Can A.I. & OOH Media Coexist?
The PJX Media Newsletter: Vol. LXIV
In this month’s newsletter we take a look at AI and its potential role in OOH as well as how OOH drives search.
Photos of our recent campaigns including Glossier and Audemars Piguet.
The Answer is in The Question
Rick Robinson, CEO, Project X
“Assuming the rise, refinement, and adoption of new technology like AI will create instant, dramatic OOH industry efficiencies and growth is giving too much credit to processing speed while forgetting the power of brilliant thinking and creativity to solve business (and life) problems.”
Headline: AI is taking over the world!
Subhead: Language tools like chatGPT, Google Bard, Microsoft Bing, Chatsonic, Jasper and at least a dozen other variations are super cool, liberating, powerful, scary, spooky, and potentially dangerous.
Observation: We'll see...
We do know there is a direct, proportional relationship between dramatic predictions about the impact of new technology and the likelihood of completely unexpected outcomes. Short of providing a list of examples, let's all agree the future rarely plays out as originally expected. Truth is, we own a key role in shaping the outcome. We’re not helpless. We have the power to write the script, and when it comes to this new wave of AI, we literally get to ask the questions.
There’s a dialogue emerging now between people and AI, and the questions we ask reveal our motivations, problems, desires, and potential deceits. We can’t trick it. Consequently, it’s not about how quickly AI can write up content, or do discovery and search, it’s about liberating our thinking. AI is neither benign nor malignant. What’s “scary” is that it’s all on us…
What does this mean for media planning and OOH Media as a whole? Will brands soon feel empowered to simply ask for a “great OOH plan that does XYZ” and stop paying for media teams? Maybe. Never underestimate it! For OOH Planners it’s much more likely for AI to apply pressure on the need to better understand brand problems. Planners will be forced to evolve away from their current standard skill kit for career success – 1. Deep tribal OOH knowledge, 2. Olympic multi-tasking abilities, 3. Hyper-consistent accuracy, 4. Old school endurance, and 5. Diplomacy under pressure as anxious clients wait for their plans (which always take too long for their liking). The resulting emergence of AI will very possibly emphasize a new required skill set founded in 1. Rigorous problem solving, 2. Inventive strategic thinking, 3. Articulate and succinct storytelling, 4. Genuine relationship building and, yes, still reinforced by 5. Deep tribal knowledge (a.k.a. expertise).
A.I. May I?
Keith Covington, Growth Support Manager, Project X
“Without the right people feeding A.I. the right information, its value to OOH isn’t as precious as it may appear.”
Can A.I. be an extremely powerful tool for the OOH world?
OOH as an industry that is rich with creativity and the consolidation of data, stands to gain much from something that can be as precise and sharp as A.I.
The big question however ought to be: how does ChatGPT and other A.I. tools get their knowledge and a quick examination of that leads us squarely back to us. The People.
A.I. is what you make of it and as exciting as that can be it should also sponsor some pause. A.I. can’t be seen as some magic pill to metamorphosize OOH into the future version of itself. Its strengths come from the core strength of the OOH industry: Its people.
Without the right people feeding A.I. The right information and its value to OOH isn’t as precious as it may appear. OOH is ultimately about connecting people and how can you do that without people. The people who see out of home media, who work in the out of home industry and who advocate for out of home have made it an enduring force for decades. Automation has only helped that to be better with its service and as things progress automation and technology will be even more handy for pushing the success of people in the Out of Home industry.
So Yes, A.I. can be an extremely powerful tool for the OOH world but without the strength of its people it will all be for naught.
OOH Drives Online Actions 5X-6X Above the Expected Rate
Matt Schutzman, Senior Director, New Business, Project X
“The data showed that OOH, television, and video ads all rated similarly but the critical difference is that while TV and video ads command 68% of all advertising dollars in the US, OOH accounts for only 4%.”
Out of Home Media delivers a high rate of online action relative to its ad spend and is a substantial value compared to other media channels. Still, not all OOH is created equal. It’s a highly fragmented space and can be difficult to plan for. Project X makes OOH planning easier for brands and has invested in creating more certainty in the outcome.
In today's connected world, it's no secret that we're all glued to our phones. It's easier than ever to search, share, post, and buy anything you see advertised by brands today, no matter the media channel. What might surprise you is that the OAAA and ComScore are releasing new findings that suggest OOH drives online actions 5X-6X above the expected rate. Interesting right? But what does that mean and how should you consider it as a marketer today?
In March of last year, 1,580 US consumers (A16-64) were surveyed online, focusing on actions they recall taking as a result of seeing or hearing ads across various media platforms. The actions included online search, posting about a brand, app downloads, and purchases. The advertising platforms included out-of-home media, television, radio, print, banner ads, and video ads. The data showed that OOH, television, and video ads all rated similarly and generated the highest share of action across all consumer actions tracked. However, the critical difference is that while TV and video ads command 68% of all advertising dollars in the US, OOH accounts for only 4%. This suggests that OOH is an undervalued media format!
Audemars Piguet gracing the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles
