Programmatic buying is a well-known concept internationally in the DOOH arena, but is lesser known in South Africa. Says Livia Brown, General Manager at Posterscope SA: “There have been many questions around its feasibility in a local market, with the major obstacle being restricted access to audience and mobile data that can be used in real time. Through partnering with Tractor Outdoor, we’re excited to demonstrate its massive potential, and the benefits it offers to brands in terms of allowing for refined targeting within a high-reach, high-frequency medium.”
Remi du Preez, Commercial Director at Tractor Outdoor, explains, “The programmatic approach enables a digital marketer to bid against other competing businesses for the same target audience, effectively buying impressions on a cost per thousand basis via an advertising exchange, with the highest-bidding ad taking precedence over those with lower bids.” However, instead of only reaching the individual as with online advertising, the audience sample is far larger thanks to the DOOH network.
The ad exchange determines buying and placement decisions without requiring any human interaction, negating the need for onerous negotiations with multiple publishers.
Du Preez cites the Mini campaign as a shining example of the capabilities of programmatic buying. “The objective was to drive consumer awareness around the lifestyle vehicle manufacturer’s new Countryman and Sidewalk models, through targeting a multitude of locations in the Gauteng region.”
Robust survey data from the Outdoor Measurement Council (OMC) offered sight of the potential number of consumers in view of a screen at any given time. “Through tracking mobile phones, we were subsequently able to overlay these figures with real-time data, providing a highly accurate and current reading on the movement of our target audiences.
“By prescribing specific qualifying criteria for our campaign within the ad exchange, the programme automatically generates a relevant flighting schedule.”
This offers significant value to marketers, explains du Preez, in that adverts only flight once the identified audience is in front of the screen, thus ensuring minimal waste.
“Marketers are also able to track campaigns in real-time, through monitoring the impressions served,” he says.
Says Brown, “The programme allowed us to refine the media approach for our brand, through devising very specific key campaign deliverables, while taking into account the impact of lockdown on traffic patterns.
“As a result, we could invest DOOH spend on targeting the right audience, at the right time, and the right place.”
Concludes du Preez, “Tractor Outdoor is thrilled to be able to be one of the first to showcase this offering to the local market, and we are enormously excited about the potential it holds for our clients and their brands.“
