The 2025 DPAA Video Everywhere Summit brought together some of the brightest voices in digital out-of-home (DOOH) to discuss where the industry is heading and what’s driving its momentum. From the rise of automation and AI to the rapid evolution of retail media networks, speakers across the ecosystem agreed on one thing: OOH is moving faster, becoming smarter, and playing a more central role in omnichannel strategies than ever before.

In conversations recorded at the Broadsign Content Studio, industry leaders shared how data, creativity, and collaboration are reshaping the medium and why now is the time to lean in.

Automation is accelerating everything

Automation was a hot topic at this year’s DPAA. What once felt futuristic is now powering OOH forward, transforming how campaigns are planned, traded, and managed with greater ease and efficiency. Advertisers increasingly expect the same digital speed and flexibility they get from online channels, and automation is helping the medium deliver exactly that. 

For Joy Hines, Director of Programmatic Operations at Broadsign, automation isn’t a single tool but an ecosystem shift that touches every stage of the workflow, from campaign briefing and planning to creative development and reporting. By streamlining the routine, teams are finally able to focus on innovation. “Automation isn’t the future anymore; it’s here, and it’s accelerating innovation across every part of the process,” she says.

As automation takes hold across the industry, it’s raising the bar for collaboration and accountability. Standardized processes and faster execution are closing the gap between planning and performance, allowing OOH to match the speed and precision of digital while preserving its creative strength. Forward-thinking media owners are already leaning in, viewing automation as the bridge that makes OOH accessible to omnichannel buyers seeking simplicity without sacrificing scale.

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AI & data advancements are fueling smarter campaigns

AI has quickly evolved from buzzword to business driver, reshaping how campaigns are planned, optimized, and measured. Across conversations at the DPAA Summit, leaders agreed that the real power of AI lies in its ability to take on the repetitive, manual work so teams can focus on creativity and strategy.

From automating creative resizing to streamlining campaign workflows, AI is helping advertisers move faster while maintaining consistency and quality. It’s becoming the silent engine behind more efficient operations and freeing marketers to spend time where it matters most.

Premesh Purayil, Chief Technology Officer at OUTFRONT, also pointed to the potential of AI-driven agents that can handle transactions and optimize campaigns dynamically. These systems can analyze data in real time, predict outcomes, and automatically adjust targeting or messaging based on performance signals, a shift that’s bringing OOH closer to digital’s level of agility and precision.

“I think the rise of AI and agentic technology is really starting to solve some of the long-standing challenges in out-of-home. Traditionally, it’s been very RFP-based, very manual. Before agentic, the solution would’ve been to just build APIs and make transactions a bit easier. But this gives us a chance to leap past that stage and move toward something more advanced and forward-facing.”

Dynamic creative and personalization continue to drive impact

Creative and personalization have become key focus areas in DOOH, helping brands deliver timely, relevant messages that drive stronger results. Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) is unlocking new possibilities in OOH by tailoring messages to real-world contexts and environments. While many agencies and brands have yet to harness its potential fully, industry leaders expect adoption to accelerate in 2026 as more advertisers see its impact.

“Buyers can sometimes lean out of [DCO] because they’re afraid of what they don’t know. But DSPs, SSPs, and publishers have put in a lot of foundational work over the past several years to make it more possible and easier than ever. There’s so much untapped potential with it,” says Broadsign’s Joy Hines. 

Adam La Marca, Senior Manager, Head of Agency and Client Partnerships at Kinective Media by United Airlines, highlighted a clear shift in how brands approach creative, particularly in travel and experiential environments. “Creative development has really taken off,” he says. “Whether it’s brands exploring AI-driven concepts or investing more in the environments where their ads appear, we’re seeing a much deeper focus on creativity and context. Brands that lean into the traveller mindset and experience see strong results, from brand health and awareness to measurable outcomes. It’s become commerce everywhere, especially within OOH.”

In-store retail media is redefining the shopper experience

As retailers unlock new revenue streams and rethink the shopping experience, in-store retail media is becoming a powerful layer in the commerce journey. Retail spaces are evolving from static aisles into dynamic, data-driven environments where messaging adapts to shoppers in real time.

At the same time, many buyers still underestimate how much first-party retailer data can fuel smarter OOH targeting and measurement. Retail partners can now connect ad exposure to real purchase activity, proving that screens near stores and inside them directly drive outcomes — a major advantage as retail media budgets continue to grow across digital channels.

Alexander Papathomas, CEO at Smartstreet AI, describes the opportunity to turn aisles into digital, interactive experiences: “We can really take advantage of engaging with customers in new ways by layering in AI, data, and more sophisticated tools. It gives us a chance to create a much stronger experience, and that’s a real opportunity we’re excited about.”

This shift mirrors the sophistication of online retail media, with real-time targeting, frequency control, and conversion attribution now applied in-store, giving brands confidence that their spend is measurable.

“Retailers are realizing they’re sitting on a treasure of data, and they’re trying to monetize it,” says Hammad Benjelloun, CEO & Co-Founder of AiOO. “If we want DOOH, and especially retail media, to catch up on advertising spend, we need retailers and media buyers to adopt technologies that enable real-time audience targeting, campaign performance measurement, and conversion attribution.”

Looking ahead

As OOH heads into 2026, the focus is shifting from access to advancement. Programmatic has made buying easier; now it’s about using it smarter by combining data, automation, and creativity to drive real results. That progress depends on closer collaboration across teams and channels, with OOH becoming part of a connected storytelling ecosystem alongside programmatic and video.

This more integrated approach boosts creative impact and positions OOH as a performance-driven part of the digital mix. If 2025 showed that OOH can keep up with digital, 2026 will be the year it leads the way.

Looking to elevate your DOOH strategy in 2026? Contact us to get started.