MediaPost's DOOH Forum in April taking shape

March 9, 2011 by Dave Haynes

MediaPost held what looked to be a very successful Digital OOH Forum last year in NYC, and this year’s version on April 14th appears to be coming together.

Agenda highlights include:

Opening Keynote Presentation – Target’s Video Game Reinvention Kiosks

With Chris Borek, Senior Manager, Interactive Multi-Channel Experience, Target, and Trevor Kaufman, CEO, Possible Worldwide

Me – Cool, and Chris is great, but CETW a couple of weeks later seems a better home for this.

Digital Out-of-Home Market Overview with PQ Media

Presenter – Patrick Quinn, CEO, PQ Media

Me – You again? Quinn also does a good job, and I suppose it can be argued while the numbers released at DSE have been circulated endlessly in this sector, the agency guys live outside our bubble.

The Big Buyer’s Panel

How is the marketplace emerging for digital out-of-home media, and where does it fit on the buy list? Is it TV, outdoor, Interactive media or something else? How are agencies set up to handle digital out-of-home media-buying? What are their main issues and concerns? And what do Outdoor Companies need to move their needle?

Panelists, so far – Connie Garrido, CEO, Posterscope

Me – good!

What Will It Take Panel

What will it take to put digital out-of-home on more media plans to increase share for the medium. How does the medium become truly integrated into today’s planning process which is so fundamental? Are there lessons to be learned from mobile, search, ITV, online etc.? Is the current ad hoc digital out-of-home audience data good enough? Can it be easily integrated into the current planning systems or even the buying systems? What role will the integrators play? Is the opportunity about more than just reach/frequency and CPMs? Isn’t it really about super targeting, immediacy or propinquity, environment or the presenter effect plus technological innovations to generate consumer engagement with the campaign and the brand?

Moderator – Tony Jarvis, Creative Director, Olympic Media Consultancy

Panelists – Dennis Roche, President, Zoom Media, and Ray Rotolo, COO, Posterscope

Me – Great, though the more buyers talking the better

Presentation: “When All The World’s A Screen”

What happens when every surface can be a screen? How does it affect the economics of the out-of-home industry, which has been predicated on a fixed number of pre-defined locations (X estimated viewership X CPM), and where “scarcity” is created by the number of locations (boards or screens) referred to as “the plan.”. What does it mean when any surface can be turned into a cost-effective out-of-home content delivery system or advertising unt? What are implications on zoning, pricing models, the plant, creative development, scaleability, etc. What incumbent businesses are at risk? Who is positioned to win? IPG Media Lab’s Monahan will present examples that transform almost any surface into a digital, interactive media experience.

Presenter – Brian Monahan, EVP, Managing Director, IPG Media Lab

Me – My understanding, and I will be happily set right if this is incorrect, is that this media lab is pay to play-based. So it’s not necessarily what’s the latest-greatest, but who wanted to pay to be in there. I’d rather hear from MIT, but this could nonetheless be quite interesting.

Monahan is followed by a panel, with so far unnamed participants

There is then a Metrics Panel

In the afternoon …

Presentation: Out-of-Home User Experience

What are the different ways in which people are exposed to and experience digital out-of-home media? What is the role of contextual advertising based on proximity and location. And how does it relate to the way they experience other forms of digital media and video content across other platforms.

Presenter – Paul Lindstrom, Senior Vice President, Nielsen OnLocation

Me – sounds good

That’s followed by a panel on that subject

Augmentation Panel

How technologies ranging from smart phones, apps, the mobile Web, QR codes, and augmented reality are enhancing and extending the digital out-of-home experience for consumers and advertisers alike.

So far, a panel with Harry Dewhirst, of mobile ads specialist Amobee.

Me – Definitely a subject that needs exploration.

“I Wish I Thought Of That Digital OOH Idea!”

Digital out-of-home creative gurus, including U-DIGG’s Alan Schulman, review a portfolio of the most breakthrough, awe-inspiring, lightbulb moment campaigns.

Presenter – Alan Schulman, Chairman, Chief Creative Officer, U.DIG >The Digital Innovations Group

Me – great!

There are then cocktails and the Digital Out-of-Home Awards. Strikes me as this is coming together late, but media people are adrenalin junkies who love deadlines. And a lot of people they need to fill out the panels are cabs and subway rides away in Manhattan.

Event details all here.

Hoping/planning to go, but  schedules and budgets will rule the day.