3 min read
2023 has been a year of exciting momentum for OneScreen.ai including adding some fantastic people to the team. We’re thrilled to share that Jennifer Nelson has come on board as our new Director of Media Planning. Bringing over fifteen years of experience in advertising, media buying and planning, Jennifer is here to maximize the impact of all our clients’ OOH campaigns.
We talked with Jennifer about her background, the impact of out of home, and how she would recommend advertisers approach OOH media planning in the year to come.
Q: Can you share with us a bit about your background and what led you to join OneScreen.ai?
"I started my career in small boutique OOH media buying agencies. I spent a few years at larger media agencies as well, so I have a taste of both. However, I prefer the more nimble, efficient approach and deeper level of client service at smaller agencies.
The OOH industry is ready for modernization, particularly when it comes to data-driven measurement. Back at the start of my career, we had some data to go by, but recommendations were largely informed by intuition. Clients would give us some information about an ideal target profile, maybe a suggested market, and a budget to work within. Then we had to use our past experience and whatever information we could find about where those targets were living, working, commuting, etc. to choose the right placements. It was a lot of guesswork, and the results weren’t explicitly measurable.
OneScreen.ai’s technology and approach brings measurement and data-driven strategy into the OOH equation in a way I’ve never seen before. It’s what I consider the future of OOH, and it’s what clients are demanding. As trusted stewards of our clients’ budgets, we need to bring our OOH measurement capabilities up to par with that of other channels, to empower marketers to make the best decisions that meet their goals. It’s important to remove intuition and guesswork, not only on the media planning side but on the client side as well. Research-backed strategic recommendations will work hard for our clients, will keep clients coming back for more, and will elevate the OOH industry as whole. That is what OneScreen.ai empowers us to do."
Q: What would you advise for a marketer looking to get started with OOH but is also concerned with spending their 2024 budget wisely?
"For OOH, there is definitely a minimum threshold in order to make an adequate impact. One of the services we provide is advising our clients on what these budget thresholds look like for different markets and different campaign goals. We’re not going to recommend our clients spread their budget too thin to the point where their OOH program won’t work well.
“With the range of inventory out there today, our team can make a solid recommendation for a wide range of budgets. OneScreen.ai’s data allows us to do this in a way we couldn’t before. The technology is eliminating a lot of the guesswork.”
That being said, with the range of inventory out there today, our team can make a solid recommendation for a wide range of budgets. OneScreen.ai’s data allows us to do this a way we couldn't before. The technology is eliminating a lot of the guesswork of who is seeing the placement and the impact it’s having on your marketing goals. It’s about spending smart, and measuring back at key points in time to make data-based adjustments and optimize future plans."
Q: What are some of the common pitfalls of OOH advertising campaigns that marketers should avoid?
"My top recommendation here is to align media teams in the creative process to ensure that the creative will work well for OOH. I’ve seen poorly designed creative negatively impact campaigns many times in my career, sometimes to the point where the client demands all materials be redesigned and reproduced immediately. It’s not just about the right copy or font size - it’s about the number of words, lines of copy, color contrast, and relevance of the images. We can put together a fantastic program but if the creative isn’t well suited for OOH, the plan will fail.
The root cause of this issue is usually a disconnect between media teams and creative teams. At times, the media team is only pulled into the process after the creative is already done and approved. There are very clear guidelines from OAAA on best practices for creative design. Media experts can help ensure everything is put together to drive maximum impact and comprehension."
Q: What are your thoughts on digital fatigue? Is digital marketing on the way out?
"Digital fatigue is real. People are tired of seeing nuisance ads all over their screens and they’re learning not to look at them. Digital ads are “measurable” by impressions, but what kind of impression is it? A negative one? And is that sentiment what you want connected with your brand?
With OOH, you’re generally showing your brand to someone in a more receptive mindset. It’s passive consumption.
With OOH, you’re generally showing your brand to someone in a more receptive mindset. It’s passive consumption. They’re deciding to look up and read the billboard or ad on the taxi, the advertisement is not interrupting their activity online.
That being said, digital has an important role in the marketing mix. But it’s not the only answer. Research shows that OOH reinforces the impact of digital advertising campaigns - both digital and OOH are more successful when they’re done in concert with each other."
If you have any questions for Jennifer or the team at OneScreen.ai about how to build a targeted and measurable OOH campaign, we're here to help!
