We sat down with Kevin Smyth, Commercial Director for Southeast Asia at Vistar Media, to look back at Vistar Connects Singapore and the evolution of programmatic OOH in the APAC region.

Education Is Still the Biggest Gap: Kevin Smyth, Vistar Media on Programmatic DOOH

We sat down with Kevin Smyth, Commercial Director for Southeast Asia at Vistar Media, to look back at Vistar Connects Singapore, and the evolution of programmatic OOH in the APAC region.

Vistar Connects Singapore: The Right Moment

Vistar Connects Singapore is billed as a moment to explore the "evolution" of programmatic DOOH in the market. We are seeing much stronger buyer appetite and a far greater level of sophistication in how programmatic DOOH is being bought in Singapore. Data is becoming a much bigger part of the conversation, particularly around how advertisers can use it to reach the right audiences and moments more precisely.

Buyers are leaning much more into the flexibility programmatic DOOH gives them, which is particularly valuable when market conditions are harder to plan around.

Creativity in Programmatic DOOH

Creativity was a clear focus for the event. A big part of the issue has been a lack of awareness about what is possible creatively in programmatic DOOH. There also exists a perception that more sophisticated creative is expensive to produce.

Clients need to have assets ready earlier and lean on their programmatic DOOH partners as creative experts. That means using those partners to help adapt and build creative for the medium.

The Role of Motion in Driving Effectiveness

The differences are clear when comparing creative formats directly. Recent research covering 7,500 respondents tested four creative formats: static, subtle motion, full motion, and 3D.

3D motion delivered a 67% uplift in brand awareness compared with static, while full motion and limited motion each delivered a 33% uplift.

For media buyers, think about creative format as part of the media strategy itself. Programmatic DOOH should be bought for its strengths, including location and context.

Misconceptions About DOOH

One of the biggest misconceptions holding advertisers back is viewing programmatic DOOH as something to test with leftover budget. The opportunity now is to move from adoption to mainstream use.

Unlocking more potential comes with using the flexibility of programmatic. Buyers can use data and context, automate activity, and retain control over where and when activity runs.

Lessons for APAC from Singapore

Singapore is often seen as a bellwether for programmatic adoption across APAC. The biggest lesson is the value of flexibility and responsiveness. Programmatic DOOH can react quickly to real-time situations, allowing advertisers to focus on important moments.

Combining traditional OOH with programmatic can be much more powerful, allowing advertisers to target consumers effectively.

Brands can use context, proximity, and timing more effectively instead of treating programmatic as a separate test channel.