Digital Upfronts 2017: JCDecaux

Last year, JCDecaux joined the digital heavyweights at the IAB UK Digital Upfronts, where the company discussed the hugely successful Ghostbusters and Jurassic Waterloo Campaigns and announced the roll-out of 4K screens to the streets of LDN. 

This year, they’re bringing Mark Ritson, a branding professor and marketing consultant, and Les Binet, a world-leading authority on marketing effectiveness, to the stage at St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel.

Ritson will provide his unique perspective on the digital landscape and the emergence of Digital Out-of-Home, while Binet will challenge the industry to reconsider approaches to efficiency in the changing media landscape.

1)      You’re a returning partner at this year’s Digital Upfronts – what did you talk about last year and what have you done to deliver on that vision?

Last year at the Upfronts, we announced our goal to double our digital audience and reach #onebillioneyeballs (viewed impressions) per week by the end of 2017. When setting this ambitious target, we made sure there was a clear plan for delivery, and the past year has marked a time of true digital transformation for the company. We invested significantly in digitising our inventory with the latest technology to retain our position as the leading digital media owner. The next phase of action is to integrate our 4k screens—the highest quality yet—into the network, a project that will be showcased at this year’s Digital Upfronts on Wednesday, 4 October. 

2)      What was your favourite thing/highlight from last year’s Upfronts, and what are you most looking forward to this year?

We joined the IAB in July 2016 and presented for the first time shortly after becoming members. Showcasing our work alongside some of the biggest names in digital signals to the industry that we’re here to collaborate and create a digital ecosystem that works for everyone. This year we look forward to furthering that commitment to the industry by making sure we’re working closely with trade bodies, like the IAB amongst others, to bring the highest quality standards to the world of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH).

3)      How do you (use digital to) reach and wow consumers?

DOOH provides the opportunity to showcase brands in unique environments with incredible reach, and it is often some of the most impactful advertising that people see on a daily basis. As the physical locations are a big differentiator between DOOH and other media, we can also use them to benefit the environment. An example of a current campaign is the Portrait of Britain, a unique exhibition that turns our national channel of portrait screens into a national gallery of portraits. These powerful photographs show a wonderfully diverse view of Britain, capturing people at work, at rest, in family groups and alone, in times of happiness and introspection – and will be seen by the public as they commute, shop and socialise in cities throughout the UK. The media coverage and buzz show the scope and affinity of the campaign.   

4)      Why is the digital space so important for advertisers?

Overall, DOOH advertising revenue has grown 30% this year according to the out-of-home trade body Outsmart. The medium now delivers 50% reach of the UK adults 15+ (source: Route). This means DOOH provides clients scale whilst offering contextualisation and relevance. DOOH provides the right message, to the right audience, at the right time in the right environment.

5)      What do you think will be some of the biggest digital trends in the coming year?

Digital transformation is set to fundamentally change the way we buy and sell out-of-home advertising.  It is incumbent on us to provide advertisers with full compliance on accountability, transparency, measurement and brand safety as DOOH continues to grow in scale and penetration. We will use the Upfronts to highlight our commitment to brands in this most crucial of areas.