Classic OOH eyes another ‘golden age’

TORONTO, Saturday: Striking the right balance between classic (traditional) out of home and “all-conquering digital” is one of the keys to sector growth for the medium, World Out of Home Organisation president Tom Goddard told 400 delegates at WOO’s global congress in Ontario.

Goddard said: “OOH has recovered strongly from the pandemic, when sales sank like a stone, but, like other main media, is still losing ground to the digital tidal wave.

“Classic OOH accounts for 63% of revenues worldwide despite the rapid growth of digital OOH.”

Keynote speaker Sean Reilly, ceo of Lamar Advertising US (said to be the biggest OOH company in the world by value – $ US13bn) told the congress: “Striking such a balance would create another golden age of out of home.”

Lamar, founded in 1902, is still a family-run business, and is still primarily a classic or traditional OOH company, gaining 27% of its revenue from the digital element of its estate, just 2.5% of its 356.000 displays.

Asking delegates, to “show some love”, Goddard said: “Digital is an area where OOH continues to perform strongly and the focus of billions in investment.

“But we shouldn’t forget the other key strand of out of home – classic.

“We shouldn’t forget the other key strand of out of home – classic.”

“We can rightly sing about the growth of digital OOH and programmatic trading but when we factor in the fortunes of classic OOH I am reminded of my school report which all too often said: ‘Doing Fine But Could Do Better’.

“For sure, some of this is due to digital conversion but it still seems to me that classic doesn’t get the love it deserves.

“You can’t deny that we have a much clearer vision for digital OOH than we do for classic OOH, which, after all, still accounts for two thirds of our global revenues.

“For example, we don’t even have a standard definition for classic. We call it by five or more different names: Classic, Traditional, Analog, Paper and Static.

“And the last name on this list – static, is the absolute worst. If you Google it, you’ll find this definition: ‘lacking in movement, action, or change, especially in a way viewed as undesirable or uninteresting.’

“Hardly a flattering description for what remains a hugely powerful and creative channel. And one which has a key role to play as we set our sights on a global sector media share taking OOH through 6% (its current share) to the level its performance for advertisers deserves.”

About WOO
The World Out of Home Organisation board members include JCDecaux, Clear Channeland oOh!Media NZ & Australia, as well as Ströer, Pikasso, Global Outdoor, blowUP media, Outfront Media US, OAAA in the US and Alooh Latin America.

• www.worldooh.org