Neil Morris is MD of the award-winning production house Grand Visual in London (founded in 2005). The company specializes in translating classical advertising campaigns into effective and inspiring DOOH creations. As Great Britain is global leader in DOOH and London its focal point, Morris is regarded as a kind of ‘godfather’ at the heart of the latest developments. The same can be said of CSDM CEO Radjen van Wilsem, so that in spite of their differences, they complement each other well. A conversation about among other things the do’s and don’ts of outdoor advertising.
What else is needed for DOOH to grow, apart from being beautiful, inspiring?
NM: Infrastructure! I know it doesn’t sound sexy, but DOOH could be a far more relevant and effective medium if the infrastructure was improved.
RvW: Data and programmatic technology, something that the younger generation is already familiar with online. These make the input and action far less complicated.
Why do you think infrastructure is so important?
NM: The more sophisticated the infrastructure, the better targeted the commercial message. Take for example a campaign for hay fever pills. This was only broadcast at a certain temperature and pollen count. The funny thing is that if you are able to distribute such specialized advertisements in such a sophisticated way, not only does the commercial value of the message increase but also the public appeal of the whole screen. The message you are giving with such a carefully targeted commercial is that ‘this-screen-helps-and-gives-you-useful-tips’.
And research has shown that people appreciate that.
RvW: Amen, Father Neil!
In short, DOOH is only effective if it is used in a particularly smart way?
NM: Every medium must be used smartly. But it is true: because DOOH is new, advertisers need to consider more than usual where and how often and at what time they want to use it. What I’m saying is that the more choice you can offer in these, the more effective and valuable your DOOH network is.
RvW: I shall try to summarize what DOOH is capable of. Media input, location, activity or timing set against various triggers such as temperature, footfall, air quality, arrival or departure all targeted at specific consumer groups, and to top it all, this can be activated per screen. If your head is spinning, you will now understand why ‘We invite you to Experience Online Out of Home.’
