Product News | October 11, 2021

The recipe for a great DOOH campaign

“Tell an amazing story.”
To get people engaged, and to give your campaign another life, Ric Albert, creative director at Grand Visual, thinks a solid story is a must. This is how a piece of digital out-of-home content goes from a simple advertisement to having a true impact on people’s lives.
Ric took part in our Broadsign Summit Creative Panel this year at ISE, along with Keith Nilsen from voodooh, and Oskar Op de Beke from Kinetic Worldwide, to chat about how creativity and dynamic content are the building blocks of a successful digital out-of-home campaign. If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to watch the panel, and check out our Q&A with Ric below, where we pick his brain to see why he thinks is a creative DOOH campaign is important for brands to tell their stories.

Q&A with Ric Albert

Why should a brand add DOOH to their marketing mix?

Digital out-of-home has a different type of reach than any other medium at the moment. With digital signage, we’re able to create real-life experiences and interactions that aren’t quite possible in the world of print and online. Out-of-home can evoke emotions and can add contextuality and relevancy, much of which is lost with other channels.
Digital out-of-home is still a fairly new medium and is showing impressive growth. It’s less saturated than other media channels and has yet to encounter the same ad-blindness and scroll-past effect that online channels are currently struggling with. Out-of-home is a great tool to cut through ad clutter and is a smart addition to a multi-channel campaign.

What is the recipe for a great digital out-of-home campaign?

There is one main ingredient for a DOOH campaign to be amazing, and that’s a great creative concept. The technology or anything else involved in the campaign is merely a tool to build a story that will truly engage the audience. They are what help the story come to life.
At Grand Visual, we craft stories that lead to a valuable end-experience for the user, and that’s whether we’re working on a campaign for a few people walking by or a group of people gathered in Times Square. No matter the screen, the goal is to create something that the audience wants to interact with.
We often see DOOH campaigns that are too focused on the tech aspect, not really thinking about how the creative concept will fit in. For a campaign to be a success, you need to first consider the story that needs to be told. Then you need to think of how the technology will bring you there.
Now once you have your story settled, another ingredient necessary for a successful campaign is collaboration between all different media partners. This can be a large list, from screen media owners to in-house creative agencies to developers, so it is important to select partners that are all aligned with the campaign vision.
The best campaigns are those where you don’t necessarily notice how it’s built or why it’s built – they just leave you with a smooth, creative and interactive campaign. And if you have a campaign that engages people, you’ve done what you needed to do.

How do brands determine the goal of their digital out-of-home campaign?

As with any channel that doesn’t provide a clickable link, having purely quantitative numerical results can be a bit difficult with digital out-of-home. While the launch of a campaign can definitely be correlated to values like sales uplift, an increase in store foot traffic or website visits, it’s also important to have goals based on how successful the campaign was at storytelling or audience engagement.
As one of the media channels showing the most growth, brands clearly understand the value DOOH brings. With its reach and storytelling potential, DOOH is particularly strong for brand awareness and retention campaigns.
Of course, campaign goals have an impact on the type of story you want to tell with a DOOH campaign. Do you want to use your DOOH campaign to create social media buzz? Do you want participants to interact with the screen in the moment? Do you want to amplify a multi-channel campaign? These will all influence the storytelling approach you take.
The main thing brands need to do here is work closely with their DOOH creative agency or team to determine the appropriate messaging for their needs. DOOH is definitely not one size fits all and each campaign should be unique in its strategy and resulting campaign creative.

How does digital out-of-home work in a multichannel campaign?

What’s interesting about DOOH is that it can be a bit of a chicken and the egg situation. Which comes first? A great DOOH campaign that gets shared on social media or makes the news? Or a cool social campaign that drives dynamic DOOH content?
At Grand Visual, we’ve worked on campaigns from both of these angles. Whether we’re creating an original piece for DOOH, or working with existing content from TV or online, the key here is to make sure messaging is consistent across all channels, but at the same time tailoring it for DOOH.

What are some of your favorite digital out-of-home campaigns?

I love campaigns that can evoke a reaction or some sort of emotion. As an industry, we should collaborate and celebrate everyone who pushes the creative limits of the medium, from media owners to tech platforms to creative agencies.
One of my favourite campaigns in the last year was by Spotify. The campaign was dynamic, clever and used user-generated data.l. They were able to create a story that was completely localized in each country, and delivered to DOOH screens around the world ensuring a global impact.

I also loved the campaign for Spider-Man, Into the Spider-Verse, where visitors at Times Square were able to transport themselves into the movie’s animation style in real-time. There’s something so exciting about thousands of people interacting with a campaign. An advertisement that really becomes part of someone’s life is one that truly has strength.

