Conditional Love

First in a Series on the Digital OOH Platform’s Best Uses and Practices

When we first started marketing the digital OOH platform, prior to launching our first 4 digital bulletins at the end of 2006, we, at Norton Outdoor presented it as a completely different media platform than traditional outdoor. We asked everyone who would listen to set what they know about outdoor advertising aside, and apply the mindset of internet advertising on displays that just happen to be in, as a creative guru in our industry terms it, “the people’s space.” My dad has always called digital OOH the “OutdoorNet.” We went on to explain that people are going to expect, if not demand, more timely content than what is typically utilized on outdoor displays.

Despite persistent pleading and prodding by those of us here, and I’m sure most other digital outdoor operators (and even manufacturers), much of the content that we see on digital outdoor displays is not that much different from traditional outdoor designs. While this content seems to be working for these advertisers, we believe that there is still tremendous room for these advertisers to attain far more ROI from these digital displays.

As part of our mission to exceed our advertiser’s expectations and achieve their goals, we thought it might be helpful to put some recommended best uses and practices into the Norton Blog. Today’s submission is conditional scheduling.

As the name suggests, conditional scheduling for digital OOH refers to scheduling content based on preset conditional benchmarks. It’s really just an “If/Then” scenario. For example, if the forecast calls for temperatures to be at or above a specific benchmark, then “Design A” will run, if it is below the benchmark, “Design B” runs. We have done this for a few clients, with products ranging from donuts & coffee to some of the finest automobiles on the road (I wanted to do trade, but was vetoed!). Some examples of these conditional scheduling scenarios are included below:

Busken Bakery

Scheduled Iced Latte for nicer weather








Scheduled coffee & donuts if the forecast called for cooler temp’s








Mercedes of Cincinnati

If the forecast called for snow, they brought out the SUV’s!








If the forecast was nicer, they showed different vehicles








Cincinnati Reds

If the Reds win, we celebrate!








If the Reds lose, we look forward to the next game








There are myriad possibilities for conditional scheduling, and it will be exciting to watch as the use of this aspect of digital scheduling expands. Really all that is needed is a feed from which data can consistently be pulled (such as an RSS feed), and good creative for whichever outcome occurs. Conditional scheduling allows brands to provide a good or service that meets their target customers’ needs based on what is happening NOW!

To find out how your brand could benefit from the use of conditional scheduling on digital outdoor displays, please contact us. We can be reached at www.norton-outdoor.com/contact.html. You can also reach us via Facebook or on Twitter @NortonOutdoor.

Mike Norton
EVP
Norton Outdoor Advertising

Why Outdoor in Today's Social World?

Why OOH is more relevant and vital now than ever

It seems you can’t go a single day without reading or hearing about something relating to digital media. Whether it be the latest athlete to create a controversy with a tweet, or how Facebook is evolving it’s sales and marketing strategies, new uses for QR codes or new efforts by companies and/or brands to make their websites more relevant and engaging, digital/social media is hot.

This fact has not been missed by marketers, many of whom have been in an all-out sprint to capitalize on the new and evolving opportunities now in existence to allow consumers interact with their brands. This sprint has often appeared as directionally challenged as a cat that just had water thrown on it: claws out, crazy look in the eye and going a million different directions in a single second. They know they need to go “there”, and fast, but they don’t really know where “there” is for them. The myriad options present for brand interaction has created a lot of what my Dad likes to call “Ready. Fire! Aim.” efforts. These efforts have often led to more questions than answers, including whether or not they resulted in sales.

Many in the OOH industry see this interest and investment in digital campaigns as a threat. They see the dollars that have been reduced in other media, which have been negatively effected by technological advances, such as newspapers (to digital platforms) and television (to the explosion in offerings and the effect of DVR), and hoped that they would automatically be redirected to outdoor. While this has happened to some extent, as evidenced by the recent growth of ad spending in OOH, we had actually expected more. Instead of being redirected to OOH, many ad/marketing dollars have gone to digital.

