In today’s dynamic advertising landscape, Out of Home advertising is experiencing remarkable growth. As economic headwinds prevail in key markets such as New Zealand, Australia, and beyond, the transformation and growth of the Out of Home sector serves as a compelling testament to its effectiveness as a medium. We had the privilege of sitting down with Paul Sigaloff, our new Chief Revenue & Growth Officer, to gain valuable insights into his observations of the Out of Home industry and personal inspirations.
Could you tell us more about your new role, and what factors sparked your interest in this newly created role?
Certainly! There are several different reasons, firstly the strength of oOh! as a market leader in the Out of Home industry, and its great reputation which can be quantified both through media I survey results and our strong employee engagement scores. Prior to joining, I had the opportunity to meet with several people from oOh!, and I was impressed by their intelligence, sharpness and more importantly their passion – this can be infectious!
Secondly, oOh! has an amazing portfolio of over 35,000 assets across eight different formats. With the growth of the sector there is an immense opportunity for us to evolve and leverage the exciting technological advancements that lie ahead. I’m excited to bring my expertise in leadership, transformation and digital to drive oOh!’s core business and help execute our digital-first strategy to drive our future growth.
It’s early days for you, but what some of the areas that you have identified as industry growth?
OOH is an incredibly exciting and vibrant industry, experiencing remarkable organic growth. We have a unique opportunity to build upon our strong foundations and embrace digital transformation, which allows us to capitalise on market dynamics. With the fragmentation of TV and fewer people watching free-to-air content, advertisers are shifting their budgets from TV to OOH for its cost-effectiveness. Data and measurement play a critical role in planning and, activation, and we have the necessary tools to provide these insights. According to SMI, OOH is currently up +16% YOY, while TV is down -15%.
One aspect that is truly blowing me away is the creativity and innovation. My meetings with our creative hub, POLY, have been inspiring and I can’t wait to continue evolving in this space. We recently launched oOh! motion and our expanded 3DA sites in Sydney and Brisbane. These digital innovations are clever ways for brands to engage and interact with audiences when they’re out in public spaces.
We’re already half-way through the year, as we look to the next 6 months what do you see as the driving forces and trends?
2023 is flying by! As we enter the back half of the year, there are some key driving forces and trends to consider. Our trajectory is strong, so we won’t be making major changes to what we already do. Instead, it’s about turning the dial to the max. There are a number of key areas we’ll be focussing and investing in. Our data science is one of these areas, as it plays an important role in planning, activation, and measurement. Our second area of focus is driving our digital transformation, starting with programmatic, I’ve already touched on innovation and oOh! has a strong purpose driven culture so ESG will continue to be a focus. Finally maximising the potential our assets and products will remain a top priority. With such a large portfolio, it’s important for us to maintain a customer centric approach, with a clear lens of simplicity.
Can you elaborate more on the simplicity of making it easier for brands to buy Out of Home?
We need to think more about automated buying through programmatic and omnichannel approaches. Out Of Home is an incredibly effective medium that complements all channels, and we want to encourage buyers to tap into its strategic potential. When you consider share of voice across all platforms, Out of Home should be a channel that campaigns are planned around. We have the necessary tools to effectively measure and report results, providing brands with valuable insights.
I can’t let you go without asking about how you manage to keep a work life balance.
Given our ratio of work to downtime is 5:2 I don’t look at it as work life balance, more how do you integrate your life with work. My secret is to identify 3-4 things each week that make you happy and prioritise these, if I can achieve them by the time Friday rolls around, I feel like I’ve had a strong week.
First and foremost, is one meaningful connection with each of my family members – my wife, Mandy and our two boys, Ollie & Tommy. It could be something as simple as going for a dog walk together or having a coffee, without the distractions of technology.
Secondly, is exercise. My PT sessions three times a week are a must. It not only energises me but provides me with some great perspective.
I love sailing! Spending time on Sydney Harbour allows to me unwind, appreciate how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful city and spend quality time with friends – I think considered friendship is super important.
Lastly, I strive to have a positive impact on world, society, and people. This is why I am deeply involved in initiatives as a board member of UnLtd where we focus on disadvantaged youth. I hold myself to account on a weekly basis to make sure I’m dedicating time and effort to areas that have a positive impact.
By the time I get to Friday, if I can tick those 4 boxes along with a very busy day job, I feel like my life has great balance. That’s my secret sauce.
