Leading Lights: Women Redefining the Programmatic DOOH Landscape

Falling in love with advertising and the start of my career

From a young age, I was captivated by the creativity in advertising. This led me to begin my advertising career in Buenos Aires, working as part of Coca-Cola’s digital team, and eventually took me 10,348 km across the globe to New Zealand, where I’ve since applied my expertise to global and local brands like McDonald's, Kiwibank, 2degrees, Sky, and other incredible client portfolios.

Over the past six years at OMD New Zealand, I’ve advanced from Programmatic Specialist to Activation Director, leading a team while steering through the challenges of a rapidly evolving digital landscape. A landscape where only those who continually adapt to its relentless innovations will succeed, while those who don’t risk being left behind. 

Joining the IAB New Zealand programmatic Digital Out of Home (DOOH) Council, igniting a passion for Digital Out of Home —a space I once considered part of the "offline realm" and knew little about.  Over the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting agency and client training, sharing insights on the New Zealand DOOH market as an IAB panelist, and contributing to the enhancement of global programmatic DOOH Demand Side Platforms (DSP). Collaborating with international teams across the globe has given me a firsthand view of how innovation in programmatic DOOH is reshaping the advertising industry, unlocking new opportunities for more impactful and creative campaigns—just like those that first made me fall in love with advertising at the start of my career.

Trending in the right direction

Programmatic advertising has evolved into a dynamic and personalized medium by leveraging data-driven technologies. Even DOOH screens can now be tailored to the specific demographics, interests, and real-time environments of the viewers, creating more relevant and engaging experiences.

One of my favorite trends is seeing campaigns transcend their original mediums to become immersive events in their own right - ads that break the traditional boundaries of a screen, engaging directly with the public, sparking conversations, and creating deeper connections. A local example would be a campaign for Super Rugby and we were able to activate real time, custom sports data in DOOH supported by proprietary APIs built by Tribe, an innovative mobile app designed to bring sports enthusiasts together. The integration between Tribe, LUMO Digital Outdoor and Hivestack’s ad server made it possible to deliver ads at locations where the matches were being held. The campaign was delivered between kick-off and the final whistle, with the final score staying live for the hours following the result. As machine learning and artificial intelligence become increasingly accessible, it's evident that this trend will continue to evolve. Marketers are finally recognising that bombarding consumers with dozens of ads each day is counterproductive; instead, they should focus on providing engaging content that sparks conversation and enhances the consumer experience with tailored messages designed specifically for them, at the right time.

Visions of a future with transformative AI

Over the past two years, the number of DOOH vendors capable of transacting programmatically has doubled, signalling a shift towards a more fragmented channel landscape. This fragmentation is becoming increasingly evident with the rise of retail media providers in New Zealand, which are carving out their niches and diversifying the DOOH ecosystem even further.

In this diverse environment, artificial intelligence will play a pivotal role. The AI evolution could mean that DOOH campaigns will extend beyond traditional targeting based on demographics, location, and time of day. I can envision advertisers employing facial recognition and emotion detection technologies to tailor messages more precisely. For example, contextual analysis could be enhanced through integrations with IoT devices, such as smart traffic lights and smart vehicles, enabling the delivery of context-aware messages that resonate with a user stuck in traffic congestion.

If I dare to dream a bit further, in the years to come, we could be discussing Augmented Reality (AR) integrations and voice recognition systems enabling interactions with virtual assistants in shopping mall screens, creating personalized and conversational shopping experiences.  From a social responsibility perspective, AI-driven brand safety filters could detect underage audiences, automatically preventing the display of ads for gambling or alcohol near them, ensuring a more responsible and compliant advertising environment.   

Ultimately, as carbon emission controls on DOOH screens become more prevalent, sustainability-focused innovations are likely to emerge. Ads could dynamically adjust to environmental factors like air quality or energy consumption, promoting eco-friendly messages and products in real time, aligning brands more closely with sustainability goals. 

We must dare to dream beyond the 300x250 box and embrace the transformative power of AI. This will not only make ads more interactive but also deeply integrated into consumers' daily lives, fostering engagement and a sense of social responsibility.

More about Michaela

Micaela Bos is a Programmatic Director with extensive experience in the digital advertising industry (LATAM/NZ).

While pursuing her Bachelor's Degree in Advertising in Buenos Aires, she developed a deep passion for staying abreast of the latest technological trends. Her educational background, coupled with ten years of practical experience, equips her with a comprehensive understanding of the digital advertising industry.