However, measuring the return on investment (ROI) of OOH campaigns has historically presented challenges due to limited data availability and the inability to track audience engagement in near real-time.

In this article, we will explore how advancements in OOH monitoring and audit methodologies are revolutionizing the way advertisers measure ROI and optimize their campaigns.

The Evolution of OOH Monitoring and Audit:

Traditionally, measuring the effectiveness of OOH advertising relied heavily on manual processes and outdated metrics such as impressions and circulation numbers.

However, with the advent of digital technologies and data analytics, advertisers now have access to a wealth of real-time data that can provide deeper insights into campaign performance.

OOH monitoring involves the use of advanced technologies such as PosterTrack (a proprietary tool by TMKG Consulting), GPS tracking, beacon technology, and computer vision to track the placement and performance of OOH ads in the physical world.

By leveraging these technologies, advertisers can gain visibility into metrics such as ad exposure, compliance, and estimated engagement levels.

Similarly, an OOH audit refers to the process of verifying that OOH campaigns are executed as planned and comply with industry regulations and best practices. Auditing involves physical inspections of OOH placements, as well as the analysis of data collected through monitoring technologies.

Measuring ROI with Precision:

One of the key benefits of OOH monitoring and auditing is the ability to measure ROI with greater precision.

By tracking ad exposure and audience engagement (still a grey area) in near real-time, advertisers can accurately assess the impact of their OOH campaigns on brand awareness, consideration, and purchase intent.

For example, by analyzing data collected from GPS trackers and mobile devices, advertisers can determine the exact number of people who were exposed to an OOH ad and whether they subsequently visited a nearby store or website.

Similarly, computer vision technology can provide insights into audience demographics and behavior, allowing advertisers to tailor their messaging and creative assets to specific audience segments.

Optimizing Campaign Performance:

In addition to measuring ROI, OOH monitoring and auditing also enable advertisers to optimize their campaigns in near real-time.

By identifying underperforming ad placements or creative elements, advertisers can make data-driven adjustments to improve campaign effectiveness and maximize ROI.

For instance, if data analysis reveals that a particular OOHplacement is not generating the expected level of engagement, advertisers can quickly reallocate the budget to more effective placements or adjust the creative content to better resonate with the target audience.

In conclusion, OOHmonitoring and auditing are revolutionizing the way advertisers measure ROI and optimize their campaigns.

By leveraging advanced technologies and near real-time data analytics, advertisers can gain deeper insights into campaign performance, accurately measure ROI, and make data-driven adjustments to maximize the effectiveness of their OOH advertising efforts.

As the OOHadvertising landscape continues to evolve, investing in robust monitoring and audit strategies will be essential for advertisers looking to stay ahead of the curve and drive tangible business results.

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Philip Odiakose is the Chief Media Analyst and Managing Consultant at P+ Measurement Services and TMKG Consulting, members of the Media Monitoring and Audit Group (MMAG). Both agencies are members of AMEC and PAMRO

And with the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies, that speculation is more relevant than ever.

Will tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot eventually become so sophisticated that they replace copywriters, designers, and illustrators as some have predicted? And even if they don’t, how will they change the skills required for those positions?

Outside of those specific roles what skills will be most useful in the future, particularly as digital and physical world advertising become increasingly integrated?

While it would be foolish to make hard and fast predictions, especially for an industry that moves as fast as advertising does, there are a few emergent trends that give us a good idea of where it’s going.

Those already working in the sector, or aiming to do so, would do well to look at these trends and understand how they might impact their career trajectories.

Even in an AI world, authenticity still matters

At the start of 2023, numerous headlines were describing how AI tools could easily replace creatives, especially as they become increasingly sophisticated.

As the year has progressed, it’s become clear that the picture’s nowhere near that simple.

A research paper released in July, for instance, showed that the quality of answers from ChatGPT was nowhere near perfect, and its creators explicitly highlighted the probability of “AI hallucinations” e.g the generation of incorrect or misleading results.It’s also notable that “authentic” was the US dictionary Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2023.

This not only suggests that AI tools may take more time to reach maturity than many thought but also that, even as the technology advances, people still crave authentic experiences. That includes the adverts they’re exposed to daily.

None of this, of course, is to say that AI tools can’t be helpful to creatives. They can be. But making full use of them requires people to build up new skills. You have to know what prompts will give you the output you want, for instance.

Creatives won’t be the only ones who need to develop AI-based skills either. With AI also playing an increasingly important role in things like audience segmentation, ad placement optimisation, and performance analytics, anyone working in those areas will also have to build up their AI skills.

The ongoing integration of physical and digital worlds

A true metaverse, whereby the virtual and physical worlds integrate seamlessly,  is still being worked on by tech giants, and the integration of AI will take a huge load off the shoulders of human developers.

There are few areas where that integration is more visible and more relevant than in advertising. Whether it’s a point-of-sale activation that requires people to scan a QR code for a discount or a full-blown augmented reality (AR) campaign, advertising is increasingly at the forefront of showing what’s possible when it comes to the unification of the physical and digital worlds.

That doesn’t only mean in-house marketing teams need to break down the silos between different specialties, it also means that even the out-of-home (OOH) agencies responsible for things like billboards will have to up their digital skills. Digital-first agencies, meanwhile, will have to look at how they can broaden their physical advertising capabilities.

In the face of this kind of unification, those with the skill sets needed to bring these two worlds together will be in high demand. With that in mind, advertising professionals on either side of the divide would do well to grow their physical or digital skills.

Adaptability is everything

What the above two trends show is how important adaptability is in advertising. It’s a fast-moving field where things change all the time.

The skills that you have in the industry might not be the ones that keep you growing within it. As such, workers don’t only need to be aware of industry trends but how they might affect them in the future.

Those workers also need to be able to access resources that can help them build up the skills necessary to ride those shifts. It’s something that we’re profoundly aware of at Aleph and is one of the reasons why we launched our Digital Ad Expert platform.

Make no mistake, these shifts won’t be any slower in African markets either. In fact, as the continent continues to experience rapid jumps in connectivity, the continent could leapfrog the rest of the world and set the tone for the future of advertising.

Anyone in the industry or looking to get it into it needs to be ready.