A recent global survey by Sightline – GroupM’s advance programmatic digital out-of-home solution, focused on perceptions of digital out-of-home advertising – revealed that 50% of consumers said digital out of home (DOOH) advertising encouraged them to make a purchase there and then.
DOOH is showing increasing traction as a performance medium, with many consumers saying it inspires interaction. In fact, two-thirds say it encouraged them to search for more information online. DOOH ads are also regarded as innovative, impactful, and strong drivers of action, with 70% of consumers believing the medium feels current, and many finding it to be useful for learning more about products and brands.
In South Africa, DOOH has seen significant growth with the number of digital screens increasing by 25% year-on-year according to a report by outdoor advertising data source Outdoor Auditors. This trend is set to continue as more media owners accelerate the transition of their inventory from traditional OOH (out-of-home) to DOOH.
Now available to marketers in South Africa, Sightline brings together the expertise within GroupM and its programmatic arm, Xaxis, to deploy more engaging and intelligent campaigns that drive greater value from media investments and achieve measurable business outcomes.
Akama Davies, global practice lead for digital OOH at Xaxis, said: “Receptiveness to DOOH ads is clearly strong among consumers everywhere, as seen through their positive attitude towards its quality and innovation. As a non-interruptive channel, the survey findings seem to endorse our view that DOOH offers advertisers a unique opportunity to engage their audiences with high impact but highly relevant messages in spaces where those messages are welcomed by consumers.
Davies continued, “DOOH offers a large creative canvas but also gives ad buyers the precision planning and agility of digital, programmatic media, as well as a powerful location-based element that drives a multitude of actions. The survey findings also validate our view that DOOH does not replace existing forms of ad media but adds its own unique value for marketers.”
Speaking of the launch, head of programmatic at Xaxis in South Africa, Ursula Strauss, said: “We are excited to build on the global Sightline offering, providing local clients with advanced reach in real world environments through end-to-end digitally integrated DOOH.”
Sightline offers advanced audience-based targeting in contextually relevant and brand-safe environments and the ability to integrate DOOH with other digital channels to allow for omnichannel advertising campaigns. These capabilities unlock new opportunities for creative, which can be dynamically optimised according to location specific messaging, time of day and other variables that maximise relevance for consumers.
