DOOH Advertising

Simplification and scale: The new era of outdoor media

Maintaining technological parity with competitors is essential, but the real differentiator will be the ability to listen and respond to stakeholder needs.

Photo: Generated by AI. Adobe Stock.

March 18, 2025 by Nick Parker — Board member and non-executive Chair of VIOOH, VIOOH

After 35 years in the out of home advertising industry, including roles as global chief investment officer and CEO at major agencies, I've witnessed numerous transformations in our sector. As we move through 2025, I see several critical trends reshaping the digital out of home landscape that deserve attention.

The rise of supplyside platforms

Since 2018, we've seen a significant evolution in how DOOH inventory is traded programmatically. The launch of specialized SSPs marked a turning point, bringing deep industry knowledge to technological innovation. The volume of programmatic revenue flowing through independent agency channels has far exceeded initial expectations, demonstrating the industry's appetite for efficient, automated trading solutions.

The push for simplification

Perhaps the most significant trend I'm observing is the drive toward simplification in buying processes. Media buyers are increasingly demanding streamlined solutions that allow them to access multiple media owners through single deal IDs.

This curation isn't a new ambition — I was part of the leadership team that launched similar initiatives years ago with the creation of Sightline alongside Xaxis. While we might have been ahead of our time then, the market is finally ready for this evolution.

Historical attempts at curation have faced limitations primarily due to inventory gaps. However, the landscape is changing. The combination of premium inventory access and broader media owner participation is creating new opportunities for successful curation platforms.

The omni-channel reality

For the past couple of years, there's been considerable discussion about integrating DOOH into omnichannel strategies. Until recently, I would have characterized this as more hype than reality.

However, 2025 is proving to be a turning point. We're seeing major structural changes across the industry that signal a genuine shift across traditional OOH specialists. Kinetic, for example, has been integrated into the broader media operations at GroupM which is consolidating its programmatic operations under GroupM Nexus. Companies like Dentsu and Posterscope are evolving their operations in a similar way.

These changes reflect a fundamental restructuring of how agencies approach channel integration, driven by the need for operational efficiency and improved campaign outcomes. The agencies want simplicity; they're looking for easier ways to build campaigns and deliver outcomes for clients, and to streamline their own approach too.

Looking ahead

The next 12 months will be crucial for our industry. Here's what I believe we'll see:

• First, the push for buying simplification will accelerate. Agencies will increasingly demand unified access to inventory across media owners, making platforms that can deliver this capability increasingly valuable.
• Second, we'll see the genuine emergence of omnichannel integration. Unlike previous years where this was largely aspirational, organizational changes at major agencies are now making this integration possible at a practical level.

Finally, the role of SSPs will continue to evolve. Success will depend on their ability to balance exclusive inventory relationships with broad market access, while continuously innovating to meet buyer demands for simplified trading processes.

The path forward

Maintaining technological parity with competitors is essential, but the real differentiator will be the ability to listen and respond to stakeholder needs. Platforms that can attract and retain a diverse range of media owners while delivering the simplification that buyers demand will be best positioned for success.

The transformation we're witnessing isn't just about technological innovation — it's about fundamental changes in how our industry operates. The convergence of premium inventory access, simplified buying processes and genuine omnichannel integration is creating new opportunities for those ready to embrace them.

While the challenges are significant, the potential for creating more efficient, effective advertising solutions has never been greater. The key will be maintaining focus on practical solutions that deliver real value to both buyers and sellers in our ecosystem.

About Nick Parker

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