In Hong Kong, Phantom Billstickers CEO Robin McDonnell attends the 2024 World Out of Home Congress. His trip features industry insights, dim sum and an illegal billsticker run.
Hong Kong is a vibrant hub of outdoor advertising, providing the ideal setting to celebrate the best in the business. Upon arrival, our billsticking crew took to the streets, with assorted poem posters from Aotearoa’s finest: Isla Huia, Ben Brown, and Janet Frame.
Along the way, we discovered dim sum restaurant Tim Ho Wan – known globally for its mouth-watering barbecue pork buns and as an affordable Michelin dining experience. Naturally, we stopped to indulge.
While there are some similarities, out-of-home in Hong Kong looks vastly different to that in New Zealand. Hong Kong billboards adorn the tops of skyscrapers and the digital ones are brand-heavy, displaying a single animated message.
As we discovered from a friendly record shop proprietor, billposters operate outside the law, taking over any empty space. The 600 HKD (NZ$125) fine is little deterrent when the only limit is a pile of posters and your own tenacity.
Fortunately, we learnt about the on-the-spot fines after already leaving a trail of poem posters for locals to enjoy.
As for the local billstickers, they keep going regardless. There are always more posters and always more walls.
At the congress, World Out of Home President Tom Goddard kick-started proceedings. We honoured industry excellence with the formal dinner and awards ceremony.
Across two days, we heard from global industry leaders and innovators. Here are my quick-fire takeaways:
Automation
The OOH industry needs to embrace automation beyond programmatic trading to encompass all OOH advertising and promote an omnichannel approach. At most, 25% of OOH is programmatic. Ad tech vendors should work together to create flow between platforms.
The omnichannel approach
The growth of outdoor advertising stems from its ability to complement other channels. A prime example is Oatly’s recent campaign, which combined physical and digital advertising to ingeniously overcome France’s strict laws that prohibit logos on murals. It reached millions worldwide, exemplifying the power of an omnichannel approach, as neither digital nor OOH advertising alone could achieve such widespread recognition.
Retail media
Propelled by the decline of cookies, FMCG brands are now racing to discover alternatives to connect with and convert shoppers. While retail involvement in media isn’t novel, what’s different now is retailers possess extensive consumer databases, an online presence and a network of physical stores – ideal for tapping into consumer purchasing intent.
Sustainability
Sustainability remains a key focus, with responsible businesses actively working to minimise their environmental footprint. If your OOH supplier isn’t carbon neutral or employing science-based reduction strategies, it’s important to question why. Ad Net Zero serves as a beacon, guiding decisions beyond mere profitability. It’s crucial for the industry to consistently advocate for sustainability – we’re collectively striving for progress, not division.
Measurement
Methods of measuring OOH effectiveness and ROI have become more refined – the industry has matured past
basing potential audience reach on maximum theoretical exposure. Instead, it’s embracing a more nuanced approach: counting people, not devices for an accurate estimation of the audience.
OOH advertising remains exceptionally valuable, delivering CPM rates lower than any other industry.
Creativity
Creativity is the superpower of OOH, transforming potential audience members into loyal customers by being memorable and creating brand fame. It explains why this age-old form of marketing has endured – when creativity is combined with contextual relevance and expansive reach, its impact becomes unstoppable.
This was first published in the 2024 June-July NZ Marketing Magazine issue. Subscribe here.
