From faux OOH to faux OOH experts and more, here’s a weekly recap of the top OOH stories you may have missed, along with colorful commentary from BB for the week ending March 16, 2024.
1. Lightbox Video Network Prepares to Go Dark
Lightbox Video Network, a digital out-of-home video network with 4,800 screens in shopping environments and city street window fronts across the US, is shutting down. The company’s closure is due to general ad market challenges, the failure to fully recover from the pandemic, and financial hurdles.
BB’s Take: Blame it on the change in consumers and the poor numbers of people who shop in person and in malls. We stand by the opinion that Lightbox, like many in its space and indeed many of those in the OOH tech space, lack credible OOH leadership. i.e. Those leaders which have earned legitimate outdoor advertising experience. And, ‘No Virginia’, hiring an experienced OOH influencer does not cut it nor a more legit experienced individual if their experience and advice are not heeded. Don’t take our word for it. Look at their LinkedIn work history. And while you there, visit a few others like voltas, 1screen, alfi, abraxas, boardactives. No OOH experience, typically translates to no success.
2. The Toddler’s Introduction to OOH![Toddler's Guide to Billboard Advertising]()
Outfront’s Introduction to OOH blog shares basic information about Billboard advertising. Did the company see a need to educate people entering the industry as self-proclaimed experts? Social media and influence will only carry one so far, unless of course your Phineas Taylor Barnum or a follower of PT, who is cited accurately or not with, “There’s a sucker born every minute”. And these are the ones who need Outfront’s Intro to Billboard Advertising blog.
BB’s Take: Thank you for the OOH Primer OUTFRONT and now let’s figure out a way to have others read and learn from it. Especially the ones who don’t know what it is they don’t know and need it the most.
3. Voters View Political Ads as Influential and Trusted![vote like your life depends on it billboard]()
The 2024 election has resulted in record-breaking political ad spend. Out-of-Home ads are an effective medium to reach, inform, and influence voters. According to a recent report from Morning Consult, 68% of likely voters have seen, heard or read political advertising through an OOH ad. The study was paid for by OAAA. More than half of likely voters exposed to OOH in the past year trust OOH political ad information to be truthful and accurate.
BB’s Take: Solving the dilemma of incredible underspending of political in OOH. There is not enough space on this page for that discussion. It is a category with a big miss for our Industry. How unfortunate because the few percentage points needed in many elections to win is all that is needed from a awareness/brand perspective. What better moment to reach the voter as they drive to the polls just before they cast their ballot.
4. Hilton Disrobes A High-Rise Building-Sized BRIT Awards Statuette
Hilton disrobes a high-rise building-sized BRIT Awards statuette in central London in the run-up to this year’s BRIT Awards…And hangs a gigantic ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on its London Hilton on Park Lane hotel the day after the event, in a campaign created by TBWA\London.
The faux OOH activations, created by TBWA\London, celebrate the newly-established partnership between Hilton and The BRITs by connecting classic icons of a Hilton stay with the renowned awards in a suitably epic fashion.
BB’s Take: More FOOOH, (faux OOH) executions. Cute idea but a bit over the top from a size perspective for any believable . Thanks to the agency for the transparency to identify the fake OOH when submitting the story to OOH Today and including as much in the story.
5. What will DOOH Measurement Look Like in 12 Months?
The advertising landscape is shifting with the integration of streamlined programmatic technology and the death knell is sounding in the near distance for the third-party cookie. The death of the cookie could be a chance for DOOH to thrive. prDOOH can allow advertisers to deliver hyper-targeted messages that resonate with consumers. With important changes on the horizon for the wider advertising landscape, what will DOOH measurement look like in 12 months?
BB’s Take: Well written story by VIOOH or was it JCDecaux? I always confuse the two, as well, Decaux owns most of VIOOH, (93.5%) and its difficult to ascertain the difference. VIOOH and Decaux reference Viooh as a global independent automated and trading platform, programmatic. Independent they say? Independence, must have a different meaning in France than in the US.
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