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WPP CEO relates to DOOH in AD-Tech speech

Sir Martin Sorrell made several key points that relate to DOOH while delivering the opening keynote to a packed house at Ad-Tech conference in New York this week.

November 5, 2009 by Lyle Bunn — Strategy Architect, BUNN

Sir Martin Sorrell, WPP Group CEO, made several key points that relate to Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) while delivering the opening keynote to a packed house at Ad-Tech in New York this week. WPP employs 145,000 marketing agency professional in 2,400 offices in 107 countries.

Agencies can "have their cake and eat it too" by using DOOH. A brand can be positioned using placement and content strategy at both specific and multiple points along a communications continuum of "one-to-one" versus "one-to-many."

Sorrell noted that "agencies are going to become much more involved in the development of 'content' and all of its implications." This points to a refocusing of brand messaging by agencies, which are, after all, both guardian and builder of brand equity.

Bill Ratcliffe, formerly of the WPP analytics provider Millward Brown is credited with noting that "the power of digital signage is to both brand and merchandise at the same time".   

"The lines between advertising and editorial are going to become much more blurred," Sorrell added.

DOOH can readily accommodate "sponsored content" which can provide advertiser profiles with value to the viewer and the display location provider at the same time. For example, while credit card advertising is often restricted on campuses, messaging aimed at improving financial-management skills could be sponsored by a particular card service provider.

As the pressure on all media to deliver more value increases, Digital Out-of-Home is already positioned where leaders of the agency "puck" want it to go. Win-win-win on the part of brands, agencies and media companies is offered by DOOH.