OOH Owner Today —Outdoor Solutions Group
by Benny Taubman, OOH TODAY Reporter
Outdoor Solutions Group focuses on high-impact, eye-level media that reaches commuters in New York City and New Jersey. Founded over 25 years ago in 1997, the business is family owned and reaches over 20 million impressions a month. As OSG’s primary business strategy is to target New York and New Jersey businesspeople on their way to work and back, the business’ media consists of wrapped ferries, large billboard banners, wrapped storefronts, and digital displays and traditional ad box displays located within New York Waterway’s ferry network. To make their ferry network opportunities possible, OSG has strategic partnerships with the NY Waterway itself. Additionally, OSG targets NYC’s tourists and other pedestrians with its wrapped buses which can be seen throughout NYC’s Midtown and Financial districts.
OOH Today connected with Rosemary Valenti, OSG’s CEO, for an exclusive interview.
Q: Why should advertisers choose your business?
A: “Outdoor Solutions Group not only provides advertising opportunities to all of our clients, but brings
decades of experience to consult on why our advertising program will be an integral part of reaching the
New York City & New Jersey local audiences.
My late husband, Marc Valenti, and I built Outdoor Solutions Group over 20 years ago. We branched out
independently from Gannett Transit and Transit Display Inc (TDI). These companies we came from have
evolved into today’s larger OOH companies like Outfront Media.
We built our plant with New York Waterway, which services the business and residential communities
on the Hudson River. We design advertising activations with brands and businesses to reach the
sophisticated ferry ridership audiences, traveling between New York City and New Jersey, with station
domination programs and our eye-level digital display network. Brand activations within the ferry
system work hand-in-hand with our abilities to reach the New York City street-level audiences on our
wrapped bus program, operating in the busiest districts of Manhattan, and capabilities to reach the
Hudson River waterfront residential & business communities with our wrapped ferry program.”
Q: How does OSG fine-tune its advertisements to the “New York City & Hudson River commuter
audiences”?
A: “Every decision we make with our advertising program must be data driven. Tapping into the resources
and support of organizations like Geopath and Street Metrics has provided us the insights into our
audience’s scale, affinities, and behaviors for our clients.
Tapping into the data-science of OOH led us to the most effective strategy to building our digital display
network last year. Targeting the highest ranked engagement locations, we installed eye-level dynamic
and programmatic HD digital displays across the ferry system.
We regularly dedicate time to understand, and personally experience, the behaviors of the audiences
we deliver. We frequently spend time at Hudson River waterfront communities, ride the ferries to the
ferry terminals during the busiest hours, and get onto the NYC streets with the NY Waterway buses to
learn the most valuable insights. These experiences assist with decision making, anywhere from
illumination, production methods, strategic placement and operations.”
Q: What is the company’s key to success in the OOH business?
A: “The most important key to our success is our relationships. Our client relationships and understanding
what their goals are, and how we can craft programs to deliver their needs, are why we have earned
their trust and loyal business. By partnering with Pearl Media and gaining their support, Pearl’s expertise
and national presence has amplified the power of the transit advertising program. Our deep ties and
hands-on approach with our production partners and installation teams make our advertising
activations possible. Equally important is our synergy with New York Waterway and their motivation to
expand and support the advertising program.”
Q: Can you give some insight into OSG’s partnership with New York Waterway?
A: “With our relationships and experience from the OOH industry, in 1996 we partnered with New York
Waterway, the largest private commuter ferry company in the US. As New York Waterway grew with
presence and new routes and terminals to expand ferry operations around New York City, OSG grew as
well and continue to do so.
We structured advertising opportunities for brands and businesses to reach the sophisticated commuter
audiences and the street-level audiences in the highest demand.
New York Waterway’s transit capabilities provides safe and reliable operations for tens of thousands of
daily commuters. Their community support is notable with more than 100 rescues to New York City’s
metro area communities. They evacuated over 150,000 people on 9/11, they led the rescue of the US
Airways Flight 1549 water landing, known as “Miracle on the Hudson”, and most recently aided Staten
Island ferry riders in December 2022 upon an engine room fire. We are proud to partner with New York
Waterway in providing value to their essential community operation.”
Q: What are some future goals for the business?
A: “Our goals for 2023 are continuing to expand our digital display network and grow the ferry system
advertising program with New York Waterway’s new routes, as well as branch out and partner further
into different media formats beyond transit OOH.”
Q: Share a fun fact about your company!
A: Good Morning America featured our “Aladdin – Disney on Broadway” NYC bus wrap as part of their
backdrop a GM segment. YouTube video link here (2:40 – 2:55):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3VnnG-y8mE
Website:
https://www.osgnyc.com
Markets:
New York City and New Jersey
Headquarters:
New York, New York
Email:
info@osgnyc.com
Phone:
(646)-630-2727
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