【LIVE BOARD 6th Anniversary Webinar】
The Future of OOH

We updated LIVE BOARD from a media perspective and invited two leading companies in the OOH industry to speak about their case studies and future prospects. Here is a report on the content of the event.

▼Speaker

Hit Co., Ltd.

Senior Manager

Corporate Planning Division

Yuma　Watanabe

Gate One Corp.

COO

Daigo Hayamizu

LIVE BOARD, INC.

Head of Media

Ataru Hoshino

▼CONTENTS

■LIVE BOARD data update

＜Mr.Hoshino＞

When LIVE BOARD was founded in November 2019, the number of surfaces that could be connected was limited to only 24. Currently, the number has expanded to to 64,600 surfaces by expanding the sales channels to business scenes (train stations, trains, cabs, airports), purchasing conduits (CVS, inside GMS stores, etc.), and private areas (beauty salons, downtown areas, etc.). It is now possible to distribute not only outdoors, but also on various outside screens, such as inside train stations and trains. It is also possible to freely adjust the airing time and duration, such as only on weekdays or only in the morning. Furthermore, by connecting with DSP companies and providing SSP to media companies, it is now possible to make various proposals in response to DSP/SSP collaboration.

　In addition to these advancements in distribution destinations and methods, the use of DOCOMO data has enabled precise targeting and effectiveness measurement. These series of evolutions have made it possible for OOH to efficiently suppress various moments.

　Behind this evolution is the belief that we live in an era in which consumer behavior is diversifying and conventional media planning needs to be reexamined. We will consider whether there is a winning strategy for DOOH utilization in the future, given the changing times.

■What is the “winning strategy” for more efficient use of OOH advertising for communication outside the home?

＜Mr.Watanabe＞

‐Hit Inc. and Case Studies

　HIT Inc. has been dealing with OOH for more than 30 years under the management philosophy of “creating media that change the world as a leading outdoor advertising company.

　Hit Inc. installed a large outdoor advertising signage “Synchro 7” in front of Shibuya Station. As a demonstration of its use, a flesh-eye 3D Karakuri clock video featuring a giant Akita dog as a time signal was created and released in July 2022. As a result, the video was widely picked up and widely disseminated by domestic and international media and SNS. We believe this was made possible by our focus on creative production. HIT's strength lies in its ability to propose not only ad spaces but also effective creative at the same time.

‐On the Strengths of Having Your Own Creative Department

　There are three strengths of having an in-house creative department. 。

1. the ability to plan based on the unique circumstances of DOOH
   　Compared to TV and the Web, where viewers are expected to watch from the first second of the ad material, DOOH is characterized by the fact that viewers cannot tell where they start and end watching. Therefore, it is desirable for viewers to be able to understand what the advertisement is about no matter which cut they see. Also, the effective use of space is a theme unique to DOOH, and we can propose a plan based on these points.

2. The widening of the range of suggestions and ideas.
   　In the past, proposals tended to be limited to the media company's position, but the addition of the creative-driven DOOH element has broadened the range of proposals to customers and the ideas of the members. 

3. Ability to make proposals without spending a lot of money and move quickly.
   　The ability to make proposals for planning and production without having to consider outsourcing costs is a major advantage if in-house planners and producers are used. In terms of sales, the ability to work with members in the same office has made it possible to proceed quickly. 

‐Outlook for the Future

　From the end of 2024, the Shibuya Center Street Hitvision began to be broadcast. in Shibuya, which can be said to be a sacred place for OOH, the strength of the new vision is that it has a good vision facing the direction of the station, and it has already attracted attention from inbound and tourists, and is being spread by SNS and other means. We would like to further utilize this new aspect. 

　Hit also believes that the future of OOH is threefold.

1. The “impact” of signage will continue to be needed in the future.
   　Our identity and greatest merit is the impact and “wow” factor that comes from the size of our OOH. As a media company, we will continue to pursue impact by focusing on size.

2. Increased diversification of indicators
   　In some cases, the emphasis is not only on indicators for integrated media planning, but also on secondary effects such as secondary diffusion through SNS. There is a trend toward greater demand for appropriate visualization of advertising effects in response to client needs. 

3. OOH is both “unique” and “easy to handle”.
   　One of the interesting aspects of outdoor advertising media is the “one-of-a-kind” or “unique” feeling that “only that place or building can have that shape. As the number of odd-shaped media is increasing, the idea that it is best to prepare media-specific materials should spread. On the other hand, the need to use materials common to other media will not disappear. It is also necessary to deepen convenience and affinity with other media, including programmatic OOH. 

