‘MNC brands are increasingly drawn to our premium assets’

What have been the most significant milestones surpassed by Branded Cities in its 25-year business journey? 

Where to begin as there have been so many milestones throughout our history! If we look back on the past 25 years, we can see how strong our growth trend has been. From our first spectacular in Yonge and Dundas Square in Toronto to key inventory wins in Times Square, to our acquisition of Clear Channel Canada, to our winning bid with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, to new markets and new impactful signage, Branded Cities has played a key role in shaping OOH/DOOH when it comes to the premium and iconic spectacular category. 

Your website states “Out of Home advertising, when done well, is the most powerful, engaging and effective advertising medium”. How are you able to achieve this in your engagements with advertising brands?

It all starts with the location and the sign located there. Over the years, Branded Cities has invested in the right locations and the right technology to give our advertising partners the best canvas available for their campaigns. From live feeds to social walls to cutting-edge anamorphic 3D creative, our spectaculars are engaging to audiences and helps foster the connection between brand and consumer.

Branded Cities is known for iconic media sites. What factors make an OOH/DOOH site iconic?

The location and quality of our inventory draws advertisers looking to make a statement and in turn, makes our sites “iconic.” From the Nasdaq and Midtown Financial (MiFi) screens in Times Square to Harmon Corner on the Las Vegas Strip to our Moxy digital spectacular in Downtown LA, we are where brands and advertisers want to be. Taking this one step further, due to the profile of our spectaculars, many of the campaigns that run on our signage become part of a client’s social media strategy, amplifying our displays to millions of additional followers.

You have a significant business presence across the US and Canada. And you have a collaboration with Ocean Outdoor in the UK. With DOOH, do you see more global campaigns being launched by MNC brands? 

Absolutely. We have seen growing demand from multinational companies looking to make a mark and announce their presence on our premium portfolio of OOH/DOOH assets. For many companies, as an example, there is a feeling of “we made it” when their logo can shine down from our iconic Nasdaq Tower display onto audiences in Times Square.  

Is there scope for programmatic DOOH when it comes to iconic media?

The demand is certainly there and we have grown our side of the programmatic business significantly since we began onboarding our inventory on programmatic platforms in 2019. Just like a traditional advertising campaign, digital programmatic marketing also wants to be able to deliver impact for the clients and that’s where Branded Cities comes into the picture. We are able to provide digital marketers access to our premium and iconic inventory in a transparent and easy way.

Would Branded Cities expand its global footprints to the APAC region?

Never say never! Currently Branded Cities’ focus is on growing our market share in North America and cementing our status as a leader in the spectacular Out of Home space. That said, if the right opportunity or the right partnership reveals itself, we are always open to discussion.