Since ancient times, people have found ways to broadcast messages to the public. History traces the practice of billboards back to the ancient Egyptians, who used stone obelisks to publicize new laws. The invention of printing further enabled the spread of information; soon anyone could create a poster or flyer. This lead to the first rental of a billboard, 150 years ago in 1867.

We don’t know who owned the billboard, who paid for it, or what they posted, but we do know that they started a movement that has exploded into the complex business of advertising that we are a part of today. Within three years of that first sale, there were more than 300 companies that sold their services for painting signs and posting bills. It became an industry, and it quickly boomed.

As more and more companies were formed, the need arose for associations that could bring the industry together and oversee it. The first of these was the the International Bill Posters’ Association of North America, formed in St. Louis in 1872. The number of such agencies continued to grow. Today groups like OAAA, DPAA and Geopath help guide the OOH industry.

In 1900, the standard billboard was introduced, the one we’re all familiar with today, and the industry surged even stronger. New innovations continue to change the definition of a billboard, going from the simple signage to posters covering faces of entire skyscrapers and digital screens playing video.

As billboard technology continues to evolve, the legacy of that first billboard sale grows. 150 years worth of innovation and creativity have challenged advertisers to continue to come up with new ways to catch the eyes of consumers. The DOmedia team looks forward to being trusted partners through the industry’s next 150 years of growth.

4A’s will be hosting its annual Data Summit in New York City on February 7th. High-profile leaders will discuss how data will continue to transform marketing campaigns. Speakers from top companies, including Allstate, NBCUniversal, and Google, will dive into issues such as cybersecurity, data quality, and utilizing data to drive strategy. The keynote speakers include Rishad Tobaccowala, Strategy and Growth Officer at Publicis, and Ari Schwartz, former Assistant to the President and Senior Director of Cybersecurity at the White House.

The importance of data is only going to increase, and 4A’s recognizes this trend. Learning how to collect and properly utilize marketing data can help companies refine and improve their marketing strategies and campaigns. This drive for data also brings new concerns which 4A’s is also addressing, like cybersecurity and data quality.

DOmedia is committed to helping agencies, advertisers and media vendors leverage their data to build organizational intelligence and improve ROI. We look forward to all the great insights that are sure to come out of this event. Learn more at http://datasummit.aaaa.org/

Today we announced our partnership with Strata, a leader in media buying and selling software. DOmedia will integrate our planning and buying tool with Strata’s financial platform. The system integration will help streamline the OOH buying process by sending transactions completed with DOmedia straight into agencies’ Strata systems. Strata agencies will also gain access to our media inventory, and planning and workflow tools. Harmelin Media will be one of the first agencies to take advantage of the opportunities this partnership presents.

“DOmedia’s workflow automation tools allow us to spend more time evaluating locations and building successful campaigns for clients,” said Joe Waugh, Senior Vice President at Harmelin Media.“ Connecting DOmedia with Strata will create a seamless process going from RFP through contracting, invoicing and billing.”

Strata is a national leader in media buying and selling software, with over 1,200 agencies utilizing their system. Their platforms encompass all media types, including broadcast, newspaper, outdoor and digital advertising. Integrating with Strata will provide even greater efficiency for DOmedia agencies and help OOH vendors reach a wide swathe of potential new customers. Learn more about the partnership here.

As outdoor advertising became more commercialized, the industry needed associations to advocate for its interests. This resulted in the founding the Bill Posters’ Association of North America in 1872. A few years later – out of the same necessity – the Associated Bill Posters’ Association of the US and Canada was formed in Chicago. That organization later changed its name to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, or OAAA. The OAAA helps its members keep up with government regulations, innovations in marketing and any other questions regarding out-of-home media.

Since it was founded, 126 years ago, the OAAA has introduced both the OBIE and Out of Home Media Plan Awards, advocated for the interests of advertisers, and encouraged positive government relations with the industry. Additionally, the OAAA helps to maintain traffic safety and develops public policy. 

As a whole, the OAAA works to make advertisers’ jobs a little easier, acting as the middleman between them and the government. They also provide advertisers with useful research to improve their campaigns, as well as regularly hosting several national conferences to keep members informed and ahead of the curve.

As proud OAAA members, we look back fondly on the founding of the Bill Posters’ Association of North America. Even though the Associated Bill Posters’ Association is the organization that  became OAAA, we have to raise our glass to the organization that started it all. Here’s to another happy 145 years of great outdoor advertising.

Speaking of celebrations, DOmedia celebrated the launch of our Supply-Side Platform at last year’s OAAA conference. You can learn more about this suite of tools for media vendors here.

Back in late 2013, Motorola came out with their new smartphone, the Moto X. The company made sure that it highlighted the ability to customize the phone, making a big deal about it being “designed by you.” While the phone itself contained impressive technological advancements, the print ad that Motorola ran for the phone is probably even more spectacular.

In January’s edition of Wired magazine, Motorola had a spread that allowed readers to change the color of the phone. It’s as unbelievable as it sounded (and looked) — until you dive into the electronics hidden in the pages. Incredibly thin LED lights, pressure sensors, and batteries comprised this ingenious print ad. Each different color “button” had a pressure sensor under it, signaling the lights to change to the color selected. Readers could experiment with 11 different colors, and watch as the paper seemingly changed color before their eyes.
Interactive advertising experiences are becoming increasingly popular in a multitude of ways, as consumers are becoming more and more desensitized to the constant bombardment of marketing. Getting a consumer actively involved in the idea of a product can be the difference between signal and noise.