Harkey Media has been growing rapidly via acquisitions including this month’s purchase of Mesa Outdoor.  Billboard Insider talked with Harkey Media founder Scott Harkey.

Scott, how did you first get involved in out-of-home?

I started in media and marketing, and early on I recognized the unique power of out-of-home to reach audiences in a tangible, memorable way. It’s one of the few mediums where you can combine creativity, scale, and real-world presence, and I was drawn to the ability to build a network that brands could rely on to make an impact. In my early 20s when I left CBS, I worked for a small independent OOH company that had presence in many cities, including Phoenix and Las Vegas. I loved out-of-home after working in the broadcast world – something about the simplicity of OOH intrigued me. I carried my love of OOH into my career as I built a holding company with four separate businesses under its umbrella over the course of seventeen years. I continued to be an advocate for OOH in any sort of media plan because I’ve seen it lift sales. I think OOH is massively undervalued in the United States – OOH builds brands, and that’s what I love about it. Digital campaigns can build sales, but billboards build brands. When I had the chance to get back in the business, I was excited. I’ve seen the power of these assets. As larger numbers of boards convert to digital, I saw a huge opportunity.

How many total faces do you have with the Mesa acquisition and how many of your total faces are digital?

With the Mesa Outdoor acquisition in San Francisco, Harkey Media now operates over 500 faces across our national footprint. A large portion of those are digital, giving us the flexibility to deliver full-motion, dynamic campaigns while continuing to support high-impact static locations.

You’ve got a $100 million capital commitment from investors. Where and how would you like to put the funds to use?

The capital allows us to accelerate our growth strategy by acquiring high-quality out-of-home assets in top-tier markets, expanding our digital footprint, and investing in technology that enhances campaign performance for our clients. Essentially, we’re focused on buying premium inventory, upgrading locations, and building a platform that delivers measurable ROI. We want to continue looking at opportunities to expand in other top US markets. We’ll continue on our mission of building and developing new sets, buying existing assets, and managing assets for those who may not have the size and scale we do. We’re also looking to expand our sales team.

Out-of-home revenues growth was down during the past quarter. What are you seeing?

While some markets have experienced softness, we’re seeing strong demand in high-traffic urban areas and from brands that value measurable, multi-channel campaigns. The industry is cyclical, and we remain confident that premium locations and digital innovation will continue to drive growth as advertisers seek out scalable, impactful ways to reach their audiences. It’s also notable that the U.S. will be hosting a plethora of international events in the near future – The World Cup, The Olympics, and F1 races will all draw crowds from around the world that will give the OOH industry ample opportunity for an uptick in growth.

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