Product News | October 11, 2021

Using pDOOH for a faster and more targeted way of adding OOH to your omnichannel campaigns

Advancements in programmatic technologies, like real-time data, contextual triggers, and more sophisticated measurement capabilities, have driven the adoption of programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH) and its inclusion in advertisers’ omnichannel strategies. However, integrating it into your omnichannel campaign remains a challenging process for many advertisers. 

You often have to work with multiple demand-side platforms (DSPs) for the different ad mediums or even call a media owner to secure DOOH inventory. To address this pain point, many omnichannel DSPs offer auction packages to streamline OOH operations and campaign activations. 

Auction packages are customizable packages that include targeted audiences, inventory, and contextual locations with data delivered through a single deal ID. With granular details provided in each package, you can limit the back-and-forth with clients, streamlining the proposal review and approval process. Furthermore, by providing access to multiple media owners in one package, you can easily access your ideal audiences with more cost-efficient CPMs. 

Made available through existing omnichannel DSPs, you can set up and activate your pDOOH campaign in a matter of minutes rather than days. For these reasons, auction packages make the process of planning, buying and launching pDOOH campaigns alongside other ad mediums faster and more cost-efficient. 

How targeting capabilities in pDOOH have evolved

While you can choose to target the entire audience provided through an auction package, you can also target a sub-segment of that audience. For instance, the overarching audience included in a Travel & Tourism auction package would be travel intenders, while more specific segments could be business travellers, leisure travellers, and road trippers. This gives you added flexibility on how granular you’d like your key audience to be, providing you with the same targeting capabilities as other ad mediums. 

You can also choose to target your intended audiences by selecting specific venue types, like place-based or outdoor. Looking at a Retail auction package, for example, place-based screen selection could include screens in shopping malls, stores, pharmacies, and convenience stores. Outdoor would include billboards, urban panels and transit shelters within shopping distance of retail stores. 

Contextual targeting can also be applied to each package, allowing you to trigger your ad to play only at the ideal time. There are multiple ways to contextually deliver your ads with an auction package. One way is by targeting your point of interest; using a Sports Betting auction package as an example, locations could include casinos, bars, and sports arenas. You can also use dayparts as a contextual trigger, like “game day schedules,” to display ads for a sports betting and gaming platform in the weeks leading up to a highly-anticipated sports game.

Lastly, you can leverage moments, like weather or financial market changes, to contextually deliver your ads. Using our Travel & Tourism auction package again, you could run ads for a warm and sunny destination when the local weather is cold or promote a destination with a desirable currency rate against the local currency. While auction packages are made available as pre-built bundles, you can also customize the package to meet your objectives better. 

Using auction packages for a simpler and faster delivery of DOOH

While you may have a better understanding of what auction packages are, you’re probably wondering when you should use auction packages. Auction packages are great for complex DOOH campaigns that require multiple targeting requirements, like markets, point-of-interests and audiences. 

In fact, one of the first campaigns that used Broadsign’s auction packages involved complex targeting requirements that would’ve made it impossible for the brand’s omnichannel DSP to activate on its own. Working with their preferred agency and DSP, a beverage brand was looking to raise awareness of its new range of alcoholic beverages and wanted to include DOOH in its broader omnichannel campaign. 

To reach their intended audience with DOOH, two targeting strategies were identified for the brand: point-of-interest and audience targeting. Working with Broadsign, they identified screens located near bars and liquor stores that carried the new range of alcoholic drinks, as well as outdoor billboards and urban panels with higher concentrations of the target audience – Gen Z and Millennials. 

Given that the campaign was set to run across different states, the proposal provided to the agency contained a substantial inventory list (spanning over 25 lines, to be precise), highlighting the inventory that matched the different targeting requirements per state. As each inventory line contained screens from multiple media owners, the omnichannel DSP would have had to manually create a deal ID for each media owner’s inventory per market and format had this DOOH campaign been set up without auction packages. We did the math, and that would’ve meant creating 150 different deal IDs, making it a highly error-prone and time-consuming process. 

With auction packages, the omnichannel DSP simply needed to add the auction package per market and format, which already contained all the inventory from different media owners – significantly cutting down the time it took to set up and activate this complex DOOH campaign. They were also able to better measure the impact of DOOH by conducting a brand lift study after the campaign was completed, providing them with real-world insights on ad recall, how effective was the DOOH media mix, whether it helped enhance brand image, as well as drive consideration and product purchase. 

Check out Broadsign’s auction packages through our inventory marketplace.

Make sure to reach out to your Broadsign representative today for more information!

Product News | October 11, 2021

Broadsign Announces Acquisition of Place Exchange

Transaction creates the most robust OOH advertising solution, opening up new revenue opportunities for OOH media owners and more global inventory for buyers

MONTREAL, November 25, 2025 – Out-of-home (OOH) adtech provider Broadsign today announced it has acquired Place Exchange, a leading independent OOH supply-side platform (SSP), with a minority investment from Crestline Investors. Combining Broadsign’s content management system, ad serving, and buy- and sell-side capabilities with Place Exchange’s SSP and complementary solutions, the acquisition will bolster Broadsign’s global programmatic digital OOH offering and fast-track innovation across its entire OOH ad tech portfolio. Broadsign publishers will be able to tap into new demand sources while Place Exchange’s DSP partners and media buyers gain access to premium international inventory on the Broadsign Platform.

