How to Start Testing DOOH

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Introduction

# Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising has quietly become one of the most powerful cha els in modern marketing, with 34% of all out-of-home ad spend now coming from digital screens. Alex Weinberger, General Manager of Digital Out-of-Home at AdRoll, reveals why this traditional medium is experiencing a programmatic renaissance. With over 15 years of experience in DOOH and programmatic media, Weinberger explains how marketers can leverage digital billboards, gym screens, and place-based advertising to create measurable, full-fu el campaigns that actually drive revenue.#n#n1

The Evolution of Out-of-Home Advertising

# The out-of-home advertising landscape has fundamentally shifted from static real estate plays to sophisticated digital media cha els. "Going back to 10, 15 years ago, the out of home space was really the real estate space. It wasn't media, it was real estate," Weinberger explains. Today's DOOH encompasses every digital screen outside your home—from roadside billboards to screens in gyms, restaurants, airports, and retail locations. This proliferation of digital screens combined with programmatic buying capabilities means marketers can now achieve the precision targeting they expect from digital cha els while maintaining the credibility and impact of physical world advertising.#n#n1

Why DOOH Commands Attention

# Unlike skippable digital ads, DOOH offers what Weinberger calls the "unskippable factor." These ads exist in the physical environment where consumers naturally direct their attention. Research from the Out of Home Advertising Association shows that 73% of consumers view brands advertised on DOOH more favorably, lending instant credibility. Your brand appears alongside major advertisers like Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines, creating what Weinberger describes as a credibility halo effect that elevates smaller brands to the same perceived level as Fortune 500 companies.#n#n1

Programmatic Capabilities Transform Targeting

# The real game-changer for DOOH is programmatic buying technology. Instead of negotiating individual contracts with media owners, marketers can now use real-time bidding to place ads across thousands of screens instantly. For B2B marketers, this enables hyper-targeted strategies like surrounding industry conferences with relevant messaging or placing ads within tight radiuses of target company headquarters. Weinberger suggests day-parting strategies: "Let's put these ads up from 7:30 to 10:00 am to catch them coming in, maybe 11 to 1 for their lunch break, and then maybe 4 to 6 for the at-home rush."#n#n1

Attribution and Measurement Capabilities

# Modern DOOH campaigns offer sophisticated attribution that rivals digital cha els. Through anonymized mobile device tracking, marketers can measure foot traffic attribution, sales lift, brand lift surveys, app downloads, and even web conversions. The technology observes devices within specific radiuses of screens—300 feet for billboards, 30 feet for bus shelters, 15 feet for gym screens—during ad display times. This exposed audience can then be tracked through to conversion actions, providing clear ROI metrics that justify media spend.#n#n1

Creative Strategies for Maximum Impact

# Success in DOOH requires bold creative approaches designed for fleeting attention spans. Weinberger emphasizes that marketers have approximately four seconds to capture attention, demanding high-contrast colors, minimal copy (three to seven words maximum), and prominent logo placement covering 40-50% of the creative. "Take your biggest swing, let it rip," he advises, encouraging marketers to push beyond brand guidelines for maximum impact. One successful campaign even flipped creative upside down to force double-takes from passersby.#n#n1

Starting Your DOOH Journey

# For B2B marketers ready to test DOOH, Weinberger recommends starting with conference and trade show support. This approach allows for concentrated testing in environments where your target audience is already gathered. By surrounding conference venues, hotels, and entertainment districts with coordinated messaging, marketers can create an omnipresent brand experience that reinforces booth presence and drives meaningful conversations. As attribution capabilities continue to evolve, marketers will soon be able to retarget exposed audiences across other digital cha els, creating truly integrated campaigns.#n#n1

Conclusion

# Digital out-of-home represents a critical evolution in marketing strategy, bridging the gap between brand building and performance marketing. As traditional digital cha els face increasing privacy restrictions and attribution challenges, DOOH offers a measurable, impactful alternative that commands attention in the physical world. With programmatic capabilities, sophisticated attribution, and the ability to create omnipresent brand experiences, DOOH deserves serious consideration in any modern marketing mix. The cha el's 9% growth and rapid digital conversion signal that forward-thinking marketers who embrace DOOH now will have a significant advantage as the medium continues its transformation.#n#n1