Talon and PJX come together to create the largest independent OOH specialist in the US

Talon, the world’s leading independent Out of Home (OOH) agency, has acquired OOH specialist PJX Media, marking a significant step in its continued investment in the US market.

The move brings together two highly complementary businesses at a time of growing opportunity in the US OOH sector, as clients increasingly look for smarter, more accountable and more connected solutions.

Under the deal, PJX will continue to operate under the PJX name, ensuring continuity in relationships, service and day-to-day ways of working for clients and partners, while benefiting from access to Talon’s broader programmatic, technology, data and effectiveness capabilities.

Together, Talon and PJX create the largest independent OOH specialist in the US, giving clients access to broader capabilities, deeper expertise and a stronger platform for future growth.

Sue Frogley, Global CEO at Talon, said: “This is an important step for Talon and a strong signal of our continued commitment to the US market. PJX is a highly respected business with a strong team, a great reputation and a very complementary offer. Together, we are creating a stronger platform for clients, partners and future growth.”

Ryan Laul, CEO, Talon North America, added: “PJX has built a fantastic business with real momentum in the market, and this acquisition brings together two teams with shared values, deep expertise and a clear focus on delivering for clients. It gives us even greater scale and capability in the US, while keeping the specialist approach that matters so much to our partners and customers.”

Rick Robinson, CEO at PJX Media, said: “Joining Talon marks an exciting new chapter for PJX. We have built our business around agility, service and specialist expertise, and this partnership allows us to build on that with access to broader technology, data and effectiveness capabilities. It is very much business as usual for our clients, with even more opportunity ahead.”

The financial terms of the deal are undisclosed.

Kim succeeds Debbie Benadiba who steps down from her role as CEO

Talon, the world’s leading independent Out of Home agency, has appointed Sarah Kim as Managing Director of Talon Canada. Promoted from her role as SVP, Investment & Strategy, Kim has played a central leadership role in the business, helping to shape its strategic direction, commercial approach and client offering.

Kim joined Talon in 2023 as part of the acquisition of Novus Media Canada where she held several leadership roles and has since played a key role in shaping the combined business. In her new role as MD, Kim will report directly to Ryan Laul, CEO of Talon North America, and join the North America Leadership Team.

As part of the transition, Debbie Benadiba steps down from her role as CEO and leaves the business. Previously President of Novus Media Canada, Benadiba became CEO of Talon Canada as part of the acquisition in 2023.

This move aligns Canada’s leadership structure with other major Talon markets and positions the business for its next phase of growth.

Ryan Laul, CEO, Talon North America, said: “Sarah is a highly respected leader with the experience, vision and market knowledge to lead our Canadian business, while providing continuity for our clients and our people. She has played a central role in the evolution of Talon Canada over the past few years, and I look forward to working with her even more closely as we enter this next chapter. I would also like to thank Debbie for her contribution to Talon Canada which she leaves in excellent shape, and wish her all the very best for the future.”

Sarah Kim said: “Talon Canada is in a really strong place, with a fantastic team, a distinctive proposition and strong momentum in the market. I feel incredibly proud to have the opportunity to lead the business forward and to continue building on everything we have created together.”

The role will focus on building a unified measurement framework across the U.S. and U.K.

The tightening link between media investment and measurable business outcomes is driving agencies to better demonstrate impactful results for its clients’ out-of-home investments.

Talon’s new Head of Effectiveness role is a story about where OOH is going – toward unified global standards, deeper analytics and a more accountable future for the channel. This is not a traditional analytics role; it’s a senior leadership position designed to formalize how OOH proves business impact at a time when marketers are demanding clearer ROI across every channel.

Qingxin Zhao, who will begin this role in April based in New York, will oversee research partnerships and leverage IPA accreditation to differentiate Talon and ensure better reporting for clients. Zhao comes from previous roles at IPG Mediabrands and Media Storm. Most recently, she was Head of Revenue Analytics at accessiBe. Zhao will report to Ryan Laul, North America CEO at Talon.

“Marketers want clarity, confidence and proof that their media investments are driving measurable outcomes — and OOH is in a position to deliver that at scale,” said Ryan Laul, North America CEO at Talon. “By adding Qingxin as our dedicated Head of Effectiveness, we’re doubling down on a core pillar of our offering. It’s a major step in shaping the future of OOH as a performance marketing channel.”

OOH agency Talon’s creation of its first Head of Effectiveness, North America role is a direct response to more measurable outcomes and deeper analytics. This comes as the category continues growing from a reach‑based channel into a performance‑driven one – backed by econometrics, mobile/location data, creative testing and MMM inputs.

This Talon U.S. hire signals that independent OOH specialists are now building the same measurement infrastructure typically associated with holding companies. This move also reflects a broader trend of OOH stepping into the same accountability arena as digital and CTV, armed with more robust data and cross‑market learning as part of the agency’s broader strategy.

Built on years of proprietary audience intelligence and proven benchmarks

Talon, the world’s leading independent Out of Home (OOH) specialist, today announced the launch of Atlas Planner, an AI-powered planning engine that brings greater intelligence, agility and accountability to programmatic digital OOH (PDOOH).