＜Mr.Hayamizu＞

‐Gate One Inc. and Case Studies

　Gate One Inc. was established in September 2021 and is developing a retail signage business as part of FamilyMart's retail media strategy.

　The company's “FamilyMartVision” is one of the largest retail signage networks in Japan. It is installed in more than 10,000 stores nationwide, mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area, with three 43-49 inch screens installed above cash registers, which attract the most attention (some stores have exceptions). In-store speakers can also be used to appeal to customers' ears. The maximum reach is 55 million imps over a two-week period, and the time and area of distribution can be selected, allowing the effectiveness to be measured. In FY2024, more than 300 advertisers used the service, and its use is growing in terms of both sales promotion and recognition, regardless of industry. 

　　In the past, the company has used its vision to expand awareness of Sumitomo Life Insurance's product Sumitomo Life Insurance “Vitality” service, plus a unique in-store campaign linking in-store products as an added benefit. In addition, to increase media engagement, the company is actively collaborating with local TV stations. The company tied up with an information program to have its products introduced on TV, and then used in-store visions to remind customers to watch the video, thereby creating a reciprocal flow of customers to the store.

‐Retail Media Market

　Japan's retail media market continues to grow, and advertising expenditures are expected to increase from 469.2 billion yen in 2024 to 1,084.5 billion yen by 2028, a 2.3-fold increase.

　On the other hand, there are many challenges for retail media. At NRF 2025: Retail's Big Show, one of the world's largest retail conferences held by the NRF (National Retail Federation) in New York, five challenges were presented.

1. From “I have to use it” to “I want to use it
   Retail media are aware that they must be used because of the relationship they build with retailers, but they need to be made to want to use them in a positive way.

2. Not industry success stories, but our own success stories.
   Retail media is still small and there are not that many industry success stories. Rather than following industry best practices, it is important to accumulate unique best practices.

3. From Acquiring Demand to Creating Demand
   Market acquisition alone is not enough to expand significantly. It is important not only to acquire but also to create new demand.

4. From Data for Reporting to Data for Decision Making
   Of course data will be submitted since effectiveness measurement is required, but it is necessary not only to submit data but also to make the data usable as decision-making data for advertisers.

5. Clearly Differentiate Advertising Effectiveness
   It is required to clearly set forth the difference after advertising, called Incrementality.

‐Outlook for the Future

　The consumer journey used to be described as a backgammon type, but now it is shifting to a bingo type. The consumer journey has become more diverse, and it is now impossible to know when and where conversions (purchases, use of services, etc.) will occur. 

　There are also three key points about the future of retail media.

1. Create unique media value
     It is important how to convert the three characteristics of daily life, accidental contact, and storefront into value. It is also necessary to coexist with TV and digital media and visualize cross-media effects. In addition, it is also necessary to create effective creative in the retail environment.

2. Attract a wide range of advertisers
     Both endemic (delivery) and non-endemic (non-delivery) acquisition is necessary. We will be able to use both promotional and cognitive media from both perspectives.

3. Make it easy for advertisers to use
     Easily reflect advertisers' strategies. We will continue to develop flexible delivery functions. We will also focus on providing media data and tools that facilitate planning. Standardization and transparency of audience measurement is also necessary.

■What to expect from programmatic delivery and LIVE BOARD.

＜Mr.Watanabe＞

　There are three things to expect.

1. Expectation that OOH will be used by those with no experience with OOH
     Many companies use digital advertising but have never used other advertising media. It would be ideal if programmatic distribution could push down the hurdles for OOH placement.

2. Triple media launch
     We feel that the DOOH industry will naturally be boosted as the awareness of the effectiveness of the “TV x Digital x DOOH” triple media, which LIVE BOARD is actively promoting, spreads.

3. Expectations for OOH presence itself to increase
     This is an environment where the position of OOH is not as strong as that of mass media and digital. We would like to increase the presence of OOH together with other companies through collaboration.

＜Mr.Hayamizu＞

 　There are three expectations.

1. DOOH + retail media value co-creation
   　We would like to find out what effects can be achieved when multiple media in contact outside the home overlap, and together we would like to create benefits as media.

2. Delivery Linkage Programmatic
   　We would like to continue our collaboration with the aim of creating a media that is easy for advertisers to use.

3. Promote standardization of DOOH audience measurement
    　There are differences between DOOH and retail media environments that need to be taken into consideration, but if measurement can be standardized within the same OOH realm, it would be a great benchmark for retail media.

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