OOH needs to punch above its weight: Nancy Fletcher

Unity, collaboration and perseverance are the three key pillars that will support the global industry in the collective efforts to wrest a larger share of the ad pie. Stating this in her address to the 60th FEPE Congress held in Dubai on May 2, Nancy Fletcher, outgoing President & CEO, Outdoor Advertising Association America (OAAA) urged the industry to “punch above our waist” and at the same time look out for new allies. The industry needs to speak in a single voice and make that voice bigger, said Nancy, as she recounted her 38-year journey in the OOH world, leading OAAA.

Nancy also underscored the imperative for the OOH industry to amplify its value perceived in the market.

Speaking about digital media in the outdoor environment, she pointed out that while they were seen as traffic distraction in the US in the late 1990s when they were introduced, through advocacy and studies it was established that digital billboards could be used in the outdoor without posing any traffic hazards. Today, there are over 9,000 digital billboards for advertising across the US.