Through an intuitive, conversational interface, Atlas Planner can interpret a brief – uploaded or written in natural language prompts – to build a campaign framework instantly, surfacing recommended audiences, environments and buying parameters within seconds. Its interactive map then visualizes how these choices influence available screens, impressions, CPMs and delivery in real time — giving planners and clients a clear, intuitive view of how a campaign comes to life across locations.

The launch of Atlas Planner represents a significant next step for Talon’s programmatic capabilities. No longer a standalone demand-side platform (DSP), Atlas Planner becomes a core component of a fully connected pDOOH tech-stack that now combines years of behavioural intelligence from Talon’s audience data platform, AI‑powered planning and dynamic creative optimisation into one connected workflow.

Built on years of proprietary data, proven benchmarks and real‑world client success, the Atlas suite creates a single intelligent ecosystem under the Atlas brand:

• Atlas Insights (formerly known as Ada) identifies who to reach
• Atlas Planner determines how to reach them most effectively
• Atlas Studio (powered by Grand Visual) ensures the message resonates in context

Atlas Planner is the newest innovation at the core of the Atlas suite, using AI to interrogate Talon’s deep behavioural datasets, generate smarter audience strategies, refine targeting and forecast performance in real time.

It supports advanced optimization and trigger‑based buying, real‑time programmatic activation, with seamless integration into the wider programmatic ecosystem, enabling connected planning at global scale.

True to Talon’s people‑led, tech‑enabled philosophy, Atlas Planner is designed to elevate expert judgement rather than replace it, surfacing insight at speed while keeping strategy and creativity firmly with Talon’s teams.

Andy Stevens, Global Chief Product Officer at Talon, said: “Atlas Planner is the next step in our journey to reach people in the real world with more precision, more relevance and greater impact. Powered by an AI planning engine, it brings multiple OOH-specific data sources together and puts them directly in planners’ hands, so teams can move faster and make better decisions. Crucially, this isn’t automation for automation’s sake. It’s people led, tech enabled planning that gives our clients clarity, confidence and clearer ROI.”

Atlas Planner launches immediately in the United States, where demand for enhanced programmatic OOH continues to accelerate. The UK and Canada will follow in July, with other Europe and international markets rolling out through 2026 as part of Talon’s global product roadmap.

Sue Frogley, Global CEO at Talon, added: “Atlas Planner’s powerful AI architecture is designed to elevate, not replace, the expertise of our world-class OOH talent. By surfacing richer data, faster insight and more flexible activation into a single platform, we’ve created a full OOH tech‑stack that gives our teams, and our clients, a huge leap forward in capability. Launching first in the US reflects the scale of opportunity we see there.”

Talon Global CEO, Sue Frogley discusses how OOH lets brands show up in ways that feel genuinely connected to people’s lives in her latest piece for Campaign

Advertising today isn’t just about selling stuff, it’s about telling stories, being relevant, and showing up in ways that feel real. The best campaigns don’t just push products or services, they tap into what people care about, what they’re talking about, and what’s happening around them. When advertising becomes part of culture, it sticks.

Maybe that’s why I keep hearing, “OOH is having a moment.”  There is a cultural shift of people buying into what they care about, and OOH lets brands show up in ways that feel genuinely connected to people’s lives.

Think about the Women’s Euros. More than a tournament, it was a moment that brought people together, sparked pride, and inspired young girls. And brands like Pepsi and Specsavers didn’t just advertise, they participated. Specsavers even leaned into the Oasis reunion buzz with a cheeky nod to their “Blur rivalry.” It was smart, funny, and totally in tune with what people were talking about.

This shift was also clear in Cannes this year. The talk wasn’t just about media plans, it was about moments. And increasingly, those moments are happening in OOH. It’s a cultural canvas, offering one of the most exciting, trusted, and creatively rich ways for brands to show up.

Moving with the moment

One standout example? The “Lidl Jacket” moment. Which may be deemed an ‘oldie’ now considering the pace that things change these days, but it’s definitely still a ‘Goldie.’ It started with a mural of Liam Gallagher wearing what looked suspiciously like a Lidl-branded jacket and within four days, a static Lidl billboard was live right in front of it. No massive budget. Just quick thinking, cultural timing, and a bit of cheek.

And digital OOH can be just as impactful but even more reactive. Specsavers’ Euro campaign tweaked messaging live based on match results. “Good times never looked so good” landed perfectly after the Lionesses’ win. No need to plan six months ahead anymore and hope for the best. OOH has come of age, it’s fast, reactive, and culturally tuned in.

Where precision meets presence

OOH used to be seen as just a broad-reach channel. Now? Thanks to programmatic (PROOH) it can also be one of the most precise tools in the media mix. You can target specific postcodes, neighbourhoods, even streets, based on real data. Uber Eats did exactly this by tweaking menus to match local favourites. It’s smart, it’s local, and it works. It’s something clients are getting really excited about, and it’s easy to see why.

With new UK restrictions coming in January 2026 limiting how less healthy foods and drinks can be advertised on primetime TV, brands are rethinking how to stay visible. PROOH offers a high-impact, compliant alternative. It’s flexible, fast, and built for cultural relevance. What was once considered a plan B is proving to be a powerful plan A.

