Month: November 2020

Product News | October 11, 2021

Managing programmatic yield with Broadsign Reach

Managing network yield is a perennial issue, a nut that owners are anxious to crack in order to maximize inventory revenue. We know that transacting programmatic in an open bidding process, rather than just sticking with private deals, is one big step to take. What else?

Our Broadsign Reach product owner, Matthew Mercuri, laid out the process in a recent talk. Have a watch, or else read on for the details below.

Step 1: Ask yourself these questions

Before making any moves to upgrade your network or make significant changes to your programmatic strategy, it’s important to take stock of where things stand. Ask yourself a few questions to get a better picture of the current state of your business. Better still, write the answers down in a document you can reference in the future.

Why do buyers purchase my screens?

If you’re selling media on your network (and we’ll presume that you are), it’s because you’re meeting somebody’s needs. Who are they? Are you appealing primarily to buyers in a particular industry – healthcare, automotive, technology – or to buyers with broad target audiences? And what is it about your screens that makes them desirable to your buyers

Don’t just go with your gut – check your actual sales numbers. It’s possible you’ll be surprised by what you uncover.

What’s my fill rate?

Depending on your fill rate, you’ll want to approach developing your programmatic business a little differently. Is your fill rate a stone’s throw from 100%, or is it hanging out closer to 50%, or even lower? Take a note. We’ll have tailored advice for your specific position down below.

How do I price my non-programmatic deals?

Pricing can already be a complex thing in direct sales, and programmatic has the potential to make things a little more complicated just by its nature. That’s why it’s important to lay out exactly how you price your non-programmatic inventory and use that as kind of a guideline for what comes next.

What is your floor price? What are your CPM rates? What are some other factors that might influence your pricing? This is a critical question, so make sure you spend some time thinking about it.

Who is part of my audience?

One of the core concepts behind programmatic is that it allows the buyer to target audiences rather than just screens. For buyers, it’s a chance to reduce “wasted” spend on unintended audiences. For sellers, it presents an opportunity to charge a slight premium for a more targeted buy. Everybody wins.

Who sees your screens? Does it vary substantially by location, time of day, or other factors? Take the time to determine who your network reaches.

Understanding your audience is a key element of identifying the strengths of your network

Step 2: Go for the “easy yield money”

Quick wins are a great way to build some momentum and start making the best use of your inventory sooner. To help you achieve a few of these, we’ve identified some of the key areas that publishers can quickly improve to bring in more revenue.

Speed up your content approval process

Through the first three quarters of 2020, more than 83 million loss notifications were fired in Broadsign Reach. These notifications are indicators to the DSP of why it is losing a bid, and had just half of them actually been successful bids, each publisher could have made an additional $12,000. Not a huge amount, but every little bit helps.

Close to 40% of all these loss notifications came because the creative was not approved, and with an average time to approval of about 5 hours and 30 minutes, that’s no surprise. Buyers may just shift their bids to a different screen where the creative is approved, just to get their ad out there. These typically won’t be your screens.

The way to staunch this bleeding is to lower your approval times. This can can done by setting up auto-approval for trusted DSPs, seats, or advertisers, allowing certain types of media to be auto-approved, or even auto-approving any creative that your team doesn’t review within a certain time frame.

These can be pretty significant actions to take, but they can also make a big difference in driving down content approval time. Only adopt any measures you are comfortable with having on your network.

Finding ways to peed up your content approval can help you snag more deals

Use your screen’s fill rate to inform programmatic strategy

Your fill rate is a great, simple tool to gauge current supply and demand for your network, so be sure to use it to guide your next steps in programmatic.

If a screen’s fill rate is over 80%, it’s a good sign that you’d benefit from increasing programmatic supply to take advantage of demand. Alternatively, you might think about raising floor prices to capitalize on that demand instead.

On the flip side, if a screen’s fill rate is consistently below 50%, it’s probably time to consider reducing programmatic supply, or else dropping floor prices. Just be sure to keep your programmatic floor price at or above the same level as your direct floor pricing, or else you risk significantly devaluing your inventory.

Step 3: Take a look at bid range and adjust if needed

By and large, DSPs want to pay the lowest price possible, and they’ll use strategies like bid shading to arrive at a cheap, accurate price for a given bid. Our own Campsite DSP is an example of one DSP that employs this strategy.

If the bid ranges are small, you have a good opportunity to move your deal floors higher. The algorithms should follow your pricing up quite easily.

