Welcome to your weekly Cynopsis digital out-of-home marketing newsletter. To share your DOOH story, contact [email protected].

Thousands of fans from across the country descended on Las Vegas for BravoCon, a three-day fan-centric extravaganza that kicked off on November 3. In addition to dozens of “Bravolebrities” from the network’s reality shows, BravoCon featured activations and interactive sponsorships from major brands. Kimberly Francella, SVP, Content and Talent Partnerships, NBCUniversal Advertising and Partnerships, explains why DOOH is so effective at the event.

“When looking at the Digital-Out-of-Home space, what’s unique about BravoCon’s activations is that while they exist outside the home of our superfans – they are choosing to be in this specific environment,” says Francella. “Fans are already leaned in giving our advertising partners the perfect opportunity to develop relationships with existing consumers and forge new connections with those who want to learn more about participating ‘Bravo-approved’ brands. It allows fans to try out and experience these products in real life, and even purchase them on the spot to be delivered to their homes.” Example, please? “One innovative use of DOOH at this year’s event is our brand partner Wayfair, joining for the first time with an experiential activation. With four custom-built interactive lounges, fans can experience for themselves different cities within the Real Housewives franchise. Plus, with an array of expertly curated spaces for each city, special co-branded giveaways and sweepstakes, and scannable QR codes, fans can shop Wayfair’s products to bring into their own homes. We’re curating a playground for fans and brands across the Bravosphere.”

The event was a rousing success, for both brands and fans. “Leading up to BravoCon, our division completely exceeded our goals with 20 expanded and interactive brand sponsorships, three-times as many commerce-led activations as well as 50+ emerging and Bravo talent-owned businesses across the Bravo Bazaar and Shoppable Microsite,” says Francella. “Throughout BravoCon weekend, we are measuring success based on both our clients and fans’ experiences because in a world where advertising and content are continuing to converge, they are one in the same. That is why BravoCon is unlike any other convention out there – it brings fans together to unite around their passion for all things Bravo, including the brands that make it all happen. Our entire team, across the company, has come together to think through every single detail, utilizing every square inch of the venue to ensure our brand partners are delivering the most epic moment for fans around the globe.”

OUTFRONT ran two themed content campaigns during last weekend’s New York City Marathon utilizing their platform, Moments by OUTFRONT. “Moments in Style” was done in partnership with PureWow/One37PM, and “Moments in Food” in partnership with So Yummy. “Moments in Style” featured tips and essential information for anyone participating in the race, supporting the runners, or just enjoying the event, as well as fashion and style recommendations. “Moments in Food” offered on-the-go recipes for participants and spectators. OUTFRONT also partnered with other organizations and brands, including New York Road Run NYC, Citizens, Milk, Barilla, He Gets Us, Smartwater, The Finish Line and Ridgewood Running Company, with ads adorning the New York transit system.

Paramount Global, home of Super Bowl LVIII, will bring the media brand’s “A Mountain of Entertainment” to Las Vegas, showcasing Paramount Global’s entertainment series and films that surrounds CBS Sports’ coverage of football coverage on February 11. The four-day-long fan activation begins on February 8 and will feature 10 brands from across the company’s portfolio, including CBS, CBS Sports, Paramount+, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Pluto TV and Paramount Home Entertainment. In addition, the “Paramount Mountain” will be constructed on top of the iconic Mirage Volcano. Rob Stecklow, SVP Sports Marketing, Paramount Streaming, talks strategy.

How does DOOH play into your NFL promotions?
We have found DOOH to be effective in raising awareness that the NFL on CBS streams on Paramount+, especially within local NFL AFC team markets. This allows us to remind local fans (Bills, Ravens, Bengals, etc) that their favorite local team has many CBS Sunday afternoon games that stream live on Paramount+. We also can tailor the creative to feature 3 players from the local team to truly customize the experience for the local fan.

We also have used DOOH in major locations like Times Square to promote the NFL on CBS streaming on Paramount+, both around Kickoff in September and more recently the “100 days til Super Bowl” messaging, or upcoming promotion for our Thanksgiving day game (Commanders at Cowboys).

What is your strategy with DOOH displays surrounding Formula 1, taking place in Vegas November 16-18?
For F1, we are focused on surrounding Las Vegas race week since it will be a major sports moment in the USA. Our message will be promoting the live sports we carry, in particular the NFL and UEFA Champions League. Since the next major sporting event after F1 in Las Vegas will be the Super Bowl, we also have subtle reminders that “The Race to Super Bowl LVIII is on Sunday Feb, 11 on CBS and streaming on Paramount+” … visitors can expect to see DOOH in the airport and around town.

Ahead of Paramount Global’s super-sized display in Vegas was Microsoft’s dazzler at the Sphere arena. An X-Box-themed light show threw a spotlight on current and upcoming titles, as well as the company’s Series X|S consoles. The stunt took place just a few miles from TwitchCon 2023.

