WHAT EFFECT IS TECHNOLOGY HAVING ON THE OOH SECTOR?
Technology has definitely played a major role in the evolution of Out of Home.
To start with, we are investing in the latest top-notch printing technologies to make sure that our clients are provided with the highest quality creatives.
On the other hand, technology allows us to work on ways to capture audiences’ attention and make clients stand out from the crowd with the introduction of CGI for example.
Also, with Out of Home moving into digital formats, we can allow brands to better reach their audience through targeted messages and dynamic content based on the time of day, demographics, and other factors.
Not to mention that technology enables brands to better understand their consumers through personalisation, measurement and analytical capabilities.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL OUT OF HOME?
Digital Out of Home has allowed new brands to enter the outdoor scene due to flexibility, enhanced targeting, and measurement capabilities.
With the introduction of programmatic buying, brands can target specific audiences at the right time at the right place with precise measurement of the out of home contribution to return on investment.
HAVE YOU SEEN A RECENT OUT OF HOME CAMPAIGN THAT REALLY CAUGHT YOUR EYE?
This is a tough question, especially on the big formats recently due to the high demand and full capacity. Not to mention brands but real estate, telco, and FMCGs have been really taking Out of Home to the next level.
WHAT ARE CLIENTS ASKING YOU FOR?
Some clients look for impact to capture their audiences and focus mainly on ad recall.
Others are more number driven and focus on measurement and return on investment by choosing the most strategic locations.
We are sure that we are to be able to cater to all of their needs and requirements.
HOW CAN OUT OF HOME BE BETTER INTEGRATED INTO THE MEDIA MIX?
Many MMMs have been executed to show the contribution of Out of Home to the brands media mix.
Although OOH is impactful and contributes mainly to the upper funnel KPIs, it has proven to also affect sales and other lower funnel KPIs across different industries.
WHAT LEGISLATION OR REGULATION WOULD YOU LIKE INTRODUCED OR REMOVED AROUND OOH?
This matter has been perfectly managed by the UAE authorities in terms of creative approvals, bidding processes, and safety measures.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO?
My aim is to take BSA and Out of Home to the next level by introducing new strategic locations with advanced technology to cater to clients’ needs on the upper and lower funnel allowing them to create impact, target audiences, and allow them to measure the effect of out of home on their business outcomes.
WHAT IS THE LONG-TERM VISION OF BSA?
BSA’s vision is to take Out of Home to the next level with top-notch technologies in the static and digital formats, allowing clients to create impact, be top of mind, and allow them to achieve their business objectives.
Our new formats will have unique designs that allow us to break through the clutter of Out of Home advertising while introducing state of the art mediums that cater to high end brands.
WHAT METRICS SHOULD CLIENTS USE TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF OOH?
There are several metrics to be considered as Out of Home is both an impact creator and a frequency builder.
Reach is definitely one of the metrics that can be measured by capturing mobile IDs.
Impact may lead to engagement that can be measured by traffic to a brand website and traffic to point of sale.
Other metrics include brand awareness, top of mind, and definitely ROI as MMMs of different sectors have measured the effective contribution of Out of Home to lower funnel KPIs such as sales.
-By Wissam Traboulsi, Founder and CEO, BSA
