Accountability, addressability, attribution key to OOH success: Sheila Shanmugam

Addressing the 2^nd World Out of Home Organization (WOO) APAC Forum in Bali on the theme of ‘Driving accountability for OOH investment’, Sheila Shanmugam, CEO,  Mindshare Group Malaysia said the Malaysian OOH market in particular is confronted with the challenge of oversaturation, and underlined the imperative of faster adoption of technologies, pursuit of sustainability, and the quest for new, innovative solutions. 

With regard to the issue of over-saturation, Sheila said the country with a population of 33 million has well over 300 OOH operators. The ensuing competition results in pricing disparities for similar advertising sites, which can be confusing for both advertisers.

Sheila said the Malaysian OOH market is still in its infancy in regard to technology adoption, particularly when it comes to programmatic advertising. This poses a challenge for the industry in staying up-to-date with rapidly evolving advertising technology and effectively utilising it for campaign management. 

On the sustainability front, Sheila said that clients and advertisers are increasingly concerned with aligning their campaigns with sustainable practices. In response to this, the industry is learning from other markets and exploring innovative approaches to eco-friendly advertising, such as using solar panels and repurposing vinyl screens into clothing.

Sheila emphasised the importance of addressing these challenges to drive greater accountability in the OOH industry. Accountability, in this context, extends beyond media metrics to include addressability and attribution. To meet these objectives, GroupM Malaysia has its tech suite, consisting of Xaxis, Journey, and Finecast.

The Finecast Audience Planner tool enables precise targeting of specific audiences based on factors like income, geography, and other demographic information. By identifying the top 1% and 2% income earners in the country, the audience planning tool assists advertisers in delivering tailored messages to the most relevant audiences.

Journey is a tool that tracks the mobility patterns of target audiences, providing insights into their physical activities and out-of-home exposure. It enables advertisers to draw conclusions about their audiences' behaviour, facilitating more accurate campaign planning and targeting.

Sheila’s presentation included a case study that demonstrated the impact of out-of-home advertising on sales. By integrating geofencing and remarketing strategies, the campaign attributed the sale of 16 properties to out-of-home advertising. This real-world example showed that out-of-home advertising can drive tangible results and sales.

Sheila also introduced innovative ideas for out-of-home advertising to stay relevant and exciting. She highlighted the importance of keeping the industry and clients engaged through creative executions, including dynamic art exhibitions that respond to current topics, facial detection technology, and interactive campaigns aimed at raising awareness about important social issues.