Top Women, OBIE Awards, and Industry Drama

The weekly OOH recap for March 22, 2025, highlights the upcoming Top Women Who Drive Growth in Out-of-Home 2025 list, Lamar’s criticism of Geopath’s measurement data, and Geopath’s defense of its methodologies. It also covers Lamar’s new contract to manage advertising at Orlando Sanford International Airport and the 2025 OBIE Awards shortlist announcement. BB adds colorful commentary on each topic, offering unique insights into the latest OOH developments.

1. Coming Soon! —OOH Today’s Top Women Who Drive Growth in Out-of-Home —2025

B.B.’s Take: Today, we released the 4th Annual Top Women in OOH. It’s always a mad dash to complete the final selections, with many moving parts and people to contact. Research, verification, and responses from the honorees take an incredible amount of time and resources from all the staff. Kudos to Amber Larkins, who worked tirelessly to obtain and share everyone’s story. This year’s approach was unique because we requested nominations from the last three years’ honorees. Part of the process in the nomination was the request that nominations NOT be from the nominator’s organization. That makes it more complex; however, it provides a more authentic picture of those women most qualified and less about popularity or paternalistic selections. 

 

2. The   OOH Sh#t Storm Started by ‘Stale, Old, and Inaccurate’

Lamar’s CEO, Sean Riley, recently described Geopath measurement data as ‘Stale, Old, and Inaccurate.’ This has sparked a heated debate in the industry, with many inquiries from brands, agencies, and OOH Owners regarding his comments on Geopath’s measurement. This edition of OOH Word on the Street delves into the controversy, questioning those claims and intent and providing a comprehensive view of the situation. Riley’s comments are from the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on March 5, 2025, and are included as links in the article.

B.B.’s Take: Listen to the 3-minute recording, and you be the judge. 

3. Geopath: Separating Fact from Fiction

Geopath Interim President Robert Peterson’s opinion piece in OOH Today clarifies misconceptions about Geopath, emphasizing that it is a non-profit dedicated to providing unbiased, third-party OOH measurement. The article defends Geopath’s methodologies, highlighting the organization’s commitment to maintaining industry trust and continuously improving its data standards.

It addresses recent criticism, stressing that Geopath’s processes are transparent and validated by industry leaders. The piece encourages constructive dialogue and collaboration to enhance OOH measurement while reinforcing Geopath’s critical role in ensuring accurate and reliable audience metrics.

B.B.’s Take: This is an excellent op piece that we strongly recommend reading. Peterson lays it out succinctly and with little emotion. 

4. Lamar Wins Orlando Sanford Airport

Lamar Advertising has secured the contract to manage all advertising at Orlando Sanford International Airport, effective February 2025. This strategic move enhances the airport’s advertising offerings by introducing digital displays and innovative ad formats to engage travelers. It also strengthens Lamar’s presence in the airport advertising space and aligns with its strategy to expand its footprint in high-traffic venues.

This agreement strengthens Lamar’s presence in the airport advertising space and aligns with its strategy to expand its footprint in high-traffic venues.

B.B.’s Take: Lamar keeps growing, adding another market to its portfolio: the place-based airport division.

 

5. OAAA Announces 2025 OBIE Awards Shortlist

The OAAA has revealed the shortlist for the 2025 OBIE Awards, a celebration of exceptional creativity in Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising. This year’s nominees represent a diverse and innovative range of campaigns pushing traditional OOH formats’ boundaries. The OBIE Awards are a testament to the best in design, storytelling, and audience engagement across our industry, inspiring us all to strive for excellence.

The winners will be announced at the 2025 OAAA/Geopath OOH Media Conference, where the top campaigns will be recognized for their impact and creativity.

B.B.’s Take: The post says it is a short list, but don’t believe it. It is a long list with many well-deserved creative campaigns. We congratulate all those honored.