by Amber Larkins, OOH Today
The Digital Place-Based Advertising Association (DPAA) is a global marketing and trade association for OOH advertising. Their mission is to grow outdoor advertising by growing digitization. And by digital they don’t just mean screens.
“We promote the growth and use of OOH advertising as part of a brand’s omnichannel mix in reaching consumers, as well as foment its digitization. Brands are looking for ways to break through, reach, and engage with their customers and prospects, today’s out-of-home advertising with its innovation and digital capabilities provides that,” said Barry Frey, President and CEO, DPAA.
Frey says DPAA grew out of the digital place-based screen business. Those within the organization, including Frey, saw huge opportunities and the OOH ecosystem to embrace all aspects of digital media, including programmatic, addressability, data for impressions, targeting, optimization, and attribution. OOH becoming more digital also includes creative aspects such as AR, VR, 3D/Anamorphic, and more.
There are currently 182 companies that are DPAA Members, from every continent except Antarctica. Members are leaders in the global ecosystem, including media owners, ad agencies, programmatic, hardware, software, data, research, integrators, and executive services. Here is why you should pursue a DPAA membership:
1. Accelerate your Business
DPAA aggressively supports sales and marketing efforts of their members with knowledge, best practices, data, introductions, expertise and more.
“Many members have said they had hired some of the big consulting companies to support their business and we’ve helped them much more for a fraction of the fees,” Frey said.
2. Access to a Marketing Machine
DPAA acts as a consultant, connector, community, consigliere and more to help its members succeed. They even help nonmembers in the space through their aggressive promotion of OOH. They are constantly in contact with all levels of brands, agencies, and other decision-makers and thought leaders.
“We have become the megaphone that showcases the industry, and rises all ships!” Frey said.
3. In-person and Online Events for Networking and Knowledge
DPAA membership offers about 25 in-person and online events each year. These events provide interaction with brands, agency leads, new technologies, hardware and other solutions plus what they call “radical connection” to raise the bar on best practices, innovative business development opportunities and learning and revenues for their members.
“As I have spent my career deeply understanding what motivates brands in their omnichannel media spend, we offer the same opportunities to members so they can understand what brands like, don’t like and what members need to focus on to optimize solution based deliveries to brands,” Frey said.
DPAA also offers sales, programmatic, and research training, as well as webinars related to research, tech, and retail.
4. Women Empower Digital Out-of-Home (WE.DOOH)
“WE.DOOH is an incredibly substantive program we built and designed to raise the personal and professional development of women in our industry. We need to grow diversity of people and experience that brings new ideas, innovation and of course, growth,” Frey said.
WE.DOOH provides not only training, but also a community of women executives. The program includes a series of interactive and inspirational workshops where members can interact with successful entrepreneurs, corporate, and other leaders to learn their journeys. Frey says they find renowned subject matter experts to lead their workshops and provide engaging course work on mentoring, empowering one’s brand, becoming integral parts of organizations, work/life balance, and many other success-driven products.
DPAA also has a diversity board that provides in-person and webinars that offer coaching to management to attract and support diversity of employees.
5. Data and Research
DPAA members have access to a repository of industry studies and forecasts, consulting and marketing help, and access to their proprietary media decision-makers study that surveys brands and agencies on their use and thoughts on DOOH.
6. Specialized Councils
DPAA has specialized councils for retail media, creative executions, and programmatic multipliers to deliver an exchange of knowledge, amplification, transparency, and industry growth. DPAA regularly consults with its Brand Councils who include leaders from Unilever, Hyundai, Kroger, Microsoft, McDonald’s, Pepsi, and others plus our members and other experts.
“We utilize subject matter experts an leading executives in all areas whether it is package goods, programmatic training, Diversity issues or Retail Media,” Frey said.
7.Focused on Sustainability
On the sustainability front, DPAA is a member of Ad Net Zero. They promote and amplify their good works to get the OOH industry involved in sustainability efforts. OOH is a one to many medium, which Frey says makes it more sustainable than many others. It also has the ability to target consumers with the right ads at the right time to limit waste circulation.
To become a DPAA member, there is an application process which involves some vetting with current members.
“You have to be willing to lean in and help grow the industry in a kumbaya way, not just be interested in yourself,” Frey said. “The more members we have, the more we grow the whole industry.”
Membership dues are based on business revenues. Frey says they spend a lot of time with brands and operate a bit differently than other associations.
Do you have a DPAA membership? What have the benefits been to you? Why did you do it? Or if you don’t have DPAA membership, why not? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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