Trust is built in the real world

Let’s face it, people are tuning out digital ads. Pop-ups, autoplay videos, sponsored posts… it’s a lot. But a 10-storey mural? A station takeover? That’s different. It’s bold, physical, and real. No viewability issues, no clutter, no brand safety concerns.

When brands invest in real-world visibility, it sends a message, we’re serious. You can’t scroll past it. OOH isn’t just having a moment – it’s defining what modern advertising looks like. Fast, precise, trusted, and culturally in tune, it’s where brands don’t just show up, they stand out.

Jérémie Golfidis joins the OOH specialist agency to drive national growth 

London – 30 June 2025 – Talon, the leading independent global Out of Home (OOH) agency, today announced the appointment of Jérémie Golfidis as Client Service Director (CSD) for Belgium & Luxembourg, strengthening the agency’s presence and authority in the local Belgian market.

Golfidis joins Talon Belgium & Luxembourg in August, reporting into Steven Heylen, the agency’s General Manager, working closely to accelerate in-depth (D)OOH planning, to drive strategic project execution, process optimisation, and continued innovation in the region. 

Golfidis joins Talon Belgium & Luxembourg from WPP, where he served as Planning Team Lead, leading high-performing teams and delivering OOH strategies for major clients. With more than a decade of experience in media planning and client leadership, he brings a deep understanding of campaign performance, innovation, and strategic growth to his role as Client Service Director.

Steven Heylen, General Manager, Talon Belgium & Luxembourg said: “We’re excited to welcome Jérémie to the Talon team. His deep expertise in OOH strategy, combined with a strong client-centric mindset and proven leadership, makes him the ideal fit to help drive this first phase of growth. His appointment reflects our commitment to helping clients in Belgium and Luxembourg succeed through smart, innovative and sustainable solutions.”

Jérémie Golfidis, Client Service Director, Talon Belgium & Luxembourg said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for Talon and the OOH industry. I’m thrilled to be part of delivering smart, impactful solutions that drive client growth and success in a rapidly evolving landscape. I’m looking forward to supporting in building Talon reputation for innovation, client focus, and a strong commitment to sustainable growth.”

About Talon

Talon is the world’s leading independent Out of Home (OOH) media agency, setting the standard for brands to connect with audiences in the real world, on a global, national and regional scale. Headquartered in London, with offices in major markets and cities across Europe, the Middle-East, North America and Asia-Pacific, Talon delivers effective, creative, and data-driven OOH solutions for some of the world’s biggest brands and leading agency groups. Talon also comprises Evolve, an international OOH specialist with a global planning and buying network spanning 100 markets, and Grand Visual, the award-winning creative studio redefining what’s possible in OOH. For more information, visit www.talonooh.com

For more info, please contact:

Mandy Rayment, Global Communications Director, [email protected]  

Steven Heylen, General Manager Belux, [email protected]

Tara Salame, Senior Client Executive at Talon MENA, recently attended the OMD SENSE thought leadership event, held by OMD MENA in partnership with Talon MENA and SnapChat at the Museum of the Future, where she dove into generational insights, explored the future of audience behavior, and engaged with industry peers as a voice for the brand.

OMD SENSE at the Museum of the Future

This month, I attended one of the most insightful and well organized industry events held at the Museum of the Future, which, all things considered, felt like a fitting venue for a conference about what’s coming next in media and audience behavior.

The theme? Decoding Generation (H)uman. Translation: how Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha are rewriting the rulebook on attention, authenticity, and what it means to “connect.” Spoiler alert: they’re not interested in your polished brand manifesto unless it comes with memes, emotional depth, or a side of chaos.

The moment I arrived, it was clear the room was full of people trying to make sense of the shifting landscape: marketers, creatives, strategists, and the rest all there to decode how audiences think, act, and respond in a world that’s evolving faster than most of us can track.

Shifting the Focus from Platforms to People 

But then Rahaf Harfoush took the stage. Her keynote “The Hidden Forces Driving Our Digital Behaviors”  genuinely made me pause. She shifted the focus from the tools to the people using them and how Gen Z’s endless scroll is tied to identity, how digital habits aren’t just trends but emotional signals, and how even your TikTok “For You” page is basically a mirror of your inner child and unresolved tension. 

As someone in working OOH, where we’re usually focused on cutting through the noise with bold formats and visual impact, her talk was a needed reset. Turns out, it’s not about shouting louder. It’s about listening better.

Merging Strategy with Creativity, The Talon Way

And in true Talon MENA fashion, we didn’t just show up, we left a mark! Our generational capsule vending machine was a hit: part nostalgia bomb, part interactive therapy. Tamagotchis, Gameboys, glow-up serums… all lovingly packed and delivered with a wink. It was fun, yes, but also built on insight. 

I also had the chance to represent Talon on camera, which was both exciting and mildly terrifying. Grateful to the team for trusting me to speak not just about what we do, but why we do it. These moments matter. They shape brands, yes, but they also shape careers. This one definitely shaped mine.

This wasn’t just an event. It was a marker. For where the industry is going, for what Talon stands for, and for the kind of leaders we want to be. 

Tara
Senior Client Executive, Talon MENA

HEYLEN TO LEAD TALON’S EXPANSION IN BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG 

London – 14 May, 2025 – Talon, the leading independent global Out of Home (OOH) media agency, has appointed Steven Heylen as General Manager of Belgium and Luxembourg, marking the official launch of its operations in the Belgian market. 

