Vistar Media’s 2025/26 Review: Lucy Markowitz on the Coming Creative DooH Boom

December 12, 2025 by guest author, Antonia Hamberger

You’ll recall one of the first big DooH headlines at the start of 2025: T-Mobile’s takeover of Vistar Media — a clear signal that major players are ready to pour serious money into DooH. In her Year in Review, Lucy Markowitz, SVP and GM of U.S. Marketplace at Vistar, reflects on the acquisition and outlines how the company will be evolving in 2026.

Looking Back on 2025

2025 was a transformative year for Vistar Media. We continued to redefine what’s possible in programmatic digital-out-of-home (DooH), reinforcing our position as the industry pioneer and leading voice. The year began with a landmark moment with our acquisition by T-Mobile, one of the largest advertisers in the world. They could have invested anywhere — CTV, search, social, etc. — but they made a bold bet on physical media, showing just how essential DooH has become in the omnichannel mix.

This momentum carried through the rest of the year as we continued to strengthen our market presence. Clear Channel Outdoor selected us as their full-stack technology partner for its U.S. DooH network, building on our strong multi-year SSP partnership. With the launch of Programmatic Guaranteed (PG), our marketplace now supports the full spectrum of programmatic transaction types — open exchange, private marketplace (PMP) and programmatic guaranteed — ensuring every campaign objective can be met.

Strategic partnerships throughout the year strengthened the transparency, reach and impact of our campaigns. With Rapport and UniLed, we set a new industry standard with independent verification. Our new data integration with Acxiom enhanced audience targeting, while giving our partners at IPG a faster and more seamless way to plan and launch campaigns. Finally, TikTok’s Out of Phone offering extended social content into the OoH ecosystem, creating new opportunities to connect audiences across physical and digital spaces.

New Creative Possibilities in 2026

We’re heading into a period of transformation for DooH, which now represents 36.3% of total OoH revenues (up 9.4% YoY), per eMarketer’s forecast. With the growth and the rise of programmatic technology, DooH is no longer just a standalone awareness tool; it now drives both awareness and action, working seamlessly alongside social and online strategies.

Looking ahead to 2026, we’re especially excited about the creative possibilities. More premium OoH venues are adopting digital formats, and higher-quality LED and 3D displays are now deployable at scale, lowering cost barriers and making high-impact creative achievable for more brands. Combined with better measurement tools and deeper audience targeting, these innovations will allow marketers to engage audiences in meaningful ways, demonstrating the growing power of DooH within the marketing ecosystem.

Where DooH is Headed Towards

In 2026, DooH will continue to show up in ways that feel natural, relevant and even surprising to audiences. Consumers are looking for experiences that add value to their day rather than interrupt it, and content that feels authentic — whether it’s humorous, nostalgic, or culturally relevant — will resonate most.

Sports and live events will present a major opportunity. Brands that are full sponsors or simply want to be associated with major events like the Olympics, World Cup or Super Bowl will increasingly turn to programmatic OoH to amplify their presence, leveraging its inherent flexibility to reach audiences in the U.S. and around the world.

Industries with a strong real-world presence — like retail, QSR and grocery — are likely to expand their use of programmatic DooH, and entertainment companies, especially major streamers, will use it to promote releases nationwide, scaling beyond major hubs to reach audiences wherever they are.

At the same time, creative formats will become even more immersive and interactive, giving brands the chance to craft memorable, shareable experiences. Messaging will lean more heavily on authentic voices, with user-generated content and influencer partnerships helping brands engage audiences in ways that feel genuine and relatable.

Together, these trends point to a future where DooH is not just a medium for visibility, but a channel for meaningful, real-world engagement that captures attention, drives action and builds lasting connections.