Good morning, everyone — and welcome to OAAA’s 2026 OOH Media Conference.
It’s great to be here with all of you in Dallas — a city defined by energy, ambition, and a spirit of entrepreneurship. A place where culture shows up in the real world, where brands compete on a national stage, and where ideas don’t just live — they play out at scale.
Over the next few days, you’ll feel a bit of that Dallas energy come through.
- in our conversations,
- in the insights we’ll share,
- and in the moments we create together.
But what really brings us together is something bigger.
The opportunity in front of this industry. Because at a time when the media landscape is rapidly evolving, the very thing that makes us different is becoming more valuable than ever before. I believe that this industry is entering one of the most important moments in its history. Our advantage has been building for decades: connecting with consumers, delivering for marketers, and proving our value time and time again. That foundation is exactly what brings us to this moment. AI is transforming how campaigns are created and optimized. New platforms are reshaping how brands connect with and convert audiences. And everything is moving faster. There are more ways to reach people than ever before. But more access hasn’t led to more impact. Because as the volume increases, so does the noise. Attention is everywhere. But real connection is not. And that’s exactly the challenge marketers are navigating today.
So over the past year, OAAA set out to better understand where we fit in this new media reality. Not how we’ve historically positioned it, but how it’s actually perceived today and what marketers really need from us moving forward. We spoke with leaders across the entire ecosystem: brands, agencies, platforms, and partners.And what we heard was clear.
- Out of home is valued.
- It’s trusted.
- It’s visible, culturally relevant, and one of the last true mass-reach mediums.
But we also heard something else.
- We’re still too complex.
- Too fragmented.
- Too inconsistent in how we show up.
And in today’s environment, complexity doesn’t win. Clarity does. That insight is what led us to a clearer articulation of what our medium is and why it matters.
The Human Medium.
Not as a tagline. Not as a campaign. But as a reflection of what makes us fundamentally different. Because when everything competes for attention, what resonates — what actually sticks —is what feels real and human. We’re not something you scroll past. We’re part of the world around you. And that presence matters. Because OOH doesn’t just deliver impressions, it leaves one. It’s where ideas meet the humans they were made for.
In 2025, out of home revenue reached a record $9.46 billion, extending our growth to 19 consecutive quarters. That kind of sustained momentum reflects growing market confidence and a deeper reliance on what we deliver. Digital out of home now accounts for more than 36% of total revenue. What we’re seeing is not just digital adoption — it’s digital acceleration.
But while there is a lot to celebrate, we also have to be honest about where we stand. Our share of total ad spend remains under 3%. Which means this isn’t just a growth story. It’s an opportunity story. Because a medium with this level of impact, scale, and presence should not be underrepresented.
The opportunity ahead of us is significantly bigger than our current share of the market. We have the foundation. We have the proof. We have the momentum. So now it’s about what we do with it. And how we translate that into even greater impact for marketers. We’ve always been a medium of presence. Now we’re also proving our power in performance. Today’s marketers are asking a different question: Not “Will people see this?” But “Will this drive results?” And we are delivering on that question.
Just today we, released research with Kochava that shows exactly that: This study proved that OOH delivers 2x the lift of broadcast TV and CTV. We are not just awareness. We are action. And it’s a story we need to tell more clearly, consistently, and confidently. Because when we do, the path forward becomes much more obtainable. And we’re already seeing it take shape, especially this year. For example, with sports and global cultural moments. From the Super Bowl to the Olympics, and soon the FIFA World Cup, where brands are using us to show up alongside the action. In fact, a recent OAAA and Harris Poll found that 62% of consumers are interested in OOH advertising tied to the World Cup. We also see it in the growing investment coming from some of the most sophisticated marketers in the world. From AI companies and digital-native brands to pharma and political advertisers, to name a few. We see it in how OOH strengthens the broader media ecosystem.
Earlier this year, we released new research with Winterberry Group, in partnership with Perion, Moving Walls, and Midnight Oil, which found that 98% of marketers are incorporating us into commerce strategies, with 86% planning to increase the investment. Because we don’t just stand alongside other channels. We amplify them. We extend them. And we make them work harder. So when you take all of this together — the growth, the performance, the positioning, and the opportunity — it is crystal clear: We are built for this moment.But fully realizing our future requires action.
