Top Women in OOH Spotlight 2024: Enza Chiodi

by Amber Larkins, OOH Today

Last week we shared our annual list of the Top Women Driving Growth in OOH for 2024. Today we highlight Enza Chiodi, US Chief Client Officer at Talon.

Chiodi leads the strategic priorities for client fulfillment journeys across Talon’s portfolio of brands. She ensures clients’ needs are met with excellence and innovation. With more than 20 years of OOH experience in propelling brands forward, her work has extended beyond Talon.

She previously consulted for top industry players, including Intersection, OUTFRONT, Lamar, and JC Decaux. She also has consulted for industry trade groups OAAA and Geopath, contributing to the modernization of the OOH industry. Her contributions to the industry were recognized with her Changemaker – Top Women in Media & Ad Tech award.

Chiodi became interested in the out-of-home industry when she was EVP, Planning and Insight Director at PHD.

“I was intrigued by the potential of OOH advertising to elevate campaigns by maximizing impact and coverage simultaneously,” Chiodi said.

She was interested in OOH’s diverse landscape and prominent position in consumer journeys. She saw an opportunity to advocate for integrating OOH into the media mix in measurable and strategic ways.

The industry changed to focus on audience impressions and reach/frequency metrics. As DOOH, particularly place-based advertising, began to emerge, she could see the industry transforming.

“The advent of DOOH promised flexibility, precise targeting capabilities, and technological innovations that simplified OOH and the process of bringing campaigns to life,” Chiodi said.

Over the past five years, there’s been a shift with more women assuming senior positions. There’s still a gap in female representation in C-Suite roles, but

Driving Growth in OOH

Chiodi has been privileged to work on many great campaigns. Her favorite campaigns are those that transcend physical units to create experiences.

“For years, I had been pushing creative teams to find ways to do 3D without those awful glasses,” Chiodi said. “When this was first hitting buzz-worthy the OOH market, I tried to get clients to embrace the creative technology.”

One recent campaign she found fun was Talon’s ForeverRun Nitro campaign on behalf of PUMA 3D technology. The campaign was visually appealing and leveraged strategic locations that both targeted runners and were in proximity to the retail store.

She also loves a Pro-Bono campaign Talon did a few years ago that addressed suicide prevention. Please Stay told them they drove a 66% increase in pledges to Please Stay vs. their social/digital campaign.

“The good that OOH can bring to the community with simple but powerful messaging was proven with this specific campaign,” Chiodi said.

Chiodi drives growth in OOH by making it part of an overall strategy. She sees OOH as having its own defined role rather than simple directional units or general mass awareness.

“The greatest success is when we are integrated into the multi-channel teams…helping to determine the role and appropriate spend for OOH,” Chiodi said.

However, a unified effort is needed to increase the percentage of total ad spend. Chiodi believes the industry can achieve this through education on effectiveness, creative inspiration, data intelligence, and OOH’s efficacy in driving higher performance levels across all channels.

Overcoming Challenges in OOH

Out-of-home legacy thinking and attitudes challenged Chiodi in her career.

“OOH was a below-the-line tactic, and in fact, [it] still struggles with this,” Chiodi said. “The media planning industry didn’t understand the transformation OOH was undergoing nor the role it could and would play in eliciting positive consumer response.”

She said the OOH industry acted like a second-tier medium, battling for dollars rather than leaning into OOH’s value in combination with other media.

Chiodi started SMRT (Strategic Media & Resources Training) to educate and evangelize about the measurable impact of OOH. Beginning with media owners, she traveled to local sales offices and taught them more about the overall media planning process and how their inventory could enhance a client’s campaign.

Her drive to show the value of OOH extends to authoring Geopath Learning Lab materials. She was a key architect of the training program and also educated on OOH’s value through OAAA workshops.

“My journey continues today in collaborating with clients and agency partners to think of OOH not as a last minute add-on, but as a valuable tool to drive results,” Chiodi said.

It’s evident that the industry has been predominately male, Chiodi says, but it’s important not to get discouraged.

“Every day we witness an increasing number of women ascending to senior-level positions,” Chiodi said.

For example at Talon, Sue Frogley has been appointed as Global CEO. Sarah Parkes has a leadership role in Sales and Marketing. Laura Colona is the SVP of Marketing, and Chiodi was promoted to Chief Client Officer.

“We pave the way forward by fostering a team environment where knowledge, opinions, and experiences are openly shared. Collaboration and progress know no gender; it’s about working with a diverse group of people – that makes you smarter!” Chiodi said.

Chiodi suggests that those starting in the industry begin with internships, cultivate curiosity, ask questions, and continuously learn. She believes taking risks is essential for growth.

“Remember, failure is part of the process; embrace it, learn from it, and keep moving forward,” Chiodi said.

“Remember, failure is part of the process; embrace it, learn from it, and keep moving forward,”

Promoting Women in OOH

At Talon, fostering inclusivity and empowering women is paramount to the company’s culture, Chiodi said.  Their commitment to inclusivity includes specialized training modules addressing female-centric topics. She is a mentor who shares her experiences and supports other employees.

“I prioritize making myself approachable and accessible to anyone at Talon, whether it’s a question about achieving work-life balance or mastering a P&L,” Chiodi said. “Women in leadership roles play a pivotal role in mentoring other women within their organization and across the industry.

She believes that diversity of perspectives is integral to the success of any business or industry. Collaboration and support are key to breaking through barriers, such as the lack of women in executive leadership positions in OOH.

Over the past five years, there’s been a shift with more women assuming senior positions. There’s still a gap in female representation in C-Suite roles, but Chiodi remains optimistic.

“My recent appointment as Chief Client Officer serves as a positive indicator, laying the foundation and setting a precedent for future appointments,” Chiodi said.