH. 

Currently, VIOOH’s platform has over 40 DSP partnership agreements globally, including live integrations in the ANZ market with CAASie, Google DV360, Hivestack, Lemma, The Trade Desk, Vistar Media and Yahoo DSP, and is the exclusive SSP for JCDecaux Australia and New Zealand, as well as offering programmatic inventory for multiple media owners including Tonic Media Network.

The OOH marketplace is also set to make additional hires in Australia in the coming months to further develop the demand side and ensure operational excellence. 

Speaking on the announcement, Wilson said, “We’re excited about the potential that programmatic digital out of home inventory can deliver to brands and media owners, and these local hires are an indication of the opportunity we see for VIOOH in the ANZ region. We’re seeing positive year-on-year growth in the region, and having resources locally on the ground will drive relationships and trust, and we fully expect revenue to be enhanced as a result.” 

Also commenting on the hires, Jean-Christophe Conti, CEO at VIOOH, said, “Our ambition is to change the conversation about out of home, with a platform to help accelerate transformation in outdoor advertising through automation. VIOOH offers advertisers a more flexible and impactful way to connect with audiences, and provides media owners with the opportunity to access digital budgets and new customers. With programmatic DOOH becoming more mainstream and a must-have on every media plan, I hope ANZ advertisers and media owners alike will maximise this new opportunity to thrive.” 

Singapore – Vividthree Holdings, a digital content production company, announced that it has signed a memorandum of undertaking (MoU) with ZKDigimax (ZKDM), a joint venture between ZKTeco and DMMX, to deliver a complete and holistic DOOH media experience for both their existing and potential clients. 

Through this strategic collaboration, both Vividthree and ZKDM can leverage their companies’ expertise in order to improve their resources and boost overall efficiency for mutual benefit. Additionally, this partnership opens up new platforms for collaboration with location owners, paving the way to explore DOOH as a revenue center. 

Vividthree will gain exclusive rights to offer DOOH hardware, a content management system, and cutting-edge AI technology from ZKDM to be marketed across both Vividthree’s new and existing clients. 

Meanwhile, ZKDM will refer content creation requirements exclusively to Vividthree, leveraging the company’s expertise in visual effects and content creation. 

With the union of  ZKDM’s market-leading position in the provision of smart OOH hardware applications such as AI-powered digital signage, LED wall displays, transparent LED screens, etc., and Vividthree’s strong track record in creating effective and impactful DOOH campaigns, the companies ensure their clients an all-round DOOH media experience that will effectively meet their advertising goals. 

The MOU encompasses a 12-month exclusive relationship between both parties in Singapore and Malaysia. 

According to Jonathan Zhang, chief executive officer of Vividthree, “This collaboration brings together the formidable strengths of ZKDM, a renowned total technology solution provider, and Vividthree, an influential digital content production powerhouse. Through this strategic alliance, we are not only equipped to offer cutting-edge hardware and software solutions but also possess the prowess in content creation. As a result, our partnership emerges as an end-to-end advertising solutions provider, catering to every aspect of our clients’ needs.”

Zhang added, “Our combined efforts empower us to present an all-encompassing DOOH media solution, allowing our clients to realize their advertising goals through seamless and immersive entertainment experiences. Together, we envision a future of innovation and transformation, shaping the trajectory of this dynamic industry.” 

Meanwhile, Supardi Tan, chief executive officer of ZKDigimax also commented on the partnership saying, “Prepare to witness a revolutionary leap in the industry as ZKDM and Vividthree unite their unparalleled expertise. This partnership brings together the dynamic capabilities of ZKDM as a total technology solution provider and the creative prowess of Vividthree in the digital content industry. As a result of this formidable collaboration, we now stand as a comprehensive end-to-end advertising solution provider, offering a perfect fusion of cutting-edge hardware, advanced software, and captivating content creation. But our impact doesn’t stop there.” 

Tan added, “This partnership introduces a groundbreaking approach to advertising, seamlessly integrating content with technology to create an entirely new realm of customer experience and engagement. Together, we embark on an exciting journey to redefine the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of advertising and leave an indelible mark on the industry landscape.”