Fast 5 with Emma Hegg – Head of Out of Home, dentsu international

News Mar, 2022

To support the launch of MOVE 1.5 we sat down with Emma Hegg to get her key takeaways on what agencies need to know.

How will MOVE 1.5 enhancements change the way agencies plan and buy Out of Home?

MOVE 1.5 now allows agencies and advertisers to measure digital inventory, which has been something that has been needed for a number of years. The introduction of a consistent measurement across digital assets will really support advertiser confidence when choosing Out of Home as their channel of choice.

The introduction of the Neuro Impact Factor (NIF) will shape a greater understanding of the power of digital assets and the importance of the environment. This will influence how agencies plan and buy Out of Home with a positive outcome for the industry. Having robust measurement and a metric that talks to the unique quality of Out of Home formats can only provide greater opportunities.

Why is standardization so important for the Out of Home industrfy?

Quite simply Out of Home had to be easier to buy. The market went through a lot of consolidation in 2018 and 2019 in terms of the supply of inventory, but the market also fragmented around ways that agencies and advertisers had to plan and buy Out of Home and it became too hard! There was no consistent currency or consistent measurement across high-value environments, which made it really hard for agencies and advertisers to navigate.

Standardisation is important for two reasons, it provides us with simplicity across a complex landscape for the current world of Out of Home and provides flexibility as we move towards a more agile way of planning and trading, setting the Out of Home industry up for greater success for the future.

MOVE 1.5 talks a lot to digital Out of Home. How do clients and agencies perceive classic and the role it plays in Out of Home campaigns?

Classic assets will always have a role in Out of Home, the power of strategically placed formats with the ability to shut out other advertisers will always be of value. However, we know that share of spend in Out of Home across digital assets continues to grow YoY and I don’t see that slowing down anytime soon. The power of Classic is activated in the ‘where’ and ‘how’ these assets are used. Classic gives amazing longevity in market and additionally, many of the best creative executions over the years have been on static inventory.

What do you see as the greatest opportunity for Audience Measurement in Out of Home?

I think it’s exactly as it says on the tin; “the ability to accurately measure audiences at scale.” It is exciting to see how the introduction of MOVE 1.5 is helping to solve some historic market issues. Additionally, the development of MOVE 2.0 will spearhead Out of Home into a completely different realm. This world-leading measurement tool will provide the ability to accurately measure all Digital Out of Home formats in a granular way, including time of day and day of week. It will level the playing field by providing Out of Home the genuine opportunity to compete with digital and be part of the omnichannel approach.

What’s your favourite thing about Out of Home

I have worked in Out of Home for the past 17 years and it’s hard to choose one favourite thing- there is so much to love!

I was first drawn to Out of Home for its ability to talk to everyone and cut through all the noise. However today I love Out of Home’s ability to innovate and connect with audiences at all points of the marketing funnel. I have always considered Out of Home the hardworking channel. It gives inspiration and brand stature with the ability to communicate with audiences at a hyper localised level. Out of Home is unrivalled and often underappreciated in its value.