The global ad market is projected to reach $992bn this year, with international OOH spend forecast to top $49bn in 2025. “Demand for OOH advertising continues to hold strong, but for the OOH market to seize new growth opportunities, rapid evolution is key. The acquisition of Place Exchange will allow Broadsign to deliver the most comprehensive OOH advertising solution in the market,” shared Burr Smith, CEO, Broadsign. “We see the future of OOH as smarter, more efficient, dynamic, and measurable. With Place Exchange’s team and technology, and Crestline’s investment, Broadsign will deliver on that vision much faster.”

Broadsign is acquiring the Place Exchange platform, including its expansive network of inventory in the US and abroad, deep demand-side platform integrations, and suite of innovative programmatic solutions, including the PerView OOH measurement solution. Named a Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Winner in 2025 and AdExchanger Programmatic Power Player in 2024, the Place Exchange SSP supports workflows for planning, targeting, delivery, reporting, and attribution that are similar to online, mobile, and other digital ad channels. 

Place Exchange also offers powerful features, such as advanced programmatic guaranteed capabilities, reach and frequency measurement, audience-based targeting on a per-screen level, dynamic bid triggers, geospatial targeting for moving media, advanced analytics and reporting, and more. Place Exchange has also developed pioneering solutions for on-screen cinema, programmatic audio, place-based video, and in-store retail media, expanding the scope of digital OOH (DOOH) across the larger digital media ecosystem.

With the acquisition, Place Exchange CEO Ari Buchalter and the Place Exchange team have also joined Broadsign. “OOH is having a major moment, with more buyers and DSPs of all shapes and sizes leaning into the medium, sparking a new era of innovation. The combination of Place Exchange and Broadsign comes at a perfect time, unleashing the most complete OOH advertising solution built by the industry’s leading platforms to meet this demand,” Buchalter said. “Together with Broadsign, we’ll be able to accelerate the advancement of OOH workflows, with a focus on automation and data, to reimagine how the channel is bought, sold, and measured for the better.” 

“Programmatic buying has emerged as one of the strongest growth engines within DOOH, bringing greater automation, measurability, and demand into the channel. The broader expansion of the ad-tech market is creating meaningful new opportunities, and we’re thrilled to support Broadsign and Place Exchange in this transaction,” added Will Palmer, a Crestline Partner & Co-Head of US Credit, who will also be joining the Broadsign Board of Directors.

The announcement closes out a remarkable year of development for Broadsign, which included the introduction of automated, in-advance OOH buying capabilities and the first AI assistant for OOH creative categorization, as well as a partnership to advance carbon measurement for DOOH. Marking Broadsign’s fourth acquisition in less than seven years, the agreement expands Broadsign’s team to 370 employees globally, and its network of programmatically transactable OOH inventory to 1.8 million screens. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Solomon Partners served as the financial advisor to Broadsign on this transaction while LUMA Partners served as the financial advisor to Place Exchange.

About Broadsign

Broadsign empowers media owners, media buyers, and retailers to harness the power and reach of out-of-home (OOH) to connect with audiences in ways unlike any other advertising channel. More than 2 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. The Broadsign Platform helps media owners and retailers, such as Outfront, Pattison Outdoor, Global, oOhMedia!, Intersection, Sainsbury’s, Woolworths, Stellar Ace, and Douglas, maximize revenue opportunities and automate business operations. It also enables agencies like Talon, OMD Worldwide, Havas, Starcom, dentsu, Omnicom Media Group, and Publicis Groupe to seamlessly plan and execute dynamic OOH campaigns that resonate with audiences. Brands spanning AB InBev, Disney, H&M, Honda, HP, Johnson & Johnson, KLM, Uber Eats, Sea-Doo, Samsonite, and many more have run successful programmatic DOOH campaigns enabled by Broadsign technology. https://broadsign.com

About Place Exchange

Place Exchange is the leading independent SSP for programmatic out-of-home media. Integrated with omnichannel and OOH DSPs, Place Exchange’s patented technology uniquely offers agencies and advertisers the opportunity to fully unify buying and measurement of OOH media with other digital channels within their DSP of choice, leveraging the same workflow, creatives, reporting, and attribution as for online, mobile, and other forms of digital advertising. Place Exchange’s unmatched premium supply ecosystem adheres to its Place Exchange Clear certification program that delivers buyers quality, consistency, transparency, and compliance. For OOH media partners, Place Exchange offers the opportunity to access untapped programmatic ad spend with full transparency and control. For more information about Place Exchange, visit www.placeexchange.com.

About Crestline Investors

Crestline Investors, Inc. is an alternative investment management firm founded in 1997 and based in Fort Worth, Texas, with affiliate offices in London, New York, Toronto, and Tokyo. The firm has approximately $20 billion in assets under management (as of September 30, 2025), and is specialized in private credit strategies, offering a diverse range of investment solutions across its direct lending, opportunistic, and portfolio finance platforms. For more information, visit www.crestlineinvestors.com.

Product News | October 11, 2021

Inside DPAA 2025: 5 digital out-of-home trends to watch

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.

Broadsign activated an automated, live campaign through Broadsign In-Advance on Intersection’s LinkNYC screens, targeting summit attendees around key hotspots.

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.

READ ALSO: In-advance DOOH transactions for buyers: Your questions answered

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.