This move follows the recent appointment of Cornelie Weller as Managing Director of Benelux, who joined Talon and its Dutch business, Out of Home Masters (OOHM), to drive strategic growth across the region. Heylen will report into Weller and will be responsible for establishing and growing Talon’s presence in Belgium and Luxembourg. 

Heylen is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in the media and advertising industry. From 2022 to 2024, he served as the Senior Client Partner and Country Lead for Spotify Belgium, overseeing the company’s advertising operations in the region. Prior to this, Heylen was National Sales Director at JCDecaux from 2019 to 2022 and has also held a similar position at Metro Belgium for several years. In 2024, he expanded his industry influence by joining the Board of Directors at CommPass, contributing to the advancement of media and communication professionals in Belgium. 

Steven Heylen said: “After a rewarding few years in audio, I cannot wait to dive back into the OOH sector which has always been close to my heart. It’s an incredibly exciting time for the industry and Talon is at the forefront of this, so it’s an honour to lead our growth in Belgium and Luxembourg. Together with Cornelie, I believe we can achieve great things for our people and our clients, and I can’t wait to get started.” 

With Heylen’s local expertise and Talon’s international capabilities, the company aims to bring a new level of innovation and value to advertisers in the Belgian and Luxembourg market. 

Commenting on the appointments, Talon Global CEO, Sue Frogley, said: “Steven’s appointment marks a pivotal moment for Talon as we expand into Belgium and Luxembourg and further strengthen our footprint in the Benelux region. His deep local knowledge, commercial acumen and passion for OOH make him the perfect choice to lead this next chapter. With Steven on the ground and Cornelie guiding the broader regional strategy, we are well-positioned to bring fresh thinking, operational excellence, and creative impact to more clients across Europe.” 

This launch builds on Talon’s acquisition of Out of Home Masters in the Netherlands earlier this year and reinforces the company’s strategic ambition to scale its global footprint and cement its position as the world’s leading Out of Home advertising specialist. 

Our managing director, Chadi Farhat, was interviewed by Campaign Middle East, where he discussed Talon’s journey so far, its path forward, and how Talon focuses on data-led OOH planning strategies, technology, creative and executions.

“At Talon, we understand that achieving measurable results is crucial, and we know the key strategies to deliver those results effectively” he said.

Read the full article here

We’re excited to share our Managing Director, Chadi Farhat’s, perspective on the evolving world of OOH in his article “The Global Locals: Bridging Borders” for Campaign Middle East.

He discusses the strategies that we, at Talon MENA, employ to drive global OOH expansion for our clients while staying rooted in local insights. As the GCC and MENA regions shape their ambitious futures, he explores how tailored, data-driven, and creative approaches are key to delivering compelling results.

Read the full article here

Along with our incredible agencies and partners, Talon has won 14 awards for Out of Home (OOH) at The Drum Awards Festival and Media Week Awards 2024.

A month the Talon team will never forget, let’s dive into the campaigns and what made them award-winning.

Media Week Awards

Gold 🥇

Econometrics: Location Matters for MMM

Our research, in partnership with JCDecaux UK and Nielsen, explored the role of econometrics and how we can make clients’ OOH measurement more effective. We found that utilising granular location data in MMM modelling can increase OOH ROI by up to 42%.

Media Innovation: Doritos Silent

Snacking and gaming are increasingly incompatible. But in 2023, Doritos wanted to change that with the launch of Doritos Silent, the world’s first AI-augmented snack. An idea like this needed a new approach – an OOH campaign to launch the impossible and drive the nation into a frenzy. ​

A Piccadilly Lights takeover, banners, murals and prOOH made Doritos Silent unmissable. Driving hype, the stop-and-stare OOH creative made people double-take, on the streets and online – placed at the heart of the campaign strategy.

Silver 🥈

Long-Term Media Strategy: Walkers #CrispIN or #CrispOUT

Lunch is a must-win battleground for Walkers. Once a staple of lunchboxes up and down the country, by 2020 they’d become a bit stale; over half the nation just weren’t thinking of Walkers at lunchtime.

Walkers would utilise its media to jolt a new behaviour. How could they get light buyers to crunch? With a peculiar British ritual; the crisp sandwich. 88% of Brits agreed crisps improve sandwiches. But they ferociously disagreed on whether they belong in or out of sandwiches. Could we marry Brits’ favourite lunchtime snack with their favourite lunchtime staple to successfully resolve a time-honoured British debate?

A once in a lunchtime idea; are you #CrispIN or #CrispOUT? Over 3 years, we used media to create a dividing line. In or out. Yes or no. Them or us. Pitting sides of the country against each other. A little levity, a lot of debate. With transformational results for Walker’s, we pulled it out of the bag.

Media Creativity: Under £250k: Channel 4 Partygate

Partygate. We sacrificed, they partied. The country was outraged. Meticulous research and new sources told the real untold stories of Partygate juxtaposing wild nights at Downing Street with the experiences of the general public.  ​Our task was simple but not easy, get people to watch.

