DPAA Short Connects interviews Talon US CEO Jim Wilson

Insights from Talon’s Jim Wilson: OOH’s COVID Opportunities

As part of the DPAA’s ongoing video interview series, Short Connects, Jim Wilson spoke with President and CEO Barry Frey, hitting on a wide variety of topics from Talon’s business to leadership approaches during the COVID crisis to the opportunities the Out of Home industry now has within its grasp as we begin to recover and reopen. Here are some of the highlights:

On Recent Acquisitions…

Following recent acquisitions, Talon is looking to expand its capabilities of each in the U.S. market. Driven strongly by the notion that creative should always be engaging no matter where it is and no matter what screen is used, Talon is exploring ways to apply Grand Visual’s award-winning work to regional brands while expanding creative capabilities to static displays, in addition to digital. With its Plato platform it’s about diving into the complicated world of regulated categories that rely heavily on planning tools and data platforms.

On the Opportunities for OOH Post COVID…

In many ways, the COVID crisis has enabled the OOH industry to showcase its newfound flexibility and put its best foot forward. Talon has kept clients visible and relevant by leveraging digital and the ability to quickly pivot messaging or change entirely.  Some brands that have historically utilized traditional media are experiencing the flexibility and speed of digital for the first time. All media owners have demonstrated adaptability by shifting media to roadways, pathways and other essential areas more likely to be seen.  And with programmatic, advertisers now see just how easy and automated buying OOH can be. The industry has done well to meet the needs of advertisers during this time, and as a result, there’s cause for optimism.

On Keeping Teams Motivated…

Among the many challenges the current remote working environment presents is ensuring that all team members are engaged, feel challenged and remain active participants in shaping and charting the company’s vision and future. Talon US is guided by the conviction that everyone in the company has a role in creating a shared vision for the company both during and post-Covid. To that end, Talon has worked to create a sense of engagement throughout the company, with group and individual touch-bases as well as more socially oriented team gatherings, like Zoom happy hours and trivia contests.

Click here to watch the full interview.