OOH Trends Shaping the Future

As the landscape of Out of Home (OOH) advertising evolves, brands are actively seeking innovative strategies to connect with audiences. In this interview, Bec Reid discusses the latest OOH trends and best practices for 2024 with Anna Martel from oOh!media. The conversation highlights the critical role of sustainability and creativity in enhancing marketing effectiveness in today’s competitive environment.

What’s New in Out of Home (OOH) for 2024 and Beyond?

BR (Bec Reid, ADMATIC): 2024 has been a dynamic year for OOH advertising. What are some of the key changes and innovations you’ve seen this year, and what trends are you expecting to gain momentum as we move into 2025?

AM (Anna Martel, oOh!media): 2024 has been an exciting year for OOH, with ongoing audience growth. As we head into the summer months, we expect even more people to be out in public spaces, driven by key spending events like Black Friday and Christmas, as well as increased travel.

Looking ahead to 2025, this growth trend will continue. I’m particularly excited about the launch of MOVE 2, which will provide enhanced audience measurement, giving brands even greater precision in reaching their target audiences. Additionally, our recent contract wins in Sydney, including Waverley in the eastern suburbs and the Northern Beaches, along with Melbourne’s new metro, will unlock new advertising opportunities in key locations.

Top Trends Shaping OOH in Australia for 2024

BR: At your recent Outfront’25 event, you discussed five mega trends shaping the future of OOH advertising. Can you give us an overview of these trends and explain why they are so important for the future of OOH in Australia?

AM: We recently held our Outfront’25 event to discuss this very topic and named five mega trends that are creating a distinct moment in time for OOH:

1. The Power of Scale: With more than 35,000 assets nationally, oOh!media’s network has the ability to reach audiences, tell stories, create impact, and deliver outcomes at scale.
2. The Rise of Retail Media: Australia’s retail media market is expected to reach $2.6 billion by 2026. To capture this trend, we recently announced the rebranding of our Retail Media offering to reo. This new vision offers an omni-channel solution to help retailers build and monetise their in-store Retail Media Networks.
3. The Fragmentation of Audiences: There is a real shift in the media landscape, bringing challenges but also opportunities for brands to explore innovative ways of storytelling. As traditional media declines and multi-screen consumption rises, brands face challenges in capturing audience attention. OOH remains uniquely effective—unmissable, unblockable, unskippable, and unstoppable—building brand salience in both the short and long term. This trend is expected to continue into 2025.
4. The AI Revolution: This trend represents one of the largest shifts of our lifetimes. Combined with other technological innovations, it will fundamentally change how we work together. For oOh!media, it’s about driving efficiencies across the business to make it easier for our customers to get the most out of the network.
5. Shift to Outcomes: OOH is harnessing technology and data availability to evolve, becoming more targeted, measurable, and impactful. At oOh!, we recently added 200 new audience segments to our data suite, giving brands access to over 1,000 buyergraphic audiences. We work closely with our clients to help them plan strategically placed campaigns to maximise ROI.

Sustainability Initiatives: oOh!media’s Green Vision

BR: Sustainability has been a big focus for oOh!media, with initiatives like the rollout of Ecobanner and your partnership with Greening Australia. Can you talk about the impact of these initiatives and what more can we expect in the coming years?

AM: As a business, we’re always seeking ways to make more sustainable decisions. We’ve implemented low-energy LED lighting wherever possible across our network to reduce energy consumption. Additionally, all of our depots and offices are powered by renewable energy, and more than 12,000 of our advertising panels are powered by renewable sources.

In 2023, we launched Ecobanner, the first recyclable billboard banner in Australia capable of closed-loop recycling, replacing non-recyclable PVC. Furthermore, we’re trialling innovative projects like Living Roofs on our bus shelters, and in 2025 we’ll launch 15 of these in Sydney’s Waverley Council. We are also currently trialling a blackout period between 1am and 4am across a selection of our large format billboards.

What Advertisers Can Expect in 2025

BR: Looking ahead, what are some of the key innovations or changes that advertisers should be excited about in the OOH space for 2025?

AM: The future of OOH is becoming increasingly dynamic. Brands will continue to look at ways they can tell their story in both the physical and online world by tapping into the power of scale, data, and creativity in OOH. As a business, we will continue to work on ways for our clients to maximise ROI by strategically tapping into our network.

I’m personally excited about the potential for advertisers to collaborate with us through our recent contract wins, including Sydney’s Waverley and Northern Beaches, as well as Melbourne Metro, Melbourne’s street furniture, and Eastlink.

3D and Interactive OOH: The Future of Immersive Advertising

BR: oOh!media recently introduced Australia’s first dual large format screens with synchronised 3D capabilities at Martin Place. How do you see these kinds of immersive experiences evolving, and what has been the response so far?

AM: As we like to say, what’s better than one screen? Two! The Martin Place retail precinct is uniquely positioned to offer brands large-format opportunities in Sydney’s CBD. In a first of its kind in Australia, our dual screens with 3D capabilities provide brands with a distinctive way to tell their stories in a high-dwell environment. The response has been phenomenal, with agencies eager to engage with Sydney’s professional audience.

Stay Ahead

The future of OOH advertising is being driven by crucial trends in innovation and sustainability. As brands adapt to these changes, they are finding new ways to engage audiences and enhance their marketing effectiveness. By embracing these insights, businesses can position themselves for success in an increasingly dynamic landscape. To learn how we can help you leverage these trends in your marketing, get in touch with an ADMATICian today.