Alternatively, if your bid ranges and bid density are wide, you’ll need to be a bit more careful about moving floors. Moving the floor upwards could price some of the buyers on the lower end out of the inventory, ultimately reducing density and CPM both.

Review your bid ranges and ensure they’re set to maximize the value of your inventory

Step 4: Make use of the waterfall

Smart automation is key to success in programmatic, and the waterfall is a great way to use automation to your advantage. The waterfall allows you to assign different levels of priority to different kinds of deals, and then give preferential access to programmatic inventory based on the types of deals “competing” for a slot. For example, you might have a lucrative private marketplace deal targeting specific screens set to your top priority level, followed by slightly less lucrative private deal targeting all screens, and then maybe a relatively low-CPM open auction deal targeting remnant screens at the bottom of your waterfall.

Right now, about 70% of all publishers in Broadsign Reach only use one type of deal for their programmatic transactions. Nobody in Reach is using the waterfall just yet.

It’s a big missed opportunity. In addition to establishing general rules for what should constitute P1, P2, etc. deals in Broadsign Reach, you can also create parameters to promote different kinds of deals over the others if it is to your advantage to do so. For instance, a P1 PMP deal might be worth a guaranteed $80,000, but if you’re presented with a P2 private programmatic offer valued over $100,000, that P2 deal can automatically be promoted to top priority.

Take the time to communicate with buyers to make sure they understand what is possible. Ideally, you should tailor your offerings to your buyers’ preferences and needs, and find creative ways to price your media to everyone’s mutual benefit. It will maximize the value of your inventory and keep your buyers coming back for more.

Work with buyers to find creative pricing arrangements that work for everyone

Step 5: Act Like a DSP

DSPs are useful for picking out good screens and then triggering a transaction whenever the conditions a buyer is looking for are met. If a DSP is unable to do this job for a given transaction and you step up, that’s added value that should be accounted for when pricing the deal.

Broadsign Control’s preemptible slots, which allow ad spots to appear within a loop under specified conditions, are a good example of a tool that can help you deliver on the kind of targeting a DSP would offer. Additionally, you could sell by data signals like the presence of analytics technology, information about visibility based on where screens are compared to the direction of the sun at a given time, or just the specific venues a buyer might want to reach.

These kinds of offerings are the kinds of things that buyers crave. If you opt to offer them up, you can charge a premium on your inventory for doing so.

Give buyers additional tools for reaching their audience and you can charge a premium

Step 6: Get DSPs to support features that enhance your business

There are a bunch of features within Broadsign Reach that can make life easier and more lucrative for your business. Trouble is, not all DSPs have adopted them on their side. By taking some time to convince them to onboard some of our APIs, you can unlock hidden value in your programmatic business.

Here’s a look at some of the benefits that can be realized:

  • Publisher API: DSPs that use this API include 40% more publishers in their campaigns, dispersing money more evenly
  • Screens API: Leads to a 12% higher CPM floor vs DSPs who don’t use the API
  • Audience API: Offers a 20-30% greater likelihood of the DSP hitting the original spend goal
  • Deals API: Creates a 35-40% higher change of a campaign activating on time

Communicating the value of these integrations is an ongoing process for us at Broadsign, and a little help never hurts. If you’re interested in realizing these types of benefits through your DSP, talk to them and help convince them to bring all of our features to life. There’s a lot to be gained in doing so.

Looking to get a great start transacting DOOH programmatically?

Request a free demo to see how Broadsign Reach can help!

Product News | October 11, 2021

How BMW Sweden’s first programmatic digital out-of-home campaign drove a 68% increase in dealership visits

German-based automotive brand BMW, known for its luxury vehicles and commitment to innovation, launched its first programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH) campaign in Sweden. The initiative was a strategic move to elevate the brand’s presence in this priority market and drive measurable results for its plug-in hybrid BMW 330e Touring.

Objective

The campaign aimed to boost awareness of BMW’s limited-time leasing offer while driving foot traffic to 29 dealerships across Sweden. To measure the campaign’s effectiveness on KPIs like ad recall, brand preference, attribution, brand image and action, a comprehensive brand lift study was conducted in collaboration with Broadsign and Happydemics. Additionally, a foot traffic attribution study, executed in partnership with Broadsign and Spotzi, provided insights into the uplift in showroom visits directly attributable to the campaign.