We don’t look at this as a missed opportunity, but rather an opportunity in the making. Outdoor is very well-positioned to help digital/social media campaigns. We are the first step in the engagement process, or what we like to call the “top of the funnel.” Allow us to explain…

The actual buy-sell interaction, which is often preceded by a consumer-brand interaction on some digital format, is the very bottom of the funnel. It is the end of that “journey to purchase” that every brand hopes their target market will take. But that journey needs to start somewhere and the targets need to know where and how to begin. They need to get into the funnel in the first place. Brands cannot afford to wait on “virtual” word-of-mouth, in the form of “Likes” and retweets, as it takes far too long to reach critical mass. OOH, with it’s excellent reach and frequency, which is now demographically defined thanks to a new audience measurement system (Eyes On Ratings), can provide that first step of engagement with a brand, where they will hopefully funnel all the way to the buy.

This is not to say that outdoor should only be utilized as the beginning step in a digital campaign. Much to the contrary. Most outdoor campaigns are still more direct than that, with displays geographically and/or demographically targeted, with messaging that informs consumers why, how and where to buy their goods and services. All of this for far less per eyes on impression than other media.

Although our medium is more cost-efficient than ever, OOH is about more than reaching more people, more often for less money. We are more relevant than ever because we are about engagement. This can be an initial engagement with a social media campaign, or much closer to the bottom of the funnel, with targeted displays designed to lead more directly to a buy.

Mike Norton
EVP
Norton Outdoor Advertising

BYU Decision to Dismiss Key Player is the Ultimate in Brand Consistency

The BYU Men's Basketball team is enjoying possibly it's best season in the university's history this year. Having just swept San Diego State, the conference's other top-tier team, the Cougars rose to #3 in the national polls, and appeared poised to grab a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That is uncharted territory for BYU, as well as, most other programs not named Duke, North Carolina, Kansas or Kentucky.

The halcyon days for the Cougar program may have come to a premature halt, however, due to the dismissal of one of the team's best players, Brandon Davies, due to a violation of the school's honor code. It has since been reported that the violation was that Davies had relations with his girlfriend, outside of marriage.

It is not necessary to delve into whether or not Brandon Davies was wrong to do what he did. Frankly, that is his business, and I am sorry for him, his girlfriend and his family that something like this gets reported in the media...and then blogged about by people like me.

The question has turned to whether or not BYU did the right thing in suspending a player for such an act. Many will likely express bewilderment that a program with so much riding on a "dream" season would dismiss a key player for this, when most, if not all other programs across the country wouldn't even consider doing so. Those people are completely missing the point. The point is that BYU, as an institution, or to use a marketing term, as a brand, isn't like other schools/programs.

BYU's coach, Dave Rose, expressed this very well, when asked about Davies' dismissal from the team. "Everybody who comes to BYU, every student if they're an athlete or not an athlete, they make a commitment when they come." Rose went on to make the most salient point to defend the decision, when he stated, "A lot of people try to judge if this is right or wrong, but it's commitment they make. It's not about right or wrong. It's about commitment."

When asked about this dismissal, BYU graduate, and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback, Steve Young said that BYU uses the honor code as a recruiting tool. While the 18 year-old me can't relate to their honor code being a selling point (keep in mind that the code also requires students to abstain from alcoholic beverages, tea and coffee, in addition to requiring them to attend church regularly), I admire institutions, programs and students who are so committed to their beliefs.

This commitment to what your school, personal belief system, or brand stands for is a classic example of brand consistency. It's not always easy to make the right decision, especially in a situation such as this, but the decision made says much about the commitment to their core beliefs. A decision like this strengthens a brand.

I certainly don't fault Brandon Davies. I actually feel horrible for him, and I feel sorry for his teammates, who will more than likely always ponder what might have been, if they fall short of achieving some of the heights that they appeared set to achieve. If last night's 18-point loss to New Mexico is any indication, that is probable. I do, however, applaud BYU for setting a glowing example of consistency to principles. The Final 4 is a branding benchmark for virtually all Division 1 schools. It is a height that most schools will never be in a position to reach. I would argue, however, that BYU did more for it's brand than any on-court or on-field success could ever provide.

