Measurability: The peak OOH players want to scale in 2025

2025 seems to be a promising year for the OOH industry due to the foundation of measurability laid in the previous year. 

The year 2024 was all about the pilot launch of RoadStar by the Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA), outdoor players adopting it and AAAI extending its support to tackle the roadblock of measurability in the OOH sector. However, experts noted that in order for the industry's first-ever uniform measurement system to be widely adopted, it must be strong and comparable to currencies of other mediums. 

Data-driven goals

Jayesh Yagnik, CEO of Madison Outdoor Media said, “Indian OOH advertising has traditionally relied on intuition and experience. However, the sector is changing as a result of the move toward data-driven judgments brought about by technological improvements. Owing to digital OOH (DOOH), geofencing, and AI-driven analytics, metrics like impressions, foot traffic attribution, and campaign ROI are now accessible.”

Measurability remains an unconquered fort for the outdoor industry, as per Alok Gupta, Director, Graphisads. “We have been talking about it since time immemorial. Though it seems there is light at the end of the tunnel with possible implementation and acceptance of Roadstar, we are waiting with our fingers crossed.”

Till now, brands and marketers have believed in the medium’s capability by gut feel and spread of word. Many brands also now choose to advertise on handful boards in a single city and use its digital reach for virality. 

Technological Revolution

With digital OOH emerging as a major driver, the trust in the medium has only become better. According to industry reports, DOOH is expected to account for a significant portion of total OOH revenue in the coming years. In India, the push for smart cities and infrastructure development is likely to provide further impetus to the sector, allowing brands to tap into high-traffic areas with targeted messaging. Additionally, as brands demand more accountability from their ad spend, the need for robust measurability solutions will only intensify.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and DOOH is driving a technological revolution in the OOH industry. AI is helping advertisers optimize campaigns for maximum impact. For example, AI-powered tools can adjust real-time ads based on weather, traffic patterns, or even audience demographics at specific locations, mentioned a Laqshya Media executive in an earlier conversation with e4m. 

Gupta mentioned, “OOH is all about impact but unfortunately, as of now, there are no specific metrics to measure success. The ultimate measure is client repetition and trust in the media. We do observe that some clients have left the media, but the ones joining the bandwagon are much more. Many new client categories have also opened up, which clearly suggests that OOH market share is growing.”

Need for Adoption

However, experts noted that in order for the industry's first-ever uniform measurement system to be widely adopted, it must be strong and comparable to currencies of other mediums. Experts suggest that accurate ROI measurement is still hampered by issues like fragmented data, a lack of standardisation, and privacy concerns. But, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and the industry seems to be going with this ideology as of now.

Even if RoadStar comes along as planned, measurability has a long way to go. It is important to remember that any shift or adoption of a common currency with any media is never easy, and this is also true for this specific aspect. Praveen Vadhera of IOAA explained once that it took the media roughly four to five years to switch from the socioeconomic classification to the NCCS structure. There is always some opposition to change and cynicism about it, and this instrument is no exception.

Because there are systems in place around the world that can assess ROI, brands are prepared to invest in OOH. He further mentioned, in India, technology is now a costly proposition, but clients are unsure if they are willing to make the investment. 

“Measurability will always be a work in progress because there are too many metrics and variabilities. However, we need to start somewhere. The industry should embrace measurability. From this point onwards, we can only add more clients and eventually look to premiumise our media offerings,” said Gupta.

Measurable OOH ads can draw larger budgets and produce greater results in spite of these obstacles, but success hinges on group adaptation, Yagnik suggested. Clients must insist on accountability and transparency, and advertisers must adopt new technologies.

He added, “OOH may develop into a genuinely ROI-focused channel with the correct strategy, realising its full potential and ensuring a more promising future for India's advertising industry. Let's transition from intuition to insight and shape OOH's future together.”