Strategy 

Screens were strategically activated in high-traffic malls, subways, and urban panels near BMW dealerships, maximizing visibility among professionals likely to visit the showrooms. Orchestrated by Mediaplus, the campaign seamlessly integrated DOOH ads via Broadsign’s SSP and Vistar Media DSP, unlocking access to premium Clear Channel Sweden inventory. Mediaplus’ expertise in planning and execution, combined with Broadsign and Vistar Media’s advanced technology for targeting and optimization, ensured the campaign delivered maximum reach and meaningful engagement across key locations. 

Results 

To assess the campaign’s impact on brand metrics, a brand lift study was conducted in partnership with Broadsign and Happydemics, focusing on key brand metrics. Audiences within a viewable area near campaign screens were surveyed, with uplift measured by comparing responses from non-ad-recallers (control group) and ad-recallers (exposed group). 

Boost in brand preference

The campaign significantly boosted brand preference, delivering a 156% uplift when comparing ad recallers to non-recallers. Overall, 41% of those who recalled the ads indicated a preference for BMW over its key competitors, highlighting the campaign’s effectiveness in swaying consumer opinion.

Powerful ad recall 

The strategic placement of ads in malls, subways and urban panels resulted in repeated exposure, leaving a lasting impression on the target audience. The campaign achieved 6.9M impressions and 4.5M ad plays, with 53% of ad recallers reporting that they saw the ad multiple times, reinforcing the message and enhancing brand recognition.

Significant Brand Attribution

BMW’s strong visual identity played a crucial role in the campaign’s success, with 61% of ad recallers correctly attributing the ad to the brand. The campaign’s impact was further underscored by an 11% uplift in attribution, demonstrating the ads’ ability to capture and retain consumer attention. These attribution results ranked in the top 15% worldwide for Automotive DOOH campaigns measured by Happydemics. 

Big Impact on positive brand image 

The campaign successfully shifted ambivalent perceptions, with a notable decrease of 28% among neutral consumers. 48% of ad recallers now hold a positive or very positive impression of the brand — a 188% uplift. According to Happydemics, the campaign ranked in the top 10% for brand image uplift among DOOH campaigns in the Automotive category. 

Inspired consumer action 

Beyond raising brand awareness, 55% of ad-recallers intended to take action on what they saw, representing a 450% uplift. Specifically, 17% of ad recallers expressed intent to purchase BMW products, while 15% planned to look up reviews, showcasing the campaign’s effectiveness in driving both interest and intent.

DOOH drove customers to dealerships

A foot traffic study was conducted in collaboration with Broadsign and Spotzi to measure the impact of the campaign on dealership visitation. An exposure radius was applied to collect a sample of mobile devices exposed to the DOOH ads that subsequently appeared in a BMW dealership location.

The campaign led to a 68% increase in visits to BMW dealerships among exposed consumers, with about half of the visits occurring the day after exposure and the remainder within 10 days. 

Nearly every dealership measured saw a rise in foot traffic, demonstrating the campaign’s powerful influence on consumer behaviour. While larger, high-traffic dealerships experienced the most significant gains, several mid- and lower-volume locations rose to the top. Moreover, DOOH assets closest to dealerships had the strongest impact. The campaign’s success was evident across the dealership network, highlighting programmatic DOOH’s ability to deliver consistent results in multiple regions. 

Want the campaign highlights? Check out the infographic below.


Product News | October 11, 2021

Out-of-Home in 2025: Advertising trends to watch from industry experts

Following a record-breaking third quarter, out-of-advertising (OOH) is projected to grow by over 5% in 2025, according to MAGNA—setting the stage for an exciting year ahead. This year’s DPAA Video Everywhere Global Summit offered an exciting glimpse into the trends shaping the industry’s growth. We had the chance to connect with key voices from brands, agencies, data partners, media owners, and more to hear their insights firsthand.

From new tech, data-driven insights, and programmatic innovations, here’s a look at the big themes to watch as OOH prepares to make a major splash over the next twelve months. 

Programmatic DOOH will continue to expand opportunities for advertisers and media owners

With a surge of new players and creative formats, OOH advertising is becoming more versatile and innovative than ever. Programmatic digital OOH (pDOOH) technology is largely to thank for this, streamlining advertisers’ entry into the space by enabling more targeted, data-driven campaigns. 

Adam Malone, President & Co-Founder of Screenverse, predicts a significant shift for media owners in the pDOOH space in 2025. “Nowadays, media owners can activate 10, 15, 20 screens in a market with a lot of demand. With access to programmatic exchanges, they can monetize those first screens immediately. This will drive significant opportunities over the next three to five years, with many niche players emerging across specific venue types. Programmatic will continue to be a massive driver of opportunity for the media owners, but also an important access point for advertisers and agencies so that they can come in and experience the power of digital out-of-home,” says Malone. 