Go Cougars!

Mike Norton
EVP
Norton Outdoor Advertising

Why Should Outdoor Media Planners, Buyers and Advertisers Care About EYES ON Ratings?

EYES ON Impressions, or EOIs, are the new audience measurement currency for the outdoor advertising industry, replacing Daily Effective Circulations, or DECs as our core metric.

EOIs are a measurement of those who are likely to actually notice an ad on an outdoor advertising display (billboard). EOIs are available in all outdoor markets in the US, and are reported as weekly impressions. Importantly, EOIs are provided for all demographic audiences available to other media. As a measurement of “likely to see,” as opposed to simply being exposed to an ad, EOIs have actually leapfrogged most other audience measurement metrics.

If this sounds like a marked improvement in audience measurement, it would be hard to argue to the contrary, however, these EOIs have actually been available for over a year, but very few outdoor planners, buyers or direct clients have used EOIs in the outdoor purchasing process. Why? This is what we, as an industry, and more specifically Norton Outdoor Advertising have been asking ourselves. One big reason is that the data was not available to many planners, which is presently being remedied by the rollout in Nielsen/IMS planning software (it has been available through Telmar all along). Otherwise, the most readily apparent answers go something like this: Change is hard. Change is scary. The wrong changes can cost your job, while the right ones can be easily misattributed.

This applies not only to those planning or buying our medium, but equally to those of us charged with selling it. To date, the traditional outdoor advertising industry has been dumbed down to essentially commodities of 3 basic sizes: 8 sheets, 30 Sheets and Bulletins. This commoditization has made it relatively easy for the media planners and buyers, as they have been able to very quickly send a request for proposal (RFP) for, say, a #25 GRP showing of 30 Sheets (posters) for a given time frame. Each outdoor provider on the list knew how many of their displays (on average) in their market garnered a #25 GRP showing, so the whole buy-sell relationship quickly turned to a “negotiation” based on little more than price and “added value” (read: bonus), with the actual locations, if included in the proposal, serving to show coverage and possibly an average DEC. The OOH team would then sell the account team and/or the client on the outdoor program based on this information.

When the only audience currency available was DECs, this buy-sell relationship was understandable. Without demographic breakdowns available, out-of-home couldn’t fit in media planning optimizers, so we were left as a “below the line” medium. An add-on medium. An “alternative medium.” Maybe one step up from being media planning’s version of a red-headed stepchild (no offense intended to those with red hair or stepchildren). The point is we weren’t on the planning grid.

EYES ON Ratings, however, provide a new depth of information that allows us to fit into media planning optimizers, and should play a part in virtually all outdoor buys. In addition to the demographic information now available, remember that the audience delivery metrics are based on those that are “likely to see” an outdoor advertising ad, as opposed to those who are merely exposed to one, by virtue of driving by it. As stated above, this has allowed the audience delivery metrics for outdoor to leapfrog most other media.

This new measurement benchmark provides a much higher level of accountability, as media planners and buyers no longer need to A) discount the DEC counts by whatever factor they deem appropriate (This is a practice that I have never understood, unless they do the same for other media. I mean, do they really think that people pay attention to every ad interrupting their television program, especially now with DVR’s? Don’t get me started on newspaper readership claims.); B) guess the reach against their target market and C) rely heavily on the outdoor company’s familiarity with their inventory to provide showings that meet their clients’ needs.

This significant upgrade in media measurement is just in time, as the explosive proliferation of media platforms, and options within those platforms, have rendered what were traditionally considered “mass media” as niche media. The change over the past few years has been extraordinary, and it is accelerating. Media consumption is becoming increasingly mobile-based and on-demand. Also, brands can’t just talk to consumers, but rather interact with them. All of this is fantastic for OOH, as we stand as the last true mass, or “top of the funnel” medium. We have the ability to provide mass audience, as always, but we can now tell advertisers how many of “their” people will see their ads.

