5 myths about programmatic outdoor advertising debunked

Programmatic outdoor advertising is becoming increasingly accessible, customizable, and easy to use thanks to technological developments. However, there are still myths that can limit its usefulness. We debunk five common beliefs current in 2025.

Last update: January 24, 2025

Myth 1: It's too expensive

False: Programmatic buying optimizes costs and improves efficiency.

While it's thought that only big brands can afford programmatic outdoor advertising, today, it's accessible to businesses of all sizes. Today's platforms allow brands of all sizes to adjust their campaigns in real-time, optimizing costs by buying by CPM and maximizing ROI. This is achieved through precise targeting and data analytics, which enables advertisers to spend efficiently.

Myth 2: Outdoor advertising cannot measure results.

False: Advances in programmatic make it possible to accurately track campaign performance.

There is a belief that measuring the impact of outdoor advertising campaigns is difficult and inaccurate. However, in 2025, programmatic measurement technologies have advanced significantly. It is now possible to track campaign performance with tools that provide real-time data, from exposure to consumer interaction. Taggify, as a member of the WOO, follows standardized guidance for measuring audiences and identifying mobile users exposed to ads, ensuring accurate and transparent metrics for advertisers. These detailed metrics make it easy for advertisers to adjust their strategies quickly to maximize performance.

Myth 3: Outdoor creative makes the medium generic.

False: Creatives with programmatic tools boost advertisers' creativity.

Personalization has advanced significantly in outdoor advertising. Advertisers can adjust their messages in real-time based on factors such as time of day, weather, geographic location, and demographics. These options allow them to create more relevant and effective consumer advertising experiences, strengthening the campaign's impact. In addition, outdoor media integrates with other channels, such as social media, creating a multichannel marketing strategy.

Myth 4: Outdoor advertising is only for brand recognition.

False: Programmatic advances allow you to launch campaigns with varied objectives, such as driving engagement and conversion.

Programmatic outdoor advertising (pDOOH) accompanies the consumer's daily journey. Walking through the city, they may encounter screens inside supermarkets, pharmacies, fuel stations, billboards, and bus stops. Programmatic outdoor advertising allows brands to seamlessly integrate their products and services into contextual environments that respond to different stages in the marketing strategy. This ensures repeated exposure to ads that increase purchase intent and boost sales.

Myth 5: Programmatic outdoor advertising is complicated to manage.

False: Today's platforms are more accessible and simplify campaign management in record time.

Finally, the idea persists that programmatic outdoor advertising remains complex, as it requires choosing the best placements, coordinating multiple media owners and finding where audiences are. However, programmatic platforms have simplified these processes, making them accessible to marketers. With the ability to segment brand-specific audiences in various markets and select multiple, always-available screens, a campaign can be on the street in just a few clicks. Automated systems make it possible to buy outdoor advertising with less back-and-forth.

Conclusion

Outdoor advertising will continue to move toward programmatic. As technological developments advance, we will see new advertisers relying on the medium and more owners digitizing their inventory because it is more efficient, optimizes investment and improves results for everyone involved in the ecosystem.

Contact us today and see how your brand can take advantage of the future of programmatic outdoor advertising.