Outdoor media owners unite to develop an Audience Measurement system for Digital Out-of-Home

The world’s largest international outdoor media owners – APG|SGA, Clear Channel Outdoor, Exterion Media and JCDecaux are working together to develop the first standardised industry approach to measuring digital out-of-home (OOH) audiences. This unique industry collaboration comes in response to continued global growth of digital outdoor advertising, estimated at 23% annually between 2007-2014*, with further growth of 21% predicted in 2015.

As global advertisers continue to keep pace with consumer expectations of impactful and innovative campaigns, brands such as Samsung, Coca-Cola, Google and BMW are including increasing proportions of digital OOH on planning schedules. In response to this, and in recognition of the importance of robust metrics to evidence buying decisions, the outdoor industry is investing in the development of a global standard for digital OOH measurement. For the first time, advertisers will be able to measure the distinct benefits and overall performance of campaigns in this high growth medium and to use these insights in future planning.

A working group of audience research and insight experts from each of the companies has been assembled and the team is now ready to initiate the project, for completion in 2015.

This pioneering project uses a virtual world to present consumers with a realistic experience of how different types of digital and traditional OOH advertising are encountered. Combining this with eye-tracking will enable the consortium to provide advertisers with an accurate understanding of consumers’ responses to all types of OOH formats across a multitude of environments.

Results will be made available to OOH audience measurement committees worldwide so that they have the opportunity to review and decide whether the findings are acceptable for integration in to their systems. This will enable digital OOH to be combined alongside traditional outdoor in advertisers’ schedules.

Markus Ehrle, CEO of APG|SGA commented: «For our stakeholders and ourselves it is a key interest to fully understand the impact and contribution of the fast growing DOOH segment in order to optimize OOH campaign performance individually to the client's needs. We strongly believe that this industry research initiative will provide an international standard which can be implemented in the various national research systems on top of the existing visibility adjustments as the study will be conducted in a very scientific and transparent way. This accountability is a key success factor for continuing sustainable growth of DOOH in the future.»

Parveen Bdesha, International Research and Insight Director, Clear Channel Outdoor said: «Clear Channel Outdoor has a global commitment to provide advertisers and agencies with new approaches to understanding their audiences in an increasingly complex multi-media world. By collaborating as an industry to develop an audience measurement system for digital out-of-home, we can help unlock the medium’s potential by giving them accurate, comparable and compelling data about the audiences they wish to reach, and consequently better inform their media planning decisions.»

Shaun Gregory, CEO of Exterion Media said: «Today’s consumer is constantly connected and we need to make sure the experience we, as an industry, provide echoes that. It is why we are committed to harnessing the digital opportunity and using increasingly available technology to create the experience the audience we are engaging with would expect. The only way we are going to achieve this is through collaboration, which is why I am hugely excited that so many major players in OOH are coming together to develop this industry standard for measuring DOOH. The insights it will bring will only help us to provide a better experience for brands, agencies and consumers and accelerate the rapid growth of DOOH.»

Neil Eddleston, Managing Director, JCDecaux OneWorld commented: «For JCDecaux it is natural to extend our long term commitment to internationally comparable OOH audience accountability to the increasingly significant segment of business that is digital. It is to be greatly welcomed that this collaborative initiative has the broad support of major stakeholders in the industry and that it integrates with earlier measurement systems of non-digital OOH, already globally endorsed by our clients and buyers in collaboration with Esomar, the world research body. It is significant that these measures are based on contact with the advertising message itself at the point of display.»

Further details of the digital audience measurement system will be announced in due course.

* Source: Magna. Global digital out-of-home market in 2007 valued at $1,008 million USD, with estimated value of $3,741 million USD in 2014.


About APG|SGA
APG|SGA is Switzerland’s leading Out of Home media company. Specializing in digital and analogue posters at busy locations on the street, in train stations, in shopping centers and at points of interest, APG|SGA and its associated segment brands Airport, Mega Poster, Mountain, Rail and Traffic cover all areas of Out of Home advertising, representing quality and tradition combined with innovation. Over 650 employees at 17 locations ensure a lasting impression when communicating with their customers, the authorities and the advertising industry. They manage poster spaces and displays throughout Switzerland with great care, environmental responsibility and precision.
 
 
About Clear Channel Outdoor (CCO)
Clear Channel Outdoor (NYSE: CCO) is one of the world’s largest outdoor advertising companies, reaching more than half a billion people every month via a global network spanning some 30 countries across five continents. Clear Channel Outdoor is dedicated to creating inspiring and innovative out-of-home advertising solutions by collaborating with advertisers and applying powerful audience insights that enable brands to engage effectively with consumers when they are out and about.  Clear Channel Outdoor is also pioneering the integration of out-of-home platforms with digital technologies such as mobile and social to drive awareness and inspiration to engagement and purchase. 
 
With a portfolio of displays that includes traditional and digital formats in roadside, urban, transit and airport environments, street furniture and at retail near point of sale, CCO also has one of the fastest growing digital out-of-home networks with more than 5,300 screens in 19 countries worldwide. In the U.S., Clear Channel Outdoor operates in 48 of the top 50 designated market areas.
 
 
About Exterion Media
Exterion Media is a leading Out-of-Home advertising company. Its core business is engaging and delivering valuable audiences for advertisers through a variety of formats and environments including transport, billboards, street furniture and retail. Exterion Media is also one of the leaders in digital Out-of-Home advertising.  Exterion Media combines unrivalled reach with deep audience insight and innovations in Out-of-Home advertising.
 
 
About JCDecaux
JCDecaux, the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, is present in more than 60 countries and 3,700 cities with over 10,000 inhabitants. It all started in 1964 with a simple idea: to provide cities with street furniture free of charge in exchange for exclusive advertising rights in premium locations. JCDecaux products have been the benchmark in quality, aesthetics and functionality for 50 years. Thanks to the expertise of its employees, the quality of the Group's services, notably in terms of upkeep and maintenance, is recognised by cities, airport and transport authorities and advertisers around the world.
 
In recent years JCDecaux has brought this aesthetic and high quality delivery to the digital space and now operates more than 40,000 premium digital display advertising screens at significant Airport, Metro, Rail, Shopping Mall and Roadside venues in 24 countries around the world.
 

 
Press contacts
 
APG|SGA
Media Service
Giesshübelstrasse 4
8045 Zurich
Switzerlanld
T +41 58 220 70 71
media@apgsga.ch
 
Clear Channel Outdoor
Lucy Puddefoot
33 Golden Square, London W1F 9JT
D +44 (0) 207 478 2946
M +44 (0) 7525 731 733
E lucypuddefoot@clearchannel.com
www.clearchannelinternational.com
Follow us @ccoutdoor
 
Exterion Media
Ollie Stewart / Cathy Donald
Brands2Life
111 Buckingham Palace Road
London
SW1W 0SR
T +44 (0) 20 7592 1200
E exterionmedia@brands2life.com
 
JCDecaux
Communications Department
Agathe Albertini
T +33 (0) 1 30 79 34 99
agathe.albertini@jcdecaux.fr