Leading Lights: Women Redefining the Programmatic DOOH Landscape

How I Got into the Media Industry: When Plans Take Unexpected Turns

I never set out to be in the media industry. My mom was adamant that I pursue something more “scientific” since I was great with numbers, and, in the ‘90s, the media industry had a reputation for being “cool” yet male-dominated, like the show we’re all so familiar with, Mad Men. But fate had other plans. I ended up proving my mom wrong, earning a scholarship that funded my university term.

Fresh out of school, I started job hunting. Marketing didn’t really catch my interest and media planning wasn’t even on my radar. I leaned towards strategy roles in creative agencies. Ironically, after two weeks of waiting for an offer from one of the world's number one beauty brand, they finally reached out - only on my very first day at Publicis, where I had already accepted an offer! Publicis took a chance on me as I had no idea what I was getting into but soon found myself part of Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) planning team.

Looking back, I have zero regrets and only gratitude, as the media industry has been the most exciting, challenging, and fulfilling journey. The long hours are worth it, and what’s more, this industry has no glass ceiling. If you’re willing to learn, there are no boundaries to what you can achieve.

Codifying Intelligence in Media

We’re in an era where intelligence is embedded in everything we do. It’s not just about automating buys; it’s about being laser-focused on delivering relevance, scale, and precision targeting. With the advancement of technology in programmatic DOOH, advertisers now have unprecedented creative freedom to tailor content and timing based on predicted factors (Sports events, weather and more) - Taking us well beyond the static days of traditional OOH.

And, of course, the rise of Generative AI is something to watch out for! We’re absolutely getting smarter across every media channel, using algorithms to codify intelligence into each step of the process and gaining insights to consumer behaviours, producing the best possible outcomes.

How to Be Future-Ready for the Future of Advertising

In an industry that evolves as quickly as advertising, staying curious is crucial. The landscape rewards those who embrace change, adapt, and constantly seek new knowledge. If you stay still or plateau, you risk being left behind in an environment that’s moving forward at lightning speed. Curiosity is essential not only to keep up with trends but to actively shape the future of advertising. It helps us explore new platforms, test and develop innovative approaches that keep us relevant.

Equally important is a deep hunger to learn. Being eager to acquire new skills and insights means you’re always on the cutting edge, prepared to navigate disruptions and seize new opportunities. With the rapid advancement of AI, this hunger becomes even more valuable. AI is unlocking possibilities we could only dream of before - more precise targeting, data-driven and hyper-personalised campaigns that make advertising not only more effective but more meaningful to consumers.

To be future-ready, advertisers need to embrace AI and automation tools as partners. We should stay agile, continually refine our strategies, and be prepared to pivot as new technologies reshape consumer behavior.

Future-ready advertisers will be those who blend curiosity, a strong learning mindset, and technological openness, transforming these attributes into strategies that engage audiences in meaningful ways across channels, inside and outside of their homes.

More about Eileen

Eileen Ooi a veteran of 18 years in the advertising and media industry, Eileen’s known for her challenger mentality and passion in raising next gen game changers in Malaysia. Eileen is curious and passionate about all things media. Her bold perspective of the world, she spends her day advocating change leadership, raising media talents in Malaysia and creating new conventions. Eileen has won numerous awards and has been a finalist of APAC Women Leading Change. Today she is the Chief Executive Officer for PHD Asia Pacific  whilst continuing her ongoing leadership of Omnicom Media Group Malaysia, she is spending her energy in taking the agency group into a future-focused formidable brand. She is also the first female President of Malaysia Digital Association, and is passionate in shaping and nurturing the digital economy in Malaysia. With the rampant rise of work stressors, Eileen is an avid champion of organization placing priority on employees’ mental wellness and is on a personal mission to raise awareness in the advertising industry and in Malaysia to break the stigma of mental health. In addition to that, Eileen has a fierce passion for raising Malaysian talents especially women for the digital, data and tech industry.