With OOH being the backdrop to people’s lives, our strategy was based on being present on formats which fitted the style of urban and gritty media placements. We would hide in plain sight. Using legal national flyposting, we positioned Partygate alongside real event adverts, with beautifully designed posters inspired by the 90s rave scene.  ​

Media Idea: Launch: Don’t Gift – NOTHS

8 in 10 Brits reported receiving a “bad gift” for Christmas 2022. As a result, over 3.08 million bad gifts were thrown away. NOTHS’ aim was to encourage ‘wiser’, more sustainable gifting.​ Kicking off the campaign we launched three special builds in London’s Westfield Shepherd’s Bush and Vinegar Yard and in Manchester’s Salford Chapel Street. 

The final burst of OOH consisted of our fully optimised DOOH schedule consisting of Large Format Digital, D48s and D6s in motorway service areas, shopping centres, underground, roadside and rail environments.​

Media Creativity: Launch: Doritos Silent

Media Creativity: Over £1m:  Doritos Silent

Large Collaboration: Over £250k: Doritos Silent

The Drum Awards

Gold 🥇

Advertising: Dynamic and Interactive Digital Screens: Share the Warmth with Quaker Oats

Quaker shared the warmth by helping to ensure access to a warm and nutritious breakfast for families across the UK – in a way that is intrinsic to the brand itself. Quaker effectively used different OOH capabilities to drive awareness of the issue of child food insecurity and its charity partnerships; with attention grabbing 48s and interactive/dynamic capabilities to offer consumers real value through contextually relevant coupons based on UK weather average temperatures. 

Silver 🥈

Advertising: Creative Humour: This van driver Should’ve gone to Specsavers

Specsavers pushed the boundaries of OOH advertising by creating its very own parking fail – a Specsavers van parked on a rising bollard! The results were phenomenal with over 6 million social media views and almost 1 million likes, comments and shares. The stunt even had coverage on ITV, radio and in numerous news titles as well as industry wide recognition amongst our peers and other advertisers.

Advertising: Immersive Experience: Pepsi MAX X UEFA Champions League Final London 24

Pepsi MAX went all in for the UEFA Champions League this year. Bringing unexpected enjoyment to audiences across the UK, Pepsi MAX ran three activations for fans in football-focused cities of Liverpool, Manchester and London. Whether you were looking for a quick 2v2 game and a free football at their hidden pitches or wanted to watch the live game on the big screen, with a Pepsi MAX in hand, then they had you covered. Pepsi Hidden Pitches was born!

Bronze🥉

Advertising: Charity/Not for Profit/Social Purpose: British Heart Foundation ‘Til I died’

British Heart Foundation (BHF) set out with the goal to highlight a tragic reality – 12 people under the age of 35 are lost to sudden cardiac arrest in the UK each week. Using the stories of 12 young football fans who died too soon to highlight this tragic disease, we unveiled 12 powerful murals of football fans who lost their lives to sudden cardiac death, in time with the UEFA Euro 2024 kick-off for an extended audience reach. This campaign went viral across social media and outlets, it even had a slot on BBC Breakfast.

Advertising: Immersive Experience: Will you be next? Allwyn, Lotto

Will you be the next UK millionaire? We made the whole of Great Britain feel like they might be next, with an unmissable and inclusive launch that drove talk-ability, engagement and consideration to play. Anyone can be a millionaire with Lotto, you must be in it to win it!

Advertising: Use of Location: Big Little Welcomes, British Airways

Connecting loved ones for over 100 years, British Airways (BA) wanted to celebrate the warm, fuzzy feeling with the hundreds and thousands of people landing back in the UK to spend Christmas with their loved ones.  ​‘Big Little Welcomes’ made sure that BA was a part of these reunions, giving audiences the chance to write messages for their loved ones as they landed back in the UK.

As a result, the campaign saw strong customer engagement with BA receiving 200+ messages submitted in just the first day of the recruitment going live! These messages were displayed on OOH formats as the passengers landed back in the UK.​ Post campaign, BA saw positive movements in brand health during a period where category average was in decline.​

We’d like to thank everyone who made this possible, and congratulations. Roll on 2025…

View the full results for The Drum Awards and the Media Week Awards.

The IPA recently released the latest findings from its “TouchPoints: Making Sense Report.” This report provides insight into how the commercial media landscape is evolving and points to OOH’s very strong position throughout.

Euan Mackay, Chief Strategy Officer at Route shares that OOH continues to be one of the mediums that has stood the test of time as it continues to enable brands to reach mass audiences, at the right time and in the right place.

To understand what the report means for OOH, Lucy Baumgartner, Effectiveness Manager at Talon, broke down the key points and outlined the key findings.

PATTERNS OF MEDIA USAGE HAVE SHIFTED BACK TO LONG-ESTABLISHED NORMS

What does this mean for OOH?

The pattern indicates that OOH consumption builds throughout the day, becoming the top consumed media between 12-4pm. This illustrates the continued importance of OOH’s role alongside consumer’s habitual movements and commuting patterns.

OOH REMAINS A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF MEDIA TIME WITH CAPABILITIES SUPERCHARGED

Despite a plethora of new platforms launching, the pattern of media consumption has seen virtually no change between 2005 and 2024. ​Of course, during the 2020 and 2021 lockdowns, media consumption shifted drastically. ​But as of 2024, we have now seen broad patterns of media usage shift back to long-established norms.

