OOH Uncut Podcast: Anna Bager
Anna Bager, President & CEO, OAAA, joins host Rick Robinson, CEO, PJX Media, on OOH Uncut, the podcast featuring leaders in the Out of Home media world.
May 30, 2023
Anna Bager Discussion on OOH Uncut Podcast with Rick Robinson
Rick Robinson: Hello everybody. This is Rick Robinson with PJX Media and today I have a special guest. We have Anna Bager, President & CEO of the OAAA, The Out of Home Advertising Association of America. Say hello to everybody.
Anna Bager: Hi everybody.
Rick Robinson: You know, I've been really waiting to ask you this question. What can out of home do that no other medium can do?
Anna Bager: That's a very good question. There are so many things honestly, Rick. Out of home, you know, is in my mind, the most spectacular, most important, and amazing medium there is, but I guess a few things come to mind. And I'll start with one that I've been criticized for early on when I got to the OAAA, I was once asked What's so special about out of home and what do you like about it? And I say, I said something along the lines that out of home is not media or, you know, I can't remember how expressed it but one thing that fascinates me the most with the medium and what I think is a big appeal to brands is that out of home when you place an out of home ad, the ad is the content. The ad is the only thing that shows up on that sign. You're not surrounded by other media. You're not surrounded by bad news or content. That might not be great for your brand to be associated with, or content that consumer is in the midst of consuming when the ad pops up or, you know, watching a TV show and boom, there's an ad and it's like, kind of really annoying. The canvas, the ad is the content and it's surrounded by context, which is so incredibly important in a day where, you know, advertisers cannot use data or targeting the way they're used to. So, I think that that's a big, big pro.
Rick Robinson: So it goes back to that old quote, I think it was Marshall McLean said, The message is the medium.
Anna: Exactly. And that's what we have. And I think that that's outstanding. I think we should sell on that so much more because in a year and a time that's tricky and economy and and tricky time for marketers less budget more bang for their buck and harder and harder to find good ways of reaching audiences. We have the solution right there.
Rick Robinson: Do you think that's why the premium, high profile out of home is just so popular. And so on fire right now with brands those big moments.
Anna: Maybe I mean, I wouldn't be surprised. I think it's, you know, anecdotally. But you know that that part of that part of out of home is yeah, completely on fire and sold out. I think brands are looking for, they're looking for different ways of connecting with consumers, so not definitely, not just that way. But getting your brand up, big, especially in a time when it's important to keep your band up for consideration is key and you really own the stage. If you are on a big spectacular screen, that's for sure, and
Rick Robinson: And so, what's that say to the consumer? Like when they see out of home where the message is the medium, or that scale means something like, How does that resonate with the public?
Anna: Well, I think, I mean, I think the public view us as entertainment and service and social messaging and public service all at once. So I think any message on our screen's resonate for the very reason that we are the content and it's really hard, not to look at us. So I again, all the research, we do show that consumers are in favor of our messaging, they appreciate the content. And also another thing that's special about our medium especially this day and age. We represent serendipity in a date and age when everyone is you know confronted with messages that are targeted specifically to them because they watch that show. They're married to that person. They live in that location or the work in that area, whatever it might be, you cannot find anything that's surprising to you. You open up Netflix and you cannot pick a show. You go on for hours because everything looks the same. There's never any news anymore. We are a medium that have the opportunity and the ability to serve up serendipitous messages to consumers and I think they appreciate that. You get inspired. Oh, maybe I should try that dog food or instead, or maybe I should watch that show or maybe I should go there on vacation. I was thinking of traveling to Europe, but you know what? I'm just gonna go 10 miles away from here because that looks like fun. And
Rick Robinson: So, out of home is serendipity, I've never heard that before. That is so cool. I'm gonna hijack from you. I wanted
Anna: But you should. Yeah, and I think it's the coolest thing because there is no serendipity anymore and I think we're craving it.
Rick Robinson: Yeah, everything is algorithm planned around us and inform for us, which makes us a little lazy. But I think we're all a little over it.
Anna: I think it makes us lazy bored on an interesting. And I think we all want to be, not lazy, not boring, and definitely interesting.
Rick Robinson: Well, that'ts what out of home is. It's exciting, it's fresh, it's serendipity. The message is the medium. It's making these big statements and the public space. You heard it all here. We're going to call it a wrap. Thank you for your five minutes Anna Bager. Have an awesome day and we'll talk to you soon.
Anna: Thank you. Thank you.
