DOOH Ad Buying Shifts From Manual IOs to Unified Ad Servers
Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising buying models are evolving, with most spend still managed directly via insertion orders rather than modern ad servers. New ad technology infrastructure is emerging to unify direct and programmatic DOOH campaigns, enhancing accountability and visibility for advertisers. This shift aims to provide more verifiable delivery metrics and coherent planning across all DOOH demand types.
Key Takeaways
- 75-80% of DOOH budgets are currently booked directly via insertion orders, managed manually outside ad servers.
- Only 20-25% of DOOH programmatic budgets flow through automated channels like real-time bidding.
- New ad tech infrastructure is enabling direct IO commitments to be managed within the same platforms as programmatic demand.
- The 'guarantee' for direct DOOH has often been a contract, not a verifiable data point, due to campaigns living outside ad servers.
Why It Matters
The majority of DOOH ad spend is still transacting through legacy buying models, limiting real-time visibility and accountability for advertisers. Integrating direct IO campaigns into modern ad servers means a more transparent view of guaranteed delivery and unified reporting across all DOOH demand types. As ad infrastructure catches up to DOOH's channel maturity, advertisers should demand clearer verification and consistent reporting. Watch for publishers and ad tech vendors to highlight native integration of guaranteed DOOH campaigns in ad servers, and for advertisers to press for unified reporting metrics across all DOOH inventory.
Read full article at thedrum.com