What does this mean for OOH?

OOH has almost returned to its pre-pandemic position with hybrid working patterns only marginally impacting OOH’s share of media time by -3% from 2015 levels.

ONLINE DIGITAL MEDIA CONTINUES TO GROW ITS WEEKLY REACH

OOH has seen the smallest shift in weekly reach of -2% since 2015, with much more dramatic shifts seen across the industry.

Commercial live / recorded TV has seen a sharp drop of -17%. While channels that have seen growth are predominantly online digital channels, with commercial online news seeing the sharpest increase of +271%.

What does this mean for OOH?

Those channels which have seen sharp increases largely link to commuting and travel entertainment habits, e.g. checking online news (+271%), listening to podcasts (+119%) and streaming online videos (+73%).

OOH is well positioned to prime these channels while consumers are out of their homes. Talon research shows that activating the same content across DOOH and social media can increase campaign effectiveness by +23%.

OOH REACH_

More importantly, OOH is the only channel that delivers 90%+ weekly reach across the commercial media landscape. This illustrates the strength of OOH for ensuring the brands messaging is heard and seen by the right people.

SOCIAL MEDIA REMAINS THE MEDIA 16-34S SPEND THE MOST TIME CONSUMING, WITH OOH PLACING SECOND_

How does this translate for OOH?

As a non-disruptive and passively consumed channel, OOH offers a welcome relief from online screens and so is highly effective at reaching and influencing Gen Z who are a digitally saturated audience –

• 55% find OOH a relaxing medium
• 1/3 talk to friends and family about a brand they saw in OOH
• 26% have taken a picture of an OOH advert in the past week

OOH PROVIDES THE HIGHEST REACH AND CONSUMPTION PER DAY AMONG 35-54S, DESPITE HYBRID COMMUTING PATTERNS_

How does this impact on OOH?

With functional internet/search placing second in media time spent for 35-54s, OOH provides the perfect opportunity for priming this channel on the commute.

SHARE OF TV’S MEDIA TIME HAS DROPPED BUT REMAINS AN IMPORTANT MEDIA FOR 55+_

What does this signify for OOH?

OOH compliments TV viewing patterns offering higher reach throughout the day, before TV takes over in the evening.

GET NOTICED WITH THESE TAKEAWAY FINDINGS_

Broad patterns of media usage have shifted back to long-established norms

With the end of lockdowns and a return to normality, media consumption has shifted back to habitual norms, with OOH is once again the top consumed media between 12pm-4pm.

OOH has become the only channel to deliver 90%+ weekly reach

With a reduction in commercial live / recorded TV, OOH leads the industry as the only commercial media which has the ability to reach over 90%+ of the population weekly in isolation.

Online digital media continues to grow share of media time

With consumers spending more time on smartphones while commuting, OOH is uniquely positioned to reach and prime commuters where attention is shared between online and offline channels.

Read the full report here.

While carbon emissions must be reduced, how we measure them within the advertising hasn’t been standardised, creating challenges for advertisers and agencies alike.

Alice Date writes for WARC on the importance of a uniformed method when measuring sustainability. Service industries such as advertising have typically flown under the radar with regard to sustainability, as they are unaffected by complex manufacturing supply chains and reliance on abundances of natural resources.

According to the Purpose Disruptors report from 2022, advertising is responsible for 32% of the
carbon footprint of every single person in the UK: 208 million tonnes. Providing transparent emissions data allows clients to make reasonable and informed decisions
about their options.

Read the full article here.

Talon Benchmarks show that lower budgets are no barrier to effectiveness in OOH writes Lucy Baumgartner, Effectiveness Manager at Talon

OOH advertising is enjoying something of a golden period. Driven by its adaptability, digital innovation and the ever-growing consumer appetite for experience, the latest figures from industry body Outsmart show OOH’s post-Covid renaissance continues apace as the sector delivered its highest first-half revenue growth since records began over the first six months of 2024.

This phenomenal growth demonstrates that brands increasingly understand and see the value of OOH in terms of impact and effectiveness. More brands are leveraging the medium’s broadcast reach and dynamic creativity, and that’s not just limited to big-name brands with huge budgets.

OOH drives strong results for brands across the whole funnel

According to analysis from Talon’s Benchmarks, OOH drives strong results for brands across the whole funnel, including newly launched brands and those who have previously felt like OOH was inaccessible due to budget.

Talon Benchmarks are a simple but sophisticated database which has been collated through using a consistent measurement framework across over 200 brand uplift studies. This database provides unique insight into OOH’s effectiveness.

Our Benchmarks show that for brands with spend under £150,000, using OOH can increase prompted awareness by 3%, brand preference by 3.5% and, crucially, purchase intent by 6.2%.

Couple that with OOH’s long-established ability to build brand awareness and trust with consumers, it is the ideal partner for newly launched and lesser-known brands that are ambitious to grow category and market share. To get the most from OOH, campaigns need to be optimised across creative execution, format and environment selection.

