Tech applications, immersive content, audience metrics moving the levers for OOH growth in 2023

The year 2023 could well be a defining period for the OOH business that staged a strong comeback in the Year 2022, following two pandemic impacted years. Indian OOH followed a trajectory similar to several OOH markets around the globe.

Audience metrics 

Audience measurement metrics were one big talking point for the industry in 2022, especially in the wake of the World Out of Home Organization (WOO) launching its Global Guidelines for Audience Measurement at the WOO Global Congress held in Toronto. The guidelines were created with collaboration from 11 audience measurement bodies (in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US), two regional bodies (in China, LatAm) and four international OOH companies (JCDecaux, Clear Channel, Talon and Posterscope).

Close on the heels of the WOO launch, Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA) released a booklet enumerating the process of audience measurement as used by the metrics platforms Roadstar and Telescope developed by ReLU AI System. The booklet, launched at the Outdoor Advertising Convention (OAC) in Mumbai in July 2022, was purported for promoting the widescale adoption of the measurement tool among media owners and specialist agencies.

While OOH audience metrics in general cover traditional media, such as roadside formats, US-based StreetMetrics, which specialises in measuring moving OOH (MOOH) advertising campaigns, such as, on buses, trains, and cabs, launched StreetCity in 2022, an interactive, educational tool for StreetMetrics’ MOOH measurement solutions.

Given that audio-based OOH advertising is gaining ground, especially in the retail space,  

Stingray, a leading music, media, and technology company in the US, announced in 2022 a partnership with Geopath, the not-for-profit organisation that provides the industry-standard audience metrics for OOH advertising, to measure retail-based digital audio out-of-home (AOOH) advertising impressions. Geopath is utilising state-of-the-art data, technology, and media research methodologies – alongside a holistic integrated approach – to provide powerful tools that give advertisers the ability to quantify this new retail media format as part of their media mix.

With audience metrics being developed for a variety of OOH / DOOH formats, advertising brands will likely see greater value in having OOH placed prominently in their media plans and campaigns. One of the ways for brands to engage more closely with the OOH industry was to have their representation in bodies connected with larger OOH industry associations.

Brand Councils for OOH

In this context, in 2022 the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) set up the OAAA Brand Council, a collaborative platform for media leaders to ideate and contribute to the most critical aspects of the OOH industry. The Council aims to advise and shape the future of OOH through their active participation in dialogues on issues and developing trends, informing an agenda designed to advocate for OOH’s value in an omnichannel marketing mix and the impact it promises for marketers.

The OAAA initiative is a lot similar to the Brand Council that was set up by the Digital Place-based Advertising Association (DPAA). The DPAA CEO Council provides strategic guidance to DPAA’s Board of Directors, comprised of industry CEOs and leaders from Digital Out of Home networks, programmatic companies, agencies, and technology providers.

Today, as Indian OOH sees accelerated digitalisation of OOH assets that will induce more advertising brands to increase their respective spending on this media, a Brand Council or a CMO Council with representation from leading advertising brands established under the auspices of an industry body or an independent concern would prove to be a catalyst for closer brand-OOH industry collaborations.

The increasing brand confidence in OOH/DOOH media will be greatly influenced by the spectacular OOH/DOOH displays seen in different cities. Anamorphic 3D is a case in point.

Anamorphic 3D content

It was in July 2021 that SILVERCAST Media, a premier OOH company operating high-profile outdoor media across the US, introduced 3D digital art on its 30,000 sq. ft. iconic Times Square media. The 3D digital creation called "Big Kahuna" transformed the enormous screen into a hyper-realistic, undulating ocean environment occupied by a massive blue whale.

Likewise, Ocean Outdoor launched DeepScreen™, a technique called ‘anamorphosis’ or ‘forced perspective’ that mathematically warps imagery so that when viewed from a specific vantage point, the illusion of 3D depth is created on flat surfaces.

In 2022, India saw anamorphic 3D outdoor activation coming on the scene. For instance, Hyundai Motor India unveiled an Anamorphic 3D outdoor activation at DLF Cyberhub, Gurugram for people to experience the new Hyundai Venue compact SUV. The two-month activation highlighted the features of the new Venue with immersive content.

Leading automobile brand Renault too launched its first 3D anamorphic outdoor activation at Bengaluru’s Orion Mall on October 1, giving out an exceptional experience of Renault Kiger’s sporty design, smart interiors and multi sense drive modes. Renault also executed this exceptional 3D anamorphic experience campaign in at Chennai’s Express Venue and Ambience Mall in Delhi NCR.

Along with innovative DOOH displays, Metaverse came up as another space where OOH /  DOOH tested new frontiers.

Metaverse

The London’s big Pride Parade on July 2 served as the backdrop for the world’s first-ever real-world and metaverse collaboration to be seen on DOOH screens. The event was presented by Ocean Outdoor in partnership with the creative technology crypto fashion and digital arts studio Immersive KIND and Landsec, owner of the Piccadilly Lights.

Given that the Metaverse is drawing young people to it in big numbers, various advertising brands are likely to seek real-world – Metaverse collaborations for DOOH campaigns.

Immersive 4D cinema commercial

Immersive DOOH content is a game-changer for the industry. Leveraging a unique media opportunity, global brand OnePlus unveiled its latest flagship smartphone the OnePlus 10T 5G through a specially developed multi-sensory commercial using 4-dimensional effects that were screened in all PVR 4DX cinemas. This was India’s first immersive 4DX ad made in partnership with PVR Cinemas using all the effects of 4DX for a higher brand recall among consumers.

Going Green with EV charging stations

The year 2022 saw companies like Volta, ChargeEuropa and JOLT take strident steps to create and operate wide networks of EV charging stations that have DOOH displays. India is a forerunner in green energy development and would not be long before EV cars rule the roads across the country. These trends foretell an explosion of EV charging stations placed-based DOOH networks.

The stage is indeed set for OOH / DOOH businesses to board a high growth trajectory in 2023.