From Steakhouse Deals to Self-Service: How OOH’s Buyer Landscape Changed

Let me tell you about the lunch that changed everything for Billboard Bob.

Last Tuesday, Bob took his favorite client – the CMO of a major soda brand – to their usual steakhouse. Over filet mignons, he proudly presented his “tried and true” annual billboard package. 

Then the CMO dropped the bomb: “Bob, we’re shifting 40% of our OOH budget to programmatic DOOH and CTV advertising. Our DTC team needs hyper-targeted, performance-based buys.”

Enter Digital Dave.

The Clash of Two OOH Eras

Bob’s World:

• 20-year relationships sealed with handshakes
• Static vinyl placements sold annually
• Success measured in “eyeballs” and “prestige locations”

Dave’s Reality:

• The soda brand’s DTC team uses a self-service OOH advertising platform
• They buy digital screens by CPM, daypart, and weather conditions
• Every dollar must drive measurable online conversions

The Wake-Up Call

When Bob checked his pipeline:
✔ 5 traditional clients had reduced budgets
✔ 3 were testing “digital-first” agencies
✔ His best-performing board now had 22% vacancy

How Bob Adapted (Without Abandoning His Strengths)

The Hybrid Pitch

•  Kept his premium static locations
•  Added digital extensions: “Your billboard now comes with mobile retargeting”

The Tech Compromise

• Implemented a simple yield management system
•  Let Dave handle the programmatic trades

The Surprising Result

• Traditional clients bought add-ons (30% revenue boost)
• New DTC brands came through automated platforms
• Vacancy rates dropped to 4%

What This Means For You

• Don’t abandon traditional buyers – enhance their buys
• Make room for digital natives – they’re your growth engine
• Bridge the gap with:
  • Hybrid packages
  • Simple automation
  • Performance add-ons

“Turns out,” Bob admits, “filet mignon tastes better when you’re not sweating vacancies.”

And just like Bob’s discovered, today’s OOH landscape offers three clear paths to revenue – each with its own advantages:

Three Ways Advertisers Want to Buy Now

1. Traditional Placements

• Still ideal for brand-awareness campaigns
• Works well with relationship-focused clients
• Bob’s advice: “Keep your iconic locations – but enhance them with digital add-ons”

2. Goal-Based Campaigns

• Attracts performance-driven advertisers
• Commands 20-30% premium pricing
• Dave’s tip: “Start with one KPI guarantee (like impressions) before expanding”

3. Non-Guaranteed Deals

• Fills last-minute inventory automatically
• Appeals to digital-native buyers
• Sam’s insight: “Programmatic now accounts for 22% of our revenue”

The Tech That Makes It Work

Bob’s team implemented:
✔ A unified booking system (keeps traditional and digital deals organized)
✔ Real-time dashboards (shows clients exactly what they’re getting)
✔ Automated reporting (saves 15 hours/week in manual work)

This setup allowed the team to embrace digital out-of-home advertising as a complement to traditional media, not a replacement.

Your 3-Month Adaptation Plan

Month 1: Add digital upsells to existing contracts
Month 2: Train one sales rep on performance metrics
Month 3: Pilot a small programmatic inventory pool

“The biggest surprise?” Bob reflects. “Our traditional clients started asking for digital extensions once they saw the results.”

Let’s Grow Together

Change can feel daunting, but remember, you’re not alone in this. Many media owners are making this transition successfully, and you can too.

The World Out of Home Organization (WOO) events this year are spotlighting this shift like never before. With key stakeholders, media owners, buyers, and tech enablers coming together in Boston and Mexico, the industry is building a new blueprint for success.

As part of these evolving OOH advertising trends, traditional and digital strategies are blending to meet new buyer demands.

What’s one small step you could take this week to start exploring these new opportunities? Maybe it’s researching a new tool or having a conversation with a trusted colleague. Every journey begins with that first step.

Want to chat more about how to make this work for your specific business?

We’ll be at the WOO event, joining fellow media owners and industry leaders to discuss the future of OOH. It’s a great opportunity to exchange ideas and stay ahead of the curve.