It was an amazing opportunity to be at the WOO APAC Forum 2023 in Bali. Incredible and transformative feel like an understatement for how this conference went; cutting-edge insights and strategies were shared, and the future of OOH was discussed. Here are some key highlights that deserve the spotlight.
The importance of OOH creative
This was a brilliant sharing by Jay Young, CCO of Grand Visual/Talon – he underscored the importance of creative development tailored to the unique characteristics of the OOH format. With OOH creative generating the largest impact on sales and purchase, how can clients optimise content for maximum engagement? The session mainly focused on encouraging clients to focus on making an impact, driving relevancy, encouraging interaction, and breaking out of the billboard.
In our contemporary, fast-moving world, where consumers are constantly bombarded with information, standing out in the clutter has become a formidable challenge. Hence, the key to capturing audience attention and making a lasting impact lies a lot in driving relevance – speaking to the target audience and leveraging dynamic data such as live traffic feeds or weather data to create personalised, relatable content that resonates with them.
Furthermore, the importance of fostering engagement beyond traditional advertising methods was stressed. Advertising could be further enhanced by encouraging interaction – a transformative strategy to help elevate the advertising experience, shifting it from a one-way communication to a two-way exchange where consumers foster a sense of involvement. Therefore, clients could explore campaigns such as incorporating gamification elements on a digital panel or including QR codes in the creative, forming a direct bridge between the physical and digital worlds for consumers.
The topic also expanded to innovative ways of breaking out of the billboard mould, with discussion on murals, projections, and special builds that will help capture attention, provide a fresh perspective for consumers, and likely generate social media buzz, bringing this OOH format from offline to online.
Having said that, in our ever-evolving industry, we should try to jump out of the box, explore creative options that will help capture the audience’s attention, and increase consumers’ time spent with the brand, creating a more profound experience.
Measurement x OOH
Measurement and numbers are indeed crucial considerations in board meetings for all clients, and it is vital that, as an industry, we continue to elevate measurement for convincing results. The session led by Chloe Neo, CEO of Omnicom Media Group, Singapore, on Cross Media Measurement, was brilliant. She touched on how Transparency and Accountability are pivotal elements for fostering trust among all stakeholders. This implementation of best practices in tracking and reporting will help provide accurate and insightful data to enhance the credibility of OOH campaigns.
She also discussed how industry-aligned measurement and nuanced metrics will help all stakeholders have a clear view of campaign performance. I think this will play an important role in our industry, as it will help establish a level of consistency that fosters confidence and ensures that all stakeholders are speaking the same language when evaluating success.
Sustainability in the OOH Industry
The topic of sustainability was also addressed, with OOH being one of the oldest media. It is fascinating to witness how we have evolved over the years, leveraging the power of technology to continually improve and play our part for the environment. Speakers like Doris Li, Absen Global Key Account Director, and Jon Settingsgard, International Product Manager at Daktronics, shared the key designs and benefits behind current screens provided in the OOH market.
With sustainability in mind, the development of better screens now focuses mainly on creating energy-efficient displays. There are also features that allow vendors to control the brightness of the screen to consume less energy; this is one of the many ways that allow us to pursue a more sustainable approach.
Personally, I wholeheartedly agree that sustainability is a shared responsibility. I am pleased that the OOH industry is also actively participating in this commitment, doing our best to minimise our ecological footprint.
All in all, it was an incredible experience at the WOO APAC Forum 2023. Exciting times lie ahead for the OOH industry, driven by technology, creativity, and innovation!
All in all, I am grateful for this incredible learning opportunity I got to experience so early on in my career. The lessons and new bonds formed have been a great reminder that so much of our work here at Evolve is about being able to connect with people – old and new – in the best ways possible.
Whilst APAC’s steady growth in the OOH industry was a pivotal part of the conference, and it being 40% ahead of the global average in terms of the global OOH spend bears good news for us! Discussions around rising trends in the region were also of great interest and insight to planners like us. For instance, the importance of sustainability is growing more than ever in APAC, and many key media owners have expressed that sustainability is one of the important facets of their business they want to focus on. This is especially relevant for international brands that are eager to grow in APAC, whilst also keeping their CSR goals in mind.
The WOO APAC conference also had some insightful market overview presentations, where media owners from Indonesia, South Korea and India gave audiences an overview of the OOH market in their respective countries. This was again very insightful to hear first – hand of the projected growth and interest in these countries, and why they are excellent markets to consider when it comes to OOH planning and buying.
Reflecting on the conference, I only feel more well versed with the sheer scale and vastness of the APAC market. I don’t think one can ever be ‘fully versed’ because things are growing and changing rapidly as we speak, but that is also a hopeful indication of more growth that is yet to come. However, the presentations aside, one of my favourite moments from the conference was being able to just meet and interact with people, old and new. We forged relationships with new media owners and got a chance to understand the nature of their business in person, which was a reminder that nothing can quite replace a face-to-face conversation.
