718OUTDOOR is a media company specializing in traditional static OOH platforms, and they are all about New York. They operate a plant that includes more than 130 faces including large format bulletins, spectacular dominations, dedicated panels, hotel elevator ads, wallscapes, and murals.  Billboard Insider talked with Glenn Merone, the company’s President and Founder.

Glenn, how did you get into the out of home business

I was a hotelier for 10 years ( 6 of those years at the Iconic New Yorker Hotel), and climbed my way from front desk to General Manager across various hotel properties in Manhattan and Brooklyn… a true ‘hotel guy,’ born and raised in Brooklyn. I had no background in out-of-home advertising, but everything changed during a NYC traffic jam staring at a billboard on 9th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, sparked my curiosity. I spent three years studying the nuances of municipal regulations and learning the OOH and media industry verticals, discovering remarkable parallels between the hospitality and advertising industries. Both rely on client services, inventory management, dynamic pricing strategies, distribution strategies, and understanding peak demand periods, operational multitasking – skills I had honed during my decade in hotels. 10 years later, my company owns and manages over 130 static OOH sites across the 5 borough Metro New York area, working with clients like Nike, ABI, Finish Line, Mcdonalds, Netflix, Hulu, Paramount+, Disney+, Coca Cola,HBO Max, and the list goes on. Little to no startup capital, and securing permits was a major challenge, but persistent gritty negotiation skills, and a deep understanding of the city’s processes were key. Looking ahead, we’re expanding into other markets but all while staying “on brand”, large format static OOH in dense urban areas. I want ad agencies and brands to have a clear understanding of what 718 is bringing to the table.

What’s new over the past year?

Brian Egan was brought on as VP of Sales.  He has more than 11 years sales experience with City Outdoor and OpenFortune.

What are some of your objectives for the coming year.

Continuing to expand in NY 5 boroughs and be a dominant force in static Large format OOH, and continue to have an advantage being a born and raised local. I am very bullish on static OOH. There is alot of buzz constantly around DOOH, but the truth is, static OOH has major strengths that are undeniable, and present a real strategic advantage in alot of plays that brands, and their agencies put together–Full ownership of your space and no skips!

What’s your approach to Geopath and measurement statistics?

I am a Geopath member, and all units are fully audited by Geopath, but always exploring other ways to justify why units make sense from one brand campaign to the next. I also am a firm believer in what I cultivate and develop on instinct as I have been driving these routes my entire life, and see what is happening in the real estate market and demographics way quicker than a census can populate that data. There are all kinds of new tech and data aggregation developing, and we are always looking for ways to fine tune our pitch.

How is the New York out of home market different from other markets?

NY will continue to be the state that can deliver all human experiences across all categories (population diversity and density, weather, food, culture, ethnicity, outdoor activities, indoor activities, and the list goes on and on….)  Sales and economic cycles will always rise and fall, but NY is a constant in my opinion as it pertains to OOH. If governmental bodies reduce the regulatory red tape, and allow a percentage or all boards for independent operators to be converted to digital (Not just for the publicly traded OOH companies), the market will get even more interesting and present new untapped opportunities for everyone involved.