About Ric

Ric Albert is the Creative Director of Grand Visual, an award-winning production and creative technology company that is driving dramatic evolution across the Digital Out of Home Landscape.
Ric has been the driving creative force behind many of Grand Visual’s ‘Media First’ campaigns which have gone on to win Cannes Lions, D&AD’s and Creative Circle awards. Ric has directed AR tigers along London’s Oxford Street for Pepsi, orchestrated a dance-off with Mickey Mouse for Disney Parks, ensured the Oreo eclipse was the stand-out celestial event of the year and delivered large-scale Digital Out of Home campaigns for over 45 Warner Bros. films globally.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Cotswold Outdoor Group Expands Retail Media Strategy to In-Store with Broadsign and IUF

Exterior view of a Cotswold Outdoor store in a shopping centre, featuring a large digital display in the storefront showing an outdoor campaign.

Collaboration delivers scalable display network infrastructure, creating new omnichannel opportunities for advertisers and driving measurable results

MONTREAL – (October 6, 2026) – Retail media technology provider Broadsign and in-store media integrator IUF announced a collaboration with UK retailer, Cotswold Outdoor Group, to expand its retail media network (RMN) with a new scalable in-store advertising infrastructure. The upgrade provides a unified workflow that streamlines media planning, management, and measurement in-store and across onsite and offsite channels. It enables Cotswold’s brand partners to seamlessly execute omnichannel ad campaigns that engage shoppers at the point of purchase and beyond.

Broadsign, Cotswold Outdoor Group, and IUF designed the network with long-term growth in mind. It presently includes 149 till, shelf, totem, large format, and front-of-store displays across 23 stores, which are powered by the Broadsign Platform (specifically the Broadsign CMS and Ad Server) and support a range of media.

The Broadsign Platform is helping to streamline operations and centralize content management and network health monitoring. The technology is also advancing screen monetization opportunities by scheduling ads, automating yield, and balancing complex campaign rules to help Cotswold Outdoor Group capture optimal revenue. With IUF’s ongoing deployment and support, the infrastructure allows the retailer to manage and scale in-store media operations efficiently while maintaining a reliable shopper and advertiser experience.

Through Broadsign’s omnichannel integration with Zitcha, Cotswold Outdoor Group’s retail media platform, brand partners, and agencies can easily extend omnichannel strategies into the physical store environment. The network is already delivering measurable results for participating brands, like HOKA, ASICS, and Nike. Most recently, a targeted HOKA campaign combining onsite and in-store media placements delivered a 13 percent lift in units sold per store, demonstrating the value of reaching shoppers at multiple touchpoints on the path to purchase.

In-store shoe display featuring running footwear from HOKA, ASICS, New Balance and other brands, with a digital screen showing a HOKA advertising campaign.

“At Cotswold Outdoor Group, we’re passionate about helping people get closer to the outdoors — and that starts with creating inspiring moments. Our brand partners are a big part of that journey, and this collaboration with Broadsign and IUF offers a powerful new way to connect with our customers in-store, alongside our onsite and offsite media channels,” explained Mary Antieul, Head of Commercial, Cotswold Outdoor Group. “It means we can bring the right messages to shoppers at the right moment, with less friction for brands and a more connected experience for customers. The early results have been really encouraging, and we’re excited to build on that momentum as we expand the network and explore future programmatic opportunities.”

“Retail media is evolving fast, and partnering with IUF, we’ve delivered an in-store media infrastructure for Cotswold that can scale rapidly. Together, we’ve designed a network that makes it easy for its team to add, manage, control, and monetize new screens and integrate programmatic trading capabilities down the line,” explained Frank Vallenga, Vice President, Platform Sales, EMEA and SEA, Broadsign. “By leveraging our integration with Zitcha, Cotswold has been able to connect audiences across their various retail media channels, which is a challenge many retailers have yet to solve.”

“This project went from tender to a live network generating revenue within twelve weeks which demonstrates the expertise of all of the technical partners involved,” said Josh Bunce, CEO, IUF. “Together we were able to deliver a cohesive customer journey so that Cotswold Outdoor Group can maximize its in-store retail proposition today but also ensure that it can scale easily into the future. The in-store channel is proving to be a competitive differentiator when advertisers start mapping out budgets with brands already seeing impressive results from the in-store activations.”

About Broadsign

Broadsign develops the leading global platform for managing and monetizing out-of-home (OOH) media. The company, which also operates Place Exchange by Broadsign, the largest independent SSP for Digital OOH, empowers media owners, media buyers, and retailers to harness the power and reach of out-of-home to connect with audiences in ways unlike any other advertising channel. More than 2.8 million static and digital signs along roadways and in airports, shopping malls, grocery and convenience stores, health clinics, transit systems, and more run on Broadsign.

About IUF

Making spaces perform, IUF is a leading technology solutions partner that delivers seamless, future-ready digital solutions across retail, stadiums, transport, DOOH, live events, attractions, workplaces and more. IUF designs, delivers and manages end-to-end digital signage, experiential and large-scale LED, transforming physical environments into intelligent, revenue-driving destinations. Founded in 2008 in Bristol UK, IUF is now active in over 30 countries.