With momentum continuing to build in pDOOH, advertisers are spotting new ways to bridge DOOH with channels like connected TV (CTV), a medium expected to see further growth in 2025. Strengthening the synergy between these channels will be a key trend as the industry works to unlock its full potential together. “We’ve seen consistent growth throughout 2024,” says Mary Perrella, VP of Media and Marketing at Vengo Labs, “We’ll likely see OOH play a bigger role in amplifying CTV’s reach by extending campaigns into physical spaces, helping brands deliver cohesive messaging across in-home and out-of-home screens.”

The gap between online and offline attribution is narrowing

Ali Broback, Chief Client Officer and Partner at ODN agency, emphasizes that while tracking outcomes like app downloads or web traffic is straightforward for advertisers, the next important step is to accurately measure OOH efficacy, “Brands and agencies understand that attribution is now a part of the OOH industry. It’s easy to prove app downloads or web lifts, but what will be exciting next year is seeing how we can track actual impressions delivered at the end of a campaign instead of banking on what was projected,” she comments.

Remco Dolman, CEO and founder of Spotzi agrees, highlighting the need for OOH to mirror the audience-targeting capabilities of online advertising. “There’s a wealth of data available—foot traffic, car data, and more—and we can collaborate with brands and retailers to access their data as well,” he says. “With CTV, out-of-home is becoming less siloed. We’re now able to measure two verticals in a more unified way, and I believe we’ll see a similar integration between OOH and online media in the future.”

Jonathan Mark, Managing Director of USA & Canada at Worldcom OOH, is equally optimistic about how data is transforming DOOH targeting. “We’re getting closer to making that one-on-one connection in OOH. If you look at over-the-top media (OTT), it’s about reaching specific households. OOH is getting better at leveraging data to improve targeting, like pinpointing where and how to connect with consumers at the moment of impact.”

Sustainability in media continues to be a growing priority, especially among advertisers

Sustainability is now a focal point in the media industry, reflecting a shift towards innovative products and solutions that prioritize environmental responsibility. As part of this movement, agencies are actively exploring new ways to make media planning and campaigns more sustainable. Stephanie Scheller, Managing Partner of Sustainable Solutions EMEA at Omnicom Media Group (OMG), shares that Omnicom has taken a significant step by establishing a sustainability consultancy staffed with experts in environmental studies. Combined with OMG’s media expertise, they aim to offer the best of both worlds when it comes to conscious yet effective media strategies.

“Our number one priority is effective media planning,” Stephanie says. “You can create the greenest media plan, but if you’re not reaching your target audience, you’re producing carbon emissions for no reason. We’re here to help [advertisers] make decisions that are both sustainable and impactful.” To support this, Omnicom has developed innovative tools to help optimize media mixes based on traditional key performance indicators (KPIs) and carbon emissions, allowing for more sustainable choices within existing strategies. 

Experts agree that in 2025, even more brands and agencies will choose media partners who prioritize sustainability, like those using green electricity or recyclable materials to lower carbon footprints. As new regulations make sustainability a “must-have” rather than a “nice-to-have,” change management and education will be essential in helping clients and stakeholders navigate these shifting expectations and requirements.

READ ALSO: See the latest update on Broadsign’s sustainability journey

Retail media is set to thrive as in-store media makes its mark

Retail media is expected to comprise two-thirds of a projected $67 billion in media ad spending by 2025, according to eMarketer. This surge is driving significant interest in in-store retail media, an area predicted to see major growth next year as retail media networks expand. As retailers look for ways to diversify revenue streams and optimize both in-store and digital experiences, brands will also continue to look for ways to reach audiences in-store with relevant and engaging messaging, especially as physical shopping remains a key part of the purchasing journey.

Jonathan Franco, Sales Director, Retail Media at Broadsign, envisions the future of retail media as one where physical stores transform into dynamic multimedia environments. Data-driven insights will play a key role in helping retailers refine marketing strategies, optimize store layouts, and manage inventory more efficiently. This approach also opens the door to programmatic bidding on digital in-store advertising, providing retailers with a smarter way to monetize.

“We expect programmatic retail media buying to grow, creating opportunities for advertisers to automate and optimize ad placements across both digital and physical retail spaces while keeping control,” says Jon. “This will make retail media more accessible for brands of all sizes and improve campaign efficiency. AI will be central to this transformation, enabling brands to refine campaign strategies, improve attribution models, and dynamically adjust messaging in real-time for better ROI.”

