Technology is the enabler. Not the disruptor.
Martin Corke Chief Marketing Officer, Bauer Media Outdoor
Interviewed by John Horsley
Published
Martin Corke is Chief Marketing Officer at Bauer Media Outdoor. His career runs more than three decades across newspapers, magazines, digital media, and now out-of-home advertising, starting as a media sales executive at Miller Freeman. He was part of the team that launched The Times's iPad subscription model at a time when commentators predicted nobody would pay for digital content (the first weekend sold around 25,000 subscriptions). In this conversation he sets out the digital transformation as enabler, not disruptor story of out-of-home; the one-to-many carbon-efficiency case for OOH; the Amscreen acquisition focused on reducing electricity consumption sustainability move; the programmatic in OOH starts from premium, not from unsold inventory differentiation; the steely leadership focused on substantive change, not buzz projects lesson from the Times iPad launch; the we are democratising access from global mega-brand to local butcher commercial principle; the AI is overhyped in some areas and underhyped in others observation; the deep-fake virtual OOH is dancing with the devil of public trust warning; and the closing brief to any young marketer: ask deep questions, lean into diversity, and if a business wants you to conform, leave.
Out-of-home: technology as enabler, not disruptor
On the story.
In the 13 years I've been at Bauer Media Outdoor, things have changed dramatically. The medium has gone from a few hundred digital screens in shopping malls to one almost entirely driven by digital growth, with platforms invested in making it easier for advertisers to access those digital screens.
What's different from other traditional channels (national print, for example): technology has been an enabler for out-of-home, helping the business grow on its fundamental strengths rather than disrupting it. One of the oldest traditional media channels, but one with the brightest future.
The carbon-efficiency case for OOH
On the positioning advantage.
Out-of-home is one-to-many. Research and studies have shown that on that basis, OOH is the most carbon-efficient medium. Relatively few screens reaching national broadcast audiences. Screen technology has improved dramatically, so the energy consumed to deliver public messaging has reduced.
Bauer Media Outdoor recently acquired Amscreen, the sole supplier of screens and advertising technology to the business. One of Amscreen's primary focuses is reducing electricity consumption.
On programmatic in OOH.
In print, programmatic began as a solution for media owners with more space to sell than they knew how to. In out-of-home, programmatic starts from a very different place. It offers premium data-layered opportunities rather than filling unsold inventory.
Every year we're seeing high double-digit growth in programmatic revenue. Attracting new advertisers, helping existing brands do more, and helping people do out-of-home really well by ensuring data is used so advertising is contextually relevant.
Steely leadership focused on substantive change: the Times iPad lesson
On the lesson.
I was part of the team that launched The Times's iPad subscription at a time when commentators, journalists, and advertisers told us we were completely bonkers because nobody would pay for content. Look back: completely wrong.
The first weekend, around 25,000 subscriptions sold. The leadership principle that applies across newspapers, magazines, and now out-of-home: steely and focused on why these changes are positive. Don't get distracted by shiny new things. Focus on substantive change. Look to the longer term rather than getting excited about short-term, interesting but ultimately irrelevant buzz projects.
Democratising access: from global mega-brand to local business
On the structure.
Direct sales and direct relationships with SMEs are super-important. Those revenues in our UK business are still more significant than programmatic, though programmatic is expected to supersede direct sales. Small businesses are often surprised how effective and inexpensive out-of-home can be.
Programmatic channels will help more small businesses access the medium. FMCG startups access digital screens in and around Sainsbury's and Morrison's to launch products, which is smart because it builds public awareness and signals to retailers that the brand is willing to invest. The Bauer Media Outdoor Awards celebrate small businesses and small charities doing brilliant out-of-home work.
On the brand-and-demand balance.
Easy to pigeonhole out-of-home as a brand-building broadcast medium, and it should be celebrated as such. Brands doing it are also recognising that OOH can drive short-term metrics, particularly in retail environments. Striking the balance between brand-building and moving the dial on sales is the work, particularly in the era of digital and programmatic.
In the last ten years, marketers have been asked to do more with less and chase short-term performance to deliver quarterly dollars. Brand has been compromised or sacrificed.
AI overhyped in some areas, underhyped in others
On the moment.
Within out-of-home and other media channels we probably overestimate the short-term benefits of AI and completely underestimate the long-term ones. Plenty of young people on the team work through practical, smart ways of using AI to help advertisers and streamline processes (copy approvals, helping advertisers create the best possible poster creative).
On the deep-fake warning.
A year or so ago there was a scare around people using AI to do virtual out-of-home and pretend campaigns had happened when they hadn't, then showcase them on social. That's gone away largely because consumers called it out: you don't do out-of-home, this is rubbish, I haven't seen your posters.
One of the biggest strengths of out-of-home is public trust. Interfere with that through AI and you're dancing with the devil of brand reputation. Plays into strengthening and celebrating out-of-home as a publicly trusted medium.
The question for the board
If out-of-home is the most carbon-efficient medium and one of the most trusted, what share of brand spend lives there versus chasing the same impressions online?
