AdTECH OOH Amsterdam event 2018

Why we’re looking forward to conference season

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For the D/OOH world, May is a particularly busy month for conferences and events. But as we hurtle towards some of the biggest events of the year, we’re more excited than usual. Here’s why.

AdTECH OOH Amsterdam event 2018

There’s a lot happening at Signkick

Don’t get me wrong, we’ve always known we were onto a good thing. But as the D/OOH landscape continues to evolve we’re better placed than ever to help media owners navigate the challenges and chase the opportunities.

As confidence in Online advertising waivers and technical break-throughs continue in D/OOH, there is opportunity aplenty for media owners. New revenue streams are waiting to be tapped, potential in digital OOH ready to be unlocked and new-found efficiencies to boost that bottom line. But for many media owners, technicalities are standing in the way.

At Signkick, we think of ourselves as a technology partner for media owners. So it’s our job to help you overcome those challenges. We’ve been working hard on this and we can’t wait to tell you all about what we’ve been up to.

There are some world-class events to attend

Tobias, Andy and Anna will be attending, and exhibiting at, FEPE’s annual congress 1–3 May. This year’s congress is in Dubai, and we’re looking forward to the different nationalities this location attracts and finding out about the challenges they face. Come see us at Stand 9 in the exhibition area!

Shortly after, we’ll head to Daily DOOH’s London Digital Signage Week. First up is the European OOH Media Summit. The following day it’s great to see the demand for a slightly more technical conversation met through the AdTech OOH conference series. This event (formerly known as European Automation and Programmatic Technical Workshop) has really cemented itself on the calendar (Wed 15 May) with sister events now in New York (Wed 16 October) and Amsterdam (Wed 4 December) later in the year.

By the 20 – 22 May we’ll hop across the pond to attend and exhibit at the OAAA/Geopath National Convention held in Las Vegas. While we visit the US on a regular basis, nothing beats being in the same hotel for a few days with our partners, customers and of course potential customers! Having a base to work from means it’s easy to find us (we’re stand 113 in the exhibition area) and we’re always keen to hear from you.

Signkick team catching up with Outfront Media at FEPE

Our partners will be there too

As a technology partner, we’re purely for D/OOH media owners. However, we work hard to develop great buy-side relationships (and pre-build connections with them) to fast-track the process for our media owners. Attending events where everyone is in one place means we can personally introduce you to these demand partners (if you don’t already know them!). That way you can get on with the commercial discussion then we’ll be here to help you make it all work when the time is right.

Finally, it’s just the best chance to catch up

There’s no doubt that conference talks and workshops offer great opportunities to learn. But for us, the greatest value these events hold is the chance to meet new friends and catch up with old ones. Whether that’s a meeting planned in advance, a conversation sparked in the exhibition area or an incidental chat at the bar. Conference season offers plenty of opportunities to talk face-to-face.

The challenges facing OOH media owners are complex. To help, we need to really understand what you’re trying to achieve. And that conversation is always best had in person (preferably with a beer in hand). So if you’re attending any of these events, or are based in one of these cities, get in touch and let’s set a time to meet. We’ll buy the beer!

Is automated trading a risk to your Rate Card?

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The Rate Card has formed an integral part of the Out-of-Home landscape since the very first billboard was sold. As defined by 2019 DOOH Glossary of Terms, a Rate Card is “a document provided by a media owner/publisher with its rates for advertising. It may also detail any deadlines, demographics, policies, additional fees and artwork specifications.”

But as we all know, Rate Cards are usually used less as a hard and fast rule book, and more as the starting point of a conversation and relationship between a buyer and seller. In the traditional way of selling Out-of-Home media, a media owner sales representative then has an opportunity to offer discounts or bespoke conditions depending on the buyer. And of course, this offers the buyer an opportunity to negotiate in return.

With the digitisation of OOH inventory and advancements in Adtech, media owners are now gaining access to the opportunities that have been tantalisingly close for so long. Connecting with automated and programmatic buyers, in particular, hold the promise of new revenue streams, big advancements in speed and efficiency and more flexible ways to buy.

What’s the risk?

Like any great opportunity, connecting with automated buyers is not completely without risk. Yes, allowing buyers to access live avails and the ability to purchase more granular campaigns is going to reward media owners. However, without that experienced media exec in between, there is a potential risk to your traditional Rate Card.

The same as any good negotiator, a buyer’s automated system is wired to seek out opportunities and loopholes for discounts. Sometimes they’ll find them where a media owner might not be willing to offer them. But, unlike a human negotiator, it will do this faster than you can say automation, giving media owners very little opportunity to react.

But, never fear, as there’s a solution that means you can have your cake and eat it too.

Restructure your Rate Card

Before you connect with automated systems, all you need to do is ensure your Rate Card is structured to handle the modern world of OOH trading. That way you can make the most of all that automated trading offers with the peace of mind that your commercials are protected. Given every media owner and buyer is different, this will probably be unique to you. At least, that’s been our experience.

For example, one of the big benefits of DOOH is the ability to sell more flexibly. Pricing your Rate Card by the hour (or a similar time-block) rather than the traditional fortnight or four-week period, not only allows you to sell more flexibly, but also lets you set a price that accurately reflects the value of that space. For example, you might have an advertiser who is, say, only interested in hitting hungry workers looking for lunch at 1pm on a busy High Street. This peak lunchtime slot could be priced higher than, say, the same panel at 10am on a Tuesday. The buyer is happy as they’ve been able to select the exact times they’re after, with less waste. And the seller is happy as they’ve sold the space for a price that reflects it’s actual worth.

But perhaps most importantly as we make the transition to automated buying, structuring your Rate Card this way protects media owners from automated buyers looking for and finding loopholes. For example, a buyer unlocking a weekly discount for purchasing one hour per day for a whole week! On the flip side, buyers are given more flexible incentives for gaining true discounts, such as purchasing enough one-hour slots over a longer period to access the weekly discount.

So automated trading does run a risk to the traditional Rate Card. But if media owners are clever and invest a bit of time to evolve their Rate Card structure, it has the potential to open up opportunities and make the medium more accessible and appealing to all advertisers and buyers.

For more information and advice on preparing your OOH business for automated trading, get in touch.