Collaborate Or Lose The Advantage: How To Secure Australia’s OOH Future

Collaborate Or Lose The Advantage: How To Secure Australia’s OOH Future

In this guest post, Bryan Magee (pictured below), national managing director at Posterscope Australia, warns that the local out-of-home (OOH) industry could be about to make one of the biggest errors of all time unless it increases its collaborative efforts.

Bryan Magee

It’s been a busy time in the world of out of OOH. Australia’s industry has witnessed two of the biggest media transactions ever to take place – in the same week, no less. Totalling almost $2 billion, the proposed acquisitions by JCDecaux of APN Outdoor and oOh!media of Adshel demonstrate that the OOH industry locally is in fine health with plenty of reasons for optimism.

Last month, I was lucky enough to attend FEPE, the annual global OOH conference attended by delegates from 40 markets. I left the conference with a similar optimism around what a great opportunity the OOH industry has, particularly in Australia, where we are leading the world in many areas.

However, we are also facing some significant challenges where unless we collaborate more as an industry, we risk losing the advantage.

If we are to maintain the growth that exists in a market that is delivering modest overall growth, then OOH needs to compete better with TV and digital. Dentsu Aegis Network’s annual ad spend report estimates year-on-year growth of seven per cent for OOH, with SMI reporting 15 per cent growth in the January to May period this year. To be successful, we need to overcome three main issues: deliver digital OOH measurement (quickly), make buying easier through automation, and deliver independent third-party verification of campaign delivery.

Globally, everyone is facing the same challenges, and the frightening thing is that both buy and sell sides – agencies and suppliers – are investing vast budgets that are trying to solve the same problems. The issue is that they could be building technology solutions that may not be compatible with each other.

As an industry, we frequently comment on how we could learn from the mistakes made by online advertising, but we could be about to make one of the biggest errors of all time unless advertisers, agencies and OOH suppliers collaborate more, and at greater speed.

The OOH industry is blessed with passionate and visionary leaders supported by the Outdoor Media Association (OMA).

We have engaged clients who believe in the power of outdoor advertising, and an audience that is growing each year (1.7 per cent in 2017, according to the ABS), yet we can’t come together quickly enough to solve these difficult but essential challenges. These are problems that when fixed, will not only help clients, but also protect and drive revenue growth.

Data and measurement are key challenges for the global OOH industry. In markets such as the US & the UK, their OOH audience measurement equivalents (Geopath and Route) are jointly funded by both buy and sell side, which gives everyone a say, plus access to the data. This doesn’t happen in Australia. This isn’t undervaluing the great work that the OMA has done and continues to deliver. I’m simply suggesting that more hands (along with investment) could help drive faster change, with a more favourable outcome that benefits all.

In the UK, buyers and sellers have also agreed on a common set of standards (IAB OpenDirect Standards have been adapted for OOH) for industry data entry and extraction, which makes building individual planning and automation solutions possible, as the site and billing data is standardised, saving hundreds of hours and millions of pounds of development work.

As a specialist in OOH media, Posterscope and our agency peers all need to play an active role in setting the agenda with our colleagues from the sales side. We have the talent and enthusiasm to collaborate for the good of our clients and to keep driving our great channel forward.




Latest News

It’s Friday Quiz Time Again!
  • Media

It’s Friday Quiz Time Again!

Take B&T's trivia quiz for your chance to win a $100 booze voucher and possible cirrhosis of a major internal organ.

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Big data technology and data science illustration. Data flow concept. Querying, analysing, visualizing complex information. Neural network for artificial intelligence. Data mining. Business analytics.
  • Marketing

SenateSHJ Launches New Trans-Tasman Practices

SenateSHJ has launched a new digital, data and insights capability designed to help clients tackle the growing complexity of communication challenges. SenateSHJ Digital, Data and Insights (DDI) will combine the firm’s existing Digital and Insights functions to create a Trans-Tasman capability focused on digital communication, and the generation and use of data to improve communication. […]

New BrandStory Format From Bonzai Allows 3x More Ad Space on Mobile
  • Media

New BrandStory Format From Bonzai Allows 3x More Ad Space on Mobile

Creative technology platform Bonzai has announced the launch of BrandStory – a new premium mobile ad format. BrandStory offers triple the ad space and 2.8 times greater time in view than single scroll ad formats, addressing the surging demand from brands worldwide for more real estate to drive real results by seamlessly intertwining awareness, exploration […]

B&T’s Search For Australia’s Greatest Ad Heads To Channel 7
  • Advertising

B&T’s Search For Australia’s Greatest Ad Heads To Channel 7

B&T went through the looking glass this morning, with editor-in-chief David Hovenden (above) appearing on Channel 7’s The Morning Show to get the general public involved in our search for Australia’s Greatest Ad. Hovenden chatted with Kylie Gillies and stand-in host Matt Doran about what makes a great ad and showcasing some of our favourites […]

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Opinion: The Tall Planner’s Kate Smither On The DBA Dilemma
  • Opinion

Opinion: The Tall Planner’s Kate Smither On The DBA Dilemma

The science is not in question – smarter people than I, with far more data, have codified it. The logic is not up for grabs…it makes sense that creating mental shortcuts to your brand keeps you at the top of your mind. Lead image: Kate Smither – Owner, The Tall Planner I wouldn’t even take […]

Opinion

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
African woman using a cellphone in an office alone
  • Marketing

Ortto & Tall Bob Partner To Deliver Better SMS & MMS For Australian & NZ Businesses

Two Australian-born technology providers have joined forces to bring more power and choice to marketers in Australia and New Zealand with mobile messaging that is more local, cost-effective, and integrated. It’s a partnership that sees two Australian software companies come together to deliver a world-class mobile-first solution for marketers building data-driven, personalised, omnichannel campaigns. While […]

Slew Of New Hires At Snap Inc.
  • Media

Slew Of New Hires At Snap Inc.

Snap Inc. has announced a number of new recruits. B&T unaware if it positively impacted SEEK's share price.

Reddit Gets Playful Brand Refresh
  • Technology

Reddit Gets Playful Brand Refresh

This will be of interest to any Reddit fans, graphic designers or lovers of an orange so bright it burns the retinas.

Zitcha & Broadsign Partner To Drive Global In-Store Retail Media Market
  • Advertising

Zitcha & Broadsign Partner To Drive Global In-Store Retail Media Market

Zitcha and Broadsign have teamed up to integrate the Broadsign out-of-home (OOH) advertising platform with Zitcha’s retail media platform. The collaboration empowers retailers to maximise and monetise in-store digital display networks and enables advertising partners to easily view and book available in-store inventory and review campaign performance alongside the retailer’s other media channels. With the […]

Double Rainbouu & 7-Eleven Launch Exclusive Summer Fashion Label
  • Marketing

Double Rainbouu & 7-Eleven Launch Exclusive Summer Fashion Label

Today, 7-Eleven has announced a one-of-a-kind collaboration with the popular Sydney-based anti-resort wear label Double Rainbouu. Dropping tomorrow, December 1, just in time for summer, this limited-edition capsule will infuse the fashion brand’s rebellious spirit with a distinctly iconic 7-Eleven flavour. The unisex collection features five must-have styles comprising two signature Hawaiian shirts, a peaked cap, a bucket hat […]