Different OOH formats and environments can drive specific brand metrics

Using Talon’s Benchmark data, it is possible to pinpoint how different OOH formats and environments can drive specific brand metrics meaning campaigns can be optimised based on a client’s objectives. Put another way, if a new brand has a brief to drive purchase intent, the data shows that a mix of transport, large format and digital formats will deliver the strongest results.

Even with a sharp focus on formats and targeting, the most significant factor influencing a campaign’s effectiveness remains creativity. Without it, a campaign may not achieve its objectives. With lower spends, it is even more vital that your work stands out from the crowd.

Competitive pricing can help differentiate

Using competitive pricing to differentiate a new or lesser-known brand from its competitors while also appealing to the broader consumer concerns around the cost of living has been shown to deliver strong results across all metrics. Talon’s Benchmark data show that, when compared with standard creative, using price as a tool drove much stronger uplifts across consideration and purchase intent while it increased quality perceptions by an incredible 17%.

Focusing on price or monetary offers should not come at the expense of an engaging and human approach to creativity. The analysis also shows that the use of people, faces, and characters in lower-budget campaigns can hugely boost engagement, driving message take-out up by 21%, relevancy by 14% and emotional engagement by 11%. Proving once again that connection with audiences is invaluable for building trust and driving awareness and consideration.

A unique opportunity to speak to audiences outside of their homes

OOH has long been a part of consumers’ everyday lives and is a unique opportunity to speak to audiences outside their homes. Digitisation and innovation have transformed OOH into a more flexible, relevant, and interactive medium than ever. OOH offers all brands, regardless of their size or budget, the opportunity to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time—effectiveness made simple.

London, August 2024: Workplace culture change programme Parenting Out Loud has embarked on a national Out of Home campaign, in partnership with Talon, to tackle parenting inequality, coinciding with the end of the school summer holidays.

The campaign encourages dads to be transparent – “loud and proud” – about their childcare responsibilities. Planned by Out of Home agency, Talon, it launched on August 26th and will run until and September 6th as children from across the country return to school.

Parenting Out Loud is live in shopping malls via JCDecaux and across select Ocean Outdoor large format digital locations in Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow.

The creative shows a father walking with his two children and features the words: “School is back. A new season. Time for more… Parenting Out Loud… where dads are loud and proud about their childcare responsibilities at work.”

It also encourages fathers to share their working dad stories on LinkedIn using the hashtag #parentingoutloud. A video filmed by Parenting Out Loud founder  Elliott Rae showcasing some of the billboards and highlighting why the campaign is important can also be watched on LinkedIn.

Rae, an advocate for working dads and campaigner on mental health and masculinity, launched the Parenting Out Loud campaign in April. It aims to inspire a cultural shift and change in attitudes around the role of fathers that has persisted for generations. The campaign supports employers in building workplace cultures where working dads can be unapologetic, proud, and transparent about their childcare responsibilities

The programme champions equal parenting and gender equality at work and home and seeks to change the way society views dads and male carers by normalising male caring and changing the narrative around fatherhood.

Research has shown that one in three working dads feel uncomfortable talking to their employer about their family commitments, yet equal parenting is key to gender equality, with around 80% of the gender pay gap attributed to the motherhood penalty.

Equal parenting is also vital for the wellbeing and happiness of fathers and their children, with research showing that positive and consistent paternal involvement in the early years results in significant positive impacts on children’s education and resilience.

Elliott Rae, Founder of Parenting Out Loud, said: “Parenting Out Loud may not sound like a revolutionary act, but when fathers parent loudly at work, they help normalise male caring in the workplace and role model this behaviour for others.

“Encouraging, supporting and enabling dads to be equal parents is essential to addressing the gender pay gap, the motherhood penalty and achieving gender equality at home and at work. With this campaign, we want to encourage all dads taking responsibility for caring for their children to share their stories and help remove the stigma around male caring. Together, we can change the narrative around fatherhood in the workplace.”

Luke Willbourn, Managing Director – UK at Talon, said: “The Parenting Out Loud initiative is massively important, and partnering with Elliott to raise awareness of the campaign using Out of Home is a proud moment for us and for me personally as a proud and vocal working dad to two young children. His message aligns perfectly with Talon’s people-first philosophy and our mission to ensure everyone belongs at Talon.

“Belong, our DEI employee committee, works with the leadership team to shape working practices and staff wellbeing policies, and our School’s Out policy is specifically aimed at supporting working parents across the business. Parenting Out Loud’s mission to change the narrative around dads in the workplace and male carers is one we are thrilled to help spread.”

Equistone Partners Europe ESG Review feature Talon’s leading industry sustainability endeavours

Equistone recently launched its ESG review 2023 and featured Talon as a case study. It featured the multitude of strategies we have in place to reduce our impact on the climate with Equistone recognising that we are leading the industry in terms of sustainability endeavours. Delivering and executing our sustainability plan is a top priority at Talon and our sustainability framework sets out three main pillars of focus:

o ENVIRONMENT – Minimising negative environmental impact of our operations.
o PEOPLE – Building a purpose-driven culture to attract and retain diverse talent.
o COMMUNITY – Localising support for the community to encourage positive behavioural change.