Product News | October 11, 2021

A conversation with JB Hi-Fi: Why the future of in-store retail media is hyperphysical

Panel discussion at Mumbrella REmade 2026, with five speakers seated on stage in front of a blue REmade backdrop.

In-store retail media is moving beyond screens.

At Mumbrella’s REmade event in Australia this month, Broadsign joined JB Hi-Fi, a leading Australian consumer electronics retailer, Retail Media Works, a retail media consultancy, and Criteo, a global commerce media company, on stage to unpack what it takes to build a retail media network that connects the physical store with the wider shopper journey.

With more than 200 stores forming its retail media network, JB Hi-Fi is taking a distinctly “hyperphysical” approach, exploring how its stores can create value for shoppers, suppliers and advertisers while staying true to the experience that makes the retailer unique.

The conversation offered a look at where in-store retail media is heading, and more importantly, what retailers need to consider as they build and grow their networks.

Start with the shopper

For JB Hi-Fi, retail media starts with the store itself. Scott Browning, General Manager, Strategy & Insights at JB Hi-Fi, spoke about the role the physical store has always played in the brand and the importance of keeping the customer experience at the centre of its retail media strategy.

“The store has always been the face of the brand. The website is actually the hidden face of the brand because you actually don’t see it in the real world until you arrive.”

That perspective is central to how JB Hi-Fi approaches retail media. The opportunity isn’t simply to add advertising to an existing retail environment. It is to understand how media can work within that environment in a way that feels natural to the shopper and stays true to the brand.

As Scott put it: “The way in which we position our brand, the way in which JB Hi-Fi is famous for what it does, we have to make sure that authenticity still comes through.”

That means thinking about the store as more than a collection of screens. It is a physical environment with its own customer journey, context and moments where media can add value. For JB Hi-Fi, retail media needs to build on that experience, not compete with it.

The screen is only the starting point

One of the key themes from the discussion was that creating an in-store media network requires more than installing digital screens. As Ben Allman, VP Platform Sales at Broadsign, explained, the physical screen itself doesn’t necessarily need to change. What changes is what happens behind it.

For a retailer operating hundreds of stores, that means having the infrastructure to manage inventory, campaigns, priorities and reporting across the network, while also being able to tailor content and campaigns to different locations and audiences. All while supporting the day-to-day needs of the retail business.

For JB Hi-Fi, the Broadsign Platform provides the technology to manage its in-store media environment across more than 200 stores. This allows the retailer to build on its existing digital footprint and bring those screens into a broader retail media network, rather than treating retail media as a completely separate business.

Measurement is key to making in-store a media channel

Another major theme of the conversation was measurement. As in-store media continues to grow, retailers need to give advertisers greater visibility into what they’re buying and how their campaigns deliver. That means bringing more accountability and measurability that advertisers expect from other media channels into the physical store.

The panel discussed the opportunity to make the store increasingly behave like a digital environment from a measurement perspective, while recognizing that measuring physical environments comes with its own considerations.

For JB Hi-Fi, this is part of building a network that can offer meaningful value to suppliers and advertisers while creating a better understanding of how media performs within the shopping environment.

Retail media goes beyond digital screens

The conversation also expanded beyond digital signage. Static placements, physical store assets, sponsored search, online channels and off-site media can all play a role in the broader retail media ecosystem.

That creates an important opportunity for retailers: rather than defining their media network around a particular format, they can think about how different touchpoints work together across the shopper journey.

For JB Hi-Fi, its physical footprint is a significant part of that opportunity. The store can work alongside digital channels to create a more connected experience for shoppers and more opportunities for brands to engage them.

Build, test and learn

Perhaps one of the most practical takeaways from the discussion was that retail media networks don’t need to be built perfectly from day one.

The panel spoke about the importance of testing, learning what works in the physical environment and evolving the offering based on shopper and advertiser needs. That mindset is particularly important as retailers continue to establish what in-store retail media looks like within their own businesses. Every store environment is different, and the most effective approach needs to reflect the retailer, its shoppers and its commercial model.

JB Hi-Fi’s approach is a strong example of this in action: taking an established physical network and building the media capabilities around it, while continuing to learn and evolve.

Looking ahead to the next phase of in-store retail media

The conversation at REmade made one thing clear: the future of retail media isn’t about choosing between physical and digital. It’s about connecting the two.

JB Hi-Fi is showing what that can look like in practice by bringing its physical stores into a broader retail media strategy, while keeping the shopper experience at the centre.

For Broadsign, we’re proud to support that journey by providing the technology infrastructure behind JB Hi-Fi’s in-store network and helping bring its vision for retail media to life across its stores.

Interested in turning your in-store environment into a measurable media channel? Connect with our team to see how Broadsign helps retailers grow their in-store media networks while keeping the shopper experience front and centre.