VIOOH released its annual research into the programmatic DOOH (prDOOH) market. The findings show that over the past 18 months, programmatic advertising has been integrated into nearly a third (27 per cent) of Australian DOOH campaigns. VIOOH’s research predicts that this adoption rate will reach 35 per cent of media plans within the next 18 months.
VIOOH partnered with research and strategy agency, MTM, to survey 1,200 advertisers and agencies across the US, UK, Australia, Germany, France, and Brazil to gain insights into the current state of prDOOH advertising.
“In Australia, marketers are drawn to the flexibility, audience relevance, optimised ad revenue potential, and sustainability credentials of prDOOH. They’re leveraging its advanced targeting capabilities to deliver highly relevant and dynamic ads across the market, maximising efficiency and minimising wastage. We expect the widespread adoption of prDOOH to accelerate across the Australian market – and we’re looking forward to continuing to drive the evolution of DOOH towards a programmatic, more integrated future in the media landscape,” said Jean-Christophe Conti, chief executive officer at VIOOH.
Doubling down on investment
Australian marketers are doubling down on prDOOH advertising, with investments projected to increase by an average of 28 per cent over the next 18 months. Further reinforcing this, there is a significant 12 ppt YoY rise in marketers planning to allocate new budgets specifically for prDOOH campaigns (27 per cent), with 38 per cent coming from other digital channels.
Direct-only DOOH buys were used by 45 per cent of respondents (+11 ppt YoY), while programmatic-only buys reached 47 per cent (+12 ppt YoY). Hybrid buys were at 41 per cent (+9 ppt YoY), demonstrating a growing preference for the flexibility and adaptability of programmatic buying methods.
Demand-side platforms (DSPs) managed services saw an uptick of 25 ppt YoY, adopted by 44 per cent of marketers in 2024. The use of in-house teams rose from 9 per cent to 27 per cent (+17 ppt YoY), highlighting a growing preference for direct, internal management of prDOOH campaigns and alignment with other programmatic channels within a multi-channel strategy.
Innovative opportunities
prDOOH ranks as a top channel for securing the top spot for performance-led campaigns (92 per cent) and for brand-led campaigns (86 per cent), only slightly behind social media (88 per cent).
Most respondents (92 per cent) now see prDOOH as delivering the most innovative opportunities of all advertising channels (+12 ppt YoY).
Almost three quarters (71 per cent) of Australian marketers believe prDOOH advertising offers the most precise location targeting compared to any other channel. This is notably higher in Australia than in any other market, exceeding the global average of 60 per cent.
Trigger-based buying capabilities, such as responding to events, news or promotions, were the most influential factor for 69 per cent of marketers in determining their investment. This is an increase of 16 ppt YoY, underscoring the growing importance of contextually relevant advertising in the Australian market.
Many Australian marketers leverage prDOOH for its unparalleled dynamism and creative flexibility, with 65 per cent identifying it as the leading channel for dynamic creative opportunities.
Most (95 per cent) of those surveyed are embracing Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO), either through consideration, pilot programmes or active integration. This aligns with the global average, reflecting a widespread recognition of DCO’s benefits, including enhanced creative agility and optimised ad spend.
Sustainability & prDOOH
Sustainability is a major consideration for Australian advertisers when planning and buying media, with 65 per cent ranking it among the top attributes prDOOH delivers against (compared to 62 per cent globally).
Marketers in Australia particularly favour prDOOH for its efficiency and sustainability credentials, recognising its eco-efficient reach as prDOOH is only activated when a relevant audience is present or predefined trigger criteria are met, maximising efficiency compared to DOOH and traditional OOH (65 per cent prDOOH vs. 57 per cent DOOH vs. 51 per cent OOH).