To read the full Equistone Partners Europe ESG Review 2023 click below.
https://www.equistonepe.com/website/sites/EN/uploads/documents/esgreviews/ESG-REVIEW-2023.pdf

To read more about the sustainability initiatives we include within our core strategy click below.
https://talonooh.com/en/sustainability/

Talon was pleased to work with Havas London, Havas Media UK and Grand Visual on the Out of Home element of this campaign which received Campaign’s Ad of the Day.

With the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games just under two weeks away, John West – the UK’s leading tinned fish brand and trusted household name- has launched a new campaign to celebrate the strength of ParalympicsGB athletes, and their role as proud protein partners of ParalympicsGB.

Building on John West’s brand positioning ‘EAT STRONG, GO STRONG’, the campaign showcases the power of natural protein, and how it fuels you to be strong, in whatever you do.

To relay this message, the campaign humorously dramatises the effects of John West’s natural protein on ParalympicsGB athletes via a bespoke special build with a life-sized javelin peeking out, with supporting copy ‘’warning, protein-fuelled javelin throwers are getting serious air miles’’. The special build sits alongside a number of DOOH, which feature other sports, including cycling and shotput – further playing on the effects of John West’s natural protein.

The media plan, developed by Havas Media UK, strategically positions the special build across three screens in major UK cities to ensure nationwide visibility. Key commuter spots have been selected to maximise exposure, including The Pump Station by Westfield London, Pin Mill Brow in Manchester and New Moseley Road in Birmingham.

The campaign also includes a series of humorous TikTok videos, which sees three ParalympicsGB athletes; Kadeena Cox, Para Cycling and John West protein Ambassador, Nathan MacQueen, Para Archery and Hollie Arnold, Para Athletics, not realising their own strength – lifting up cars and retrieving their equipment from people’s gardens. Filmed in an undercover style way, the videos utilise the popular doorbell footage TikTok trend and showcase a range of Paralympic sports.

In February 2023, John West Foods was announced as an Official protein partner of ParalympicsGB. The four-year partnership with ParalympicsGB, covers the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympics and the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics, as well as activities outside of the Games period. This long-term partnership will bring to life the brand’s ‘Eat Strong, Go Strong’ message and further amplify John West’s protein credentials.

Vicki Maguire, chief creative officer Havas London said: ‘’This campaign is fuelled by natural protein…bringing a touch of humour, while getting behind our ParalympicsGB athletes, to bring home the glory….’’
Vikki Babb, John West International, Marketing Director added: “We are extremely proud to be partnered with ParalympicsGB and are excited to be supporting the team on their road to Paris. The campaign perfectly brings together the John West tongue in cheek tone of voice and benefits of our natural protein.”

Andrew Darby, Managing Partner, Havas Media Network said: “We’re honoured to work alongside our sister agency, Havas London to support John West’s journey in celebrating and empowering ParalympicsGB athletes through the power of natural protein. This campaign truly exemplifies the synergy between creativity and strategic media planning—by positioning this captivating special build in central locations across the UK, supported by this engaging multi-media campaign, we will together ensure maximum visibility and inspire nationwide support for these incredible athletes.”

The campaign is live from the 12th of August, kicked off by the special build, followed by the DOOH on the 19th of August. The TikTok films will be live across the summer and throughout the Paralympics.

-CREDITS –
Project name: John West Paralympics – Eat Stong, Go Strong
Client: Vikki Babb (International Marketing Director) & Laura Cooper (Marketing Manager)
Creative agency: Havas London
Chief Creative Officer: Vicki Maguire
Creative Director: Dave Mygind
Copywriter: Joe Roberts
Art director: Doug Redfern
Managing Partner: Dave Owen
Account Director: Andrew Symonds
Senior Account Manager: Rica Dezoller
Head of Production: Louise Bonnar
Agency Producer: Ella Myerscough-McClymont
Senior Integrated Producer (print): Kat Loizou
Creative Production Director: Dean Trendler
Strategy Director: Jack Lewis-Barclay
Chief Design Officer: Lorenzo Fruzza
Design Director: Josh Toogood
Designer: Morgan Shipley
Designer: Walt Gregory
Media agency: Havas Media UK
Outdoor partner : JCDecaux Creative Solutions
Outdoor partner : Talon
Outdoor partner: Ocean
Production company: Prose on Pixels
Director: Doug Redfern & Joe Roberts
Executive Producer: Ben Kaufman
Producer: Rosie Smith
Production Assistant: Ella Higgins
DoP: John Fisher
Editor: Navid Khayati-Daryan
Post-production: ELMNTL
Post-production producer: Jenna Le Noury & Rose Crisp
Post-production (OOH): Prose on Pixels
VFX: Antonio Jimenez + Mustafa Pertev
Colourist: Henry Howard
Soundtrack composer: N/A
Narrator / VO: Joe Roberts
Audio post-production: Joe Marsden

Lucy Baumgartner, Effectiveness Manager, writes about her choice to be social-free and the Gen Z Digital Detox trend for Ad Age

Lucy Baumgartner, Effectiveness Manager Talon, writes for Ad Age on why she doesn’t engage with social media anymore and why – with 3 in 5 now regularly undertaking social media detoxes – marketers should adapt their digital-first perspectives to effectively engage Gen Z. Lucy explains the reasoning behind her choice to step away from social media, and why marketers may need to consider alternatives when reaching Gen Z.

Read the full article.