Moving Walls, the global media technology group that provides enterprise software for OOH media, announced the launch of an environmental, social, and corporate governance initiative. Moving Hearts, which kicked off on the International Day of Charity in Malaysia, connects charities and community organizations to unused OOH media inventory. Piloting in Southeast Asia, Moving Hearts is expanding with OOH partners in Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.

OUTFRONT Media reported 3Q23 results that included revenues of $454.8 million, up $1.1 million or 0.2% versus the same period last year. Organic revenues of $454.8 million rose $1.7 million, or 0.4%. “As expected, third quarter revenues were up slightly as a result of higher billboard revenues and strength in our local business,” said Jeremy Male, Chairman and CEO. “We were also pleased to recently announce an agreement for the strategic sale of our Canadian business to Bell Media, which will provide us with additional financial flexibility as we move towards 2024.”

Ads for Dubai Watch Week will be something to see. The sixth edition of the event, taking place November 16-20, will include a billboard campaign with the tagline, “Unite for a moment in time.” A registration link is provided on the billboards.

IAB Tech Lab, has introduced the Data Deletion Request Framework as an addition to the Global Privacy Platform. “The ‘Right to Delete’ is a Data Subject Right (DSR) currently protected by the GDPR, 12 US state privacy laws, and additional privacy legislation, including Quebec Law 25,” said Jared Moscow, Director of Product, Privacy & Addressability, IAB Tech Lab. “The Data Deletion Request Specification serves as the digital advertising industry’s inaugural signaling mechanism to uphold this DSR. As privacy laws evolve with an increasing focus on consumer rights, this specification equips industry stakeholders with the essential technical framework for proficiently managing data deletion requests.”

BIG DEALS

MediaRadar announced the acquisition of Kantar Group’s North American Advertising Intelligence unit, Vivvix, which offers competitive advertising intelligence across digital and traditional media channel. “By combining Vivvix and MediaRadar, we offer a complete view of the entire advertising industry,” said Todd Krizelman, CEO and co-founder of MediaRadar. “Together, our unparalleled market intelligence will enable strategic decision-making, allowing media sellers, brands, and agencies to navigate the dynamic advertising landscape with even greater confidence.”

MiQ announced the acquisition of French media governance and data quality company, Grasp, whose quality assurance and compliance products prevent non-compliances and enforce governance frameworks before campaign launch. “Grasp’s technology strategically adds the first SaaS platform to our offering and – as we double down on investments that are future-facing and focused on advancing the current programmatic experience – will prove instrumental in strengthening media buying for brands and agencies across the globe,” said Gurman Hundal, MiQ’s co-founder and CEO.

Omnicom struck an agreement to acquire Flywheel Digital, the digital commerce business of Ascential. Flywheel will operate as a practice area within Omnicom, led by Duncan Painter, currently CEO of Ascential. He will be succeeded at Ascential by Philip Thomas, who has been running the company’s intelligence and events units. “E-commerce sales worldwide are set to increase by 50%, reaching about $7 trillion dollars by 2025,” said John Wren, Chairman and CEO of Omnicom. “The acquisition of Flywheel significantly broadens our reach and influence in the rapidly expanding digital commerce and retail media sectors, two of the fastest-growing parts of the industry. Together, we will seamlessly integrate our offerings across retail and brand media, digital and in-store commerce, and CRM, ultimately delivering superior results for our clients.”

WE GOTTA ASK…

What are the keys to a great DOOH campaign?

“A great DOOH campaign utilizes any of the best digital offerings now available. This could be addressability, dynamic ad insertion, programmatic, use of new attribution models, 3D, QR codes, AR and more. These (and more) not only allow static and video ads in a creative and simple manner but also align brand with the newest innovations in digital media regardless of platform.” – Barry Frey, President and CEO of the DPAA

“The key components of an impactful DOOH campaign are: thoughtful inclusion among complementary media sets to generate significant scale; creative that is dynamic and contextually-relevant based on real-time data; precise location-based targeting to enable personalized messaging, and measurement and attribution to determine the overall campaign success.

“In addition, integrating DOOH campaigns within an omnichannel strategy is crucial to ensure a seamless and consistent customer experience across online, mobile, social media, and outdoor digital platforms. This integration helps in creating a coherent message that resonates with the audience, irrespective of the platform they interact with, amplifying the overall impact of the advertising campaign while allowing the DOOH exposure to be acted upon through other channels.” – Jon Schulz, CMO, Viant

“An innovative digital out-of-home campaign stands out by harnessing the power of technology, location, and creativity to engage and captivate its audience. It leverages data-driven insights to tailor content to the preferences and behaviors of the target audience, delivering a message that resonates effectively. Through dynamic and visually compelling content, interactivity, and real-time updates, it creates a memorable viewer experience that goes beyond traditional static advertising. Additionally, an innovative DOOH campaign embraces sustainability, social integration (what we call social OOH or #sOOH), and continuous measurement to ensure its effectiveness and impact in the evolving advertising landscape.” – Chad Shackelford, VP, Head of Digital Creative, OUTFRONT MEDIA