DOOH.co.za is now OOH Central, a “central platform that represents and connects the entire OOH industry. The new identity better reflects our commitment to supporting and championing all sectors of the OOH market.”
Founders Kirsty Carlson and Livia Brown (also hosts of the Beyond the Billboard podcast) say the time was right to expand the country’s only dedicated out of home (OOH) news platform into something that reflected “the full scope of our mission”.
Carlson and Brown say the OOH industry never stands still, and neither do they.
“As the landscape continues to evolve, our platform remains dynamic, adaptive and regularly updated to reflect the latest industry trends, innovations and developments. We share monthly newsletters from industry thought leaders, and all of this content is updated monthly on the website.
Ahead of the curve
“Beyond news and insights, our comprehensive Resources hub offers campaign inspiration, manuals, white papers, research, guides and practical tools designed to help industry professionals stay informed, inspired and ahead of the curve.”
New features include a searchable industry directory, a dedicated OOH job board, an expanded resources section, and enhanced opportunities for industry collaboration, learning and knowledge sharing.
“Importantly, OOH Central has been designed to grow alongside the industry,” say Brown and Carlson.
“As OOH continues to evolve, the platform will be continuously updated with fresh content, research, case studies, campaign inspiration, white papers, industry news and educational resources, ensuring it remains a relevant and valuable destination for OOH professionals across South Africa.”
They point out that while South Africa has a vibrant and growing OOH industry, there was no single platform bringing together the various stakeholders, resources, opportunities and conversations that shape the sector.
Independent destination
“OOH Central was created to fill that gap by providing a central, independent destination where media owners, media agencies, brands, suppliers, technology partners and industry professionals can connect, learn and stay informed. Our goal is to help create a more connected, informed and collaborative OOH community.”
The industry directory, they say, brings media owners and partners into one searchable space while removing friction in how the industry finds and engages the right partners.
“Instead of relying on fragmented networks or word-of-mouth, users can quickly identify relevant companies based on capabilities, services and geographic footprint. This improved accessibility is expected to strengthen collaboration across the value chain and help agencies and brands discover new partners, enabling suppliers and ultimately supporting more integrated and informed OOH planning and execution.”
Brown and Carlson believe the OOH sector, like much of the broader media and advertising industry, continues to face a growing skills and talent gap.
Introducing the jobs board
“At the same time, there is strong demand for experienced professionals who understand both the traditional fundamentals of OOH and the rapidly evolving digital OOH and data-driven landscape.
“The jobs board helps address this by creating a centralised space where employers across media owners, agencies, adtech, research and analytics can connect directly with relevant talent. Critically, this is the only OOH job board in South Africa focused specifically on available roles in the OOH industry. It increases the visibility of opportunities within the sector and makes it easier for professionals, both established and emerging, to explore careers in OOH, ultimately supporting talent development and industry growth.”
Research, thought leadership and educational resources play a critical role in elevating the professionalism and credibility of the OOH industry, they note.
“As the channel becomes more data-driven and integrated within broader media strategies, access to robust insights, best practice and credible research helps standardise understanding, improve decision-making and raise the overall quality of planning and execution.
“By making these resources more accessible through OOH Central, the platform helps bridge knowledge gaps across the industry and supports continuous learning. This not only strengthens individual capability but also contributes to a more informed, skilled and forward-looking OOH ecosystem as a whole.”
Out in Africa
Out of home media is a vital advertising sector in Africa, something Carlson and Brown have taken into account.
At this stage, there is a clear intention for OOH Central to extend its relevance beyond South Africa and better reflect the broader African out of home landscape. The vision is to create a platform that not only serves a national audience but also connects and supports the wider regional industry as it continues to grow and evolve.
While the immediate focus remains on strengthening the South African offering, the long-term direction is to expand the platform’s reach, content and industry engagement across Africa, positioning OOH Central as a truly inclusive hub for OOH across the continent. The founders are offering OOH Directory access across Africa and plan to expand the job board to include roles across the rest of the continent.
Success for OOH Central over the next 12 to 24 months will be defined by how effectively the platform becomes an essential daily resource for the OOH industry. This includes strong and sustained user engagement, growing contributions from industry stakeholders, and the platform being actively used as a reference point for news, insights, opportunities and collaboration across the sector.
Supports professionalism of OOH
“Ultimately, success will be measured by how well OOH Central strengthens connectivity, improves access to information and supports the overall growth and professionalism of the OOH ecosystem, Carlson and Brown note.
They also believe the convergence of retail media, programmatic advertising and data-driven targeting presents a significant opportunity for the continued growth of out of home in South Africa. “As OOH becomes increasingly measurable and more integrated with digital ecosystems, it is better positioned to demonstrate its effectiveness within omnichannel strategies and attract a greater share of media investment.”
This shift also enables more sophisticated targeting and dynamic campaign activation, particularly through digital OOH, allowing brands to combine real-world impact with real-time data and audience insights. As these capabilities mature, OOH in South Africa is well placed to strengthen its role as a powerful, flexible and performance-driven media channel within the broader advertising landscape.