The use of EYES ON will surely be client driven, and exactly how it is used will evolve over time. For example, I don’t know what will come to be the standard levels for outdoor buys in the coming months and years, as #25 and #50 GRPs (daily) against 18+ have been the standards to date. I don’t even know if there will be standard levels for outdoor buys. I do believe that outdoor is in a position to be more important to advertisers and brands than ever before, and with EYES ON, we have a heck of a story to tell.

Mike Norton
EVP
Norton Outdoor Advertising

The Marketing Lesson in Superstar Sports Contracts

As a Cincinnatian, I am, by birth, a Cincinnati Reds fan. As today is the day that the Reds pitchers and catchers report to spring training, baseball is at least partly on my mind. As big as pitchers and catchers reporting might be to some of us, the biggest story in baseball right now is unquestionably the Albert Pujols situation.

For those of you who aren't that into baseball, Albert Pujols is the first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, and has been arguably the best player in the game over the past several years. His present contract expires after this season and, as he and his agent have expressed their unwillingness to discuss a new contract after noon today (February 16, 2011), their has been rampant speculation over whether or not the Cardinals and Pujols would reach an agreement on a new contract.

As of this writing, I don't know what the final request/demand made by Pujols and his agent was, but it is believed that they were looking for a deal that exceeds Alex Rodriquez's present deal of 10 years and $275 million. It has been reported that St. Louis' offer fell short of that, both in terms of years and average annual salary.

While I understand that individual players, their agents and the players association want another contract to exceed A-Rods' contract, in order to set a new bar, a 10-year contract to a 32 year-old player, after the steroid era, is a bad baseball decision. Apart from those who are at least suspected of using performance enhancing drugs, one would be hard pressed to find players that have put up numbers anywhere close to Pujols' current production when they hit their late 30's and early 40's. It is likely that such a contract would be viewed as foolhardy in its latter years, much as A-Rod's contract is starting to be viewed now, as his production diminishes.

This is not to say, however, that the contract would necessarily be viewed as a bad business deision for the Cardinals franchise. The presence of absence of Pujols certainly would make a difference in the revenue stream and, more importantly, overall value of the franchise. Additionally, a potential chase for the home run record, which is possible, would also add value. I don't pretend to be smart enough to run a major league franchise, nor do I know what the additional reveue and/or value would be, but I have to think that this plays into the negotiations with a player of this magnitude as much as, if not more than, on-field production projections.

Albert Pujols must also consider carefully how he wants to proceed, with a careful eye on himself as a brand. One needs to look no further than LeBron James. James was the most sought-after free agent in American sports history last summer. As a superstar playing for his hometown team, he was the face of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise, and in fact, the entire region of northeast Ohio, and many speculated that he would sign the maximum deal available, which could only be offered by Cleveland. To do so would not only garner him the most money, but also almost universal admiration for sticking with his hometown team. After months of speculations, LeBron's announcement was turned into an ESPN special dubbed, The Decision. "The Decision" turned out to be that LeBron joined the Miami Heat with 2 other superstars. LeBron was criticiezed for both the decision itself, as well as, the manner in which it was announced. This harmed his reputation, or to put it into marketing terms, the LeBron brand. Sure, he still has plenty of endorsement deals, and a few championships will likely wipe away much of the tarnish, but that would not be necessary had he handled the situation differently, thereby protecting his brand.

The point is that a brand's worth is not just tied into it's "performance," like it's pizza tastes good, it's shoes feel good or it's cars run well. It is much more about the perceived worth of the total experience of identifying with, and ultimately buying the brand's product(s) or service(s). Marketing is all about making people feel good eough about the experience that they buy into it. How else can you explain the success of Starbucks, with coffees that cost upwards of $5?

With the ability to engage and interact with consumers in so many different ways than ever before, we, as marketers must pay even closer attention to the perception of the brand with our target customers. The placement, look, feel and overall messaging of every platform must be created wiht this in mind.

For my part, as a Reds fan, I hope the St. Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols ignore this, and Albert takes his talents to the American League, or at least out of the National League Central Division.

Mike Norton
EVP
Norton Outdoor Advertising

2D Barcodes

This has been used in OOH, as well: MediaPost: 'USA Today' Adds 2D Barcodes: http://bit.ly/fJxGGy