✦ First — We have to evolve how we operate.
Because the landscape is changing quickly. AI is reshaping how marketing works. Expectations around speed and accountability are higher than ever. And what worked in the past will not be enough to carry us forward. That means continuing to invest in better measurement. And continuing to standardize our transactions. And we’ve already taken meaningful steps to get there. OAAA and Geopath have aligned around a unified vision for measurement, launching a next-generation audience measurement pilot with Ipsos. This is designed to bring greater precision, transparency, and interoperability to OOH measurement. We’ve also introduced an updated OpenOOH taxonomy to create more consistency across formats, environments, and inventory, aligning us more closely with how modern media is planned and transacted today. These are foundational changes. Because as measurement improves, as standards improve, and as we become easier to integrate into the broader media ecosystem, investment will follow. And that’s how we position this industry not just for continued growth, but for greater share in the years ahead.
✦ Second — We have to move forward as one.
The market is not evaluating us one company at a time. Brands and agencies are evaluating us as a medium and deciding whether we collectively can deliver against their goals. Marketers are no longer just buying locations. They’re buying audiences and outcomes. And that requires us to show up differently. Because when we show up fragmented, we create friction that makes it harder for the market to fully engage with us. With the momentum our medium has, we SHOULD NOT be underrepresented. THAT’S why alignment matters so much. Because the market experiences us as one medium, whether we operate that way or not. So let’s operate with greater consistency and clarity, not just to strengthen the industry but to accelerate it.
✦ Third — we have to get out of our own way
One of the clearest themes we’ve heard from our Brand and Agency Councils is that marketers are increasingly seeking exactly what OOH does best. Creativity and performance. Scale and authenticity. Real-world connection. We already have one of the most powerful toolsets in media. A medium that drives culture. Builds brands. And increasingly delivers measurable business results. That is a rare combination. And we need to start acting like it. Not waiting to be included in the plan. but showing up like the essential medium we know we are. And I’ll say this directly because I stood on this stage five years ago and said something that still holds true today:
This industry deserves more.
More investment. More recognition. More appreciation for the value we create every single day. And if we’re being honest, that starts with us. Because this industry has something special. We have the creativity. We have the scale. We have the relationships. We have the results. And yes, we should have some swagger about that.
So I’ll end this section with a challenge — not just to all of you, but to myself too. So I’m challenging myself and all of us to show up even louder for this industry.
- To advocate harder.
- To push bigger.
- To stop underselling what OOH is capable of.
✦ And finally — We have to lead with humanity.
Because at the end of the day, this industry is not defined by inventory. It’s defined by people. By relationships. By creativity. And by collaboration. That is our unique advantage. In a world that is increasingly complex and fragmented, our ability to connect in the real world is what sets us apart. And we need to protect, invest, and celebrate that. Our strength is not just the work we put into the world. It’s the people behind it. That’s why programs like Future Leaders matter. If we can take a minute and give a round of applause for the 10 selected delegates for this year’s Future Leaders class. Please stand up. We are thrilled to have you join us in Dallas, and excited to see what the future holds for these incredible rising stars. And that brings us back to where we started.
Out of home: The Human Medium.
We are the medium of presence.
The medium of scale.
The medium of shared experience.
We are how brands show up in the real world — not outside of culture, but within it.
We turn visibility into relevance.
Reach into impact.
And media into meaningful connections.
That is why this industry continues to grow.
Why marketers are investing more deeply in us.
And why the opportunity ahead is so significant.
Because the next era of brand building will demand exactly what we do best:
Creativity and performance.
Attention and connection.
Technology and humanity.
Audiences at scale.
That is the power of out of home.
And that is the power of the Human Medium.
I also want to take a moment to recognize an important milestone for us. This year, OAAA is celebrating its 135th anniversary. That’s 135 years of OAAA helping shape the growth and evolution of this great medium. Because above all else, we have always remained committed to protecting, promoting, and advancing OOH. So, thank you all for being here with us today. For showing up, for pushing this industry forward, and for continuing to demand our place in the future of marketing. Thank you.
To receive a free morning newsletter with each day’s Billboard insider articles email info@billboardinsider.com with the word “Subscribe” in the title. Our newsletter is free and we don’t sell our subscriber list.
Paid Advertisement
