signage Issue 3, Volume 1 | Page 9

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 As we've proven by our research and in our campaigns, OOH is an accelerator of digital advertising of all types. That's because OOH drives people to search, interact, and transact with brands on their mobile devices, out in the real world, right then and there. As an industry, we have to get this story out more forcefully. When we do, advertisers will see greater value in OOH. We need to show them the essential role OOH plays in multiplying the effectiveness of digital . We can prove that OOH is the medium most often shared by consumers. It generates more tweets and reviews, move “likes” and posts on Facebook and other platforms, than any other advertising form. And we can prove that OOH is by far the most efficient and effective driver in the real world of clicks in the digital world. But if we are really going to take our shot, we need to do more . We need to convert and build more digital OOH displays. But digital displays aren't all we need. We also have to connect printed OOH displays to digital – with calls to action driving consumers to engage or transact with specific websites or social media channels. Every OOH company, whatever its size or shape is going to need to ramp up both its digital strategy and its digital investment. And, as always, OAAA is here to help pave the way through education, research, standards, and communications. The second step is a familiar one, but that doesn't make it any less challenging: we have to improve our customer experience by making OOH easier to plan, buy and measure. For years, we've heard advertisers say that OOH can be difficult to use – that it can be hard to buy. We've heard that OOH planning tools aren't on the desktop and that OOH is sometimes ignored by advertisers because it's so different. I can't tell you how many times I've heard the phrase: “There's got to be a better way!” an industry may be the most revolutionary idea of all: make the most of the power of data. Many of the leading minds in OOH believe that data is our industry's single biggest opportunity. Well, think about it. New capabilities in how we collect, process, and analyze data will allow us to understand, segment, and target OOH audiences with a lot more precision; let us engage consumers with more relevant messages; and let us measure OOH's return on investment like never before. And, here's the thing, we can do it all while protecting the privacy of consumers. For our advertisers and for the OOH industry, data is a transformational opportunity. Re c e n t l y, s e ve ra l c o m p a n i e s h ave announced the launch of new products and services, which when coupled with data and analytics platforms, promise to provide information that extends beyond basic audience measurement. These new capabilities have the power to improve, and improve significantly, the effectiveness of OOH campaigns. And they'll be able to prove it. Better audience information and tailored demographics will allow us to target audiences like never before, and thanks to insights we gain through data ana