This is the first in a new monthly Billboard Insider feature on agencies doing interesting things in out of home.  Today we highlight Detroit’s Brooklyn Outdoor and ask Candice Simons to talk about her favorite campaign, autonomous cars and what out of home needs to do to get a greater share of the advertising pie.

Agency:   Brooklyn Outdoor

Headquarters: 2501 Russell St, Suite 400, Detroit, MI 48207

Phone: 844-504-7446

Email: info@brooklynoutdoor.com

Brooklyn Outdoor is a Detroit headquartered out-of-home agency with offices in New York, Chicago, and LA. The firm was founded in 2013 by Candice Simons.   Insider talked with Simons last week.

Candice, how did you enter the out-of-home business?

After packing my bags up from Detroit and moving to Chicago, I interviewed for a handful of advertising companies among other industries. Through this process, I found a love for the out- of-home industry and have immersed myself in it ever since. The people, the products, and the passion just had my heart. After moving back to Detroit in 2013 and interviewing for multiple companies to work for and to sell for, I noticed a gap in the market and saw the opportunity to fill it. Immediately, I started working with industry veteran Dave Pidgeon as a star sales DUE and now we are a team of 12. I, along with Dave, had fresh ideas and creative talents to add to the industry I love and knew Detroit was the perfect fit. Ever since then, Brooklyn Outdoor has been bridging the gap between creatives and agencies to bring a unique spin on out-of-home advertising.

Tell us about an interesting billboard campaign you’ve done recently.

Brooklyn Outdoor recently created an interactive advertisement for Anheuser-Busch Best Damn Brewing Company Launch. We ideated, designed, and implemented Detroit’s very first “BillBar,” a billboard you could walk into and drink the beer right out of. Through this interactive experience, we were able to invent the weekend – giving back to local charities, while additionally utilizing local artisans for the project. Not only was it an interactive spin on advertising, but an incredibly rewarding way to bring Detroiters together. Shortly after, the brand did this across the country.

Some people think the out of home sky is falling due to autonomous cars. What’s your take?

In my opinion, autonomous cars would make roads safer by preventing accidents caused by distracted driving. If a car can drive itself, it additionally allows the “driver” to take in the out- of-home ads around them with no other distractions. It will also boost the mobile and out-of- home strength as a pairing for all campaigns. This also means that it’s likely that as autonomous technology develops, it will expand to buses, trains and streetcars as well. It will challenge advertisers to question how they reach audiences effectively and drive the industry forward. Technology has changed over time and will continue to do so and as an industry, out- of-home is making sure it is prepared for these twists and turns in the road. It’s not the first time the out-of-home industry has had to evolve to best serve its clients, and we are certainly ready for the challenge.

What has to happen for out-of-home to get a greater share of national advertising revenues?

For out-of-home to get a greater share of national advertising revenues, adaption to the newest innovations in technology is critical as mentioned with the autonomous vehicle debate. As technology changes, so do the ways that people are exposed to advertising. Whether it’s the changes in the place or form of the advertisement, the way that people are exposed to ads is continuously evolving, making it essential for companies to change how they target their target audience.

Therefore, research is essential for understanding the way your target audience operates. If you can reach them in newer ways than ever before, you will also be able to expand your company’s share of national advertising revenues and we can increase a higher share from the other formats. If you can prove your campaigns to be successful, you will be able to create relationships with companies on a national scale just as we have. We are not done growing yet – in fact, we have only begun. As a proud part of the OAAA marketing committee and the national conference host committee, this is a huge priority of our industry thought leaders moving forward. It is up to our industry to work in tandem to increase the OOH spend levels nationally and we cannot do that in silos. We may be a small company among the titans of our industry, but known for our great, national relationships, we will keep fighting for our medium.

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