Franco also emphasizes the growing importance of blending physical and digital touchpoints, stating, “Retailers have the opportunity to blur lines between shopping and media consumption, creating consistent omnichannel experiences that engage consumers wherever they are. By turning stores into content-driven environments, retailers can operate more like media companies, using every touchpoint as an opportunity to connect with their audience.”

“When we talk about bringing our in-store signage into the media ecosystem, it’s really about capitalizing on data,” explains Malone. “How can we enrich our digital screens in and around retail locations with the data that CPG brands use to determine the best return on ad spend? It’s not just about putting video on those screens—it’s about using data and context to maximize impact.” Integrated with digital tools, in-store media gathers valuable customer behaviour and preferences data, enabling more targeted and effective campaigns.

With momentum building and new opportunities on the horizon, 2025 promises to be a standout year for OOH. From advancements in programmatic technology to deeper integration with digital channels like CTV, OOH is capturing more attention—and ad spend. Automation, data-driven insights, and new creative formats are levelling the playing field with other media, offering advertisers fresh ways to connect with audiences in meaningful, measurable ways. 

Interested in running creative and impactful DOOH campaigns in 2025? Connect with us today.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Sanctuary Billboards: Elevating Kuala Lumpur’s advertising landscape with the Broadsign Platform

Out-of-home advertising is having a banner year, with OOH advertising revenue having increased by 3.4% in the second quarter of 2024, according to the OAAA. 

The rise of digital out-of-home (DOOH) is fueling this growth, largely due to technological advancements. Given all this momentum, it’s not surprising to see OOH and DOOH gaining traction worldwide, especially in a country like Malaysia, which has the sixth-largest GDP in Southeast Asia.

One billboard company is leading the charge in Malaysia’s increasingly competitive advertising landscape. Sanctuary Billboards is a media owner committed to delivering high-quality advertising in the country’s capital, Kuala Lumpur. Under the leadership of its CEO, Paul James Sapwell, the company’s philosophy is quality over quantity, focusing on acquiring only the best sites for both its static and digital inventory to deliver maximum impact. Strategically speaking, this enhances the aesthetic appeal of the advertisements and drives higher traffic numbers compared to competitors.

Sanctuary Billboards’s screens feature dynamic and varied content that captures the attention of passersby and keeps the visual experience fresh, engaging and, most importantly, compelling while delivering impactful and effective advertising on every screen. 

Harnessing the power (and potential) of DOOH in Malaysia 

What does DOOH bring to Sanctuary Billboards? According to Nick Sapwell, the company’s Digital Production Manager, digital screens are a platform that can provide endless possibilities. “We are particularly excited about the fact that our billboards are eye-catching in a way that most other advertising platforms are not. Unlike other forms of advertising that can be skipped or ignored, outdoor ads demand attention, leading to superior turnover rates and greater brand recall,” he says.

What does the future hold for programmatic DOOH? 

Programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) exchanges promise expanded reach, increased revenue, and a rising demand for inventory. Though still a relatively small segment, pDOOH is experiencing rapid growth in the region, and Sanctuary Billboards is ahead of the curve and in dialogue with most stakeholders.

“Sanctuary Billboards’s choice to partner with Broadsign was driven by its mission to offer the best quality screens and sites. Broadsign’s reputable CMS system provides the flexibility needed to meet diverse client demands,” said Nick Sapwell. In addition to leveraging the Broadsign Platform, Sanctuary Billboards is developing proprietary software for reading Broadsign’s APIs. This move marks another innovation by the media owner that will provide clients with comprehensive data reports to further enhance the value it brings to its partners and customers. 

Looking ahead, Sanctuary Billboards plans to reinvest profits from its existing digital screens by converting more static sites into digital ones. The company is also keen to grow its offering, expanding into offering ad creation services to its clients in video production and editing. Content customisation which is relevant to viewing situations ensures effective communication, a point of difference learned from Sanctuary’s strategic partner, Plan B Media.

Ultimately, Sanctuary Billboards is about more than just advertising. It’s an organization that embraces the opportunity to set new benchmarks in quality and innovation within the industry. With a strong foundation and a clear vision for the future, Sanctuary Billboards is well-positioned to continue its growth and solidify its status as a leader in Kuala Lumpur’s OOH advertising landscape.

Want to grow your out-of-home network? Schedule a live demo to see how we can help make that happen!