London, 22^nd February, 2024: Talon, the global independent Out of Home (OOH) agency, today announces the appointment of Sue Frogley as Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the business globally as it targets further growth and expansion.

Frogley is an accomplished industry leader with over 30 years’ experience growing successful global media businesses. She will join Talon from Publicis Groupe, where she was CEO of its media arm in the UK for over six years. Under her leadership, Publicis Media UK grew into a £2bn+ billings operation, thanks to several new business wins across its media agencies Zenith, Starcom and Spark Foundry. Before that, Frogley was President of Global Client Solutions at Publicis Groupe and previously spent over 13 years at Dentsu (then Aegis Media), where she held several global leadership roles, most latterly as Global President of Commercial Operations.

This appointment follows a rigorous selection process.  Frogley will report to Stewart Easterbrook, chairman and joins Talon’s global board.  Eric Newnham, who has acted as interim CEO for the past few months, will revert to the role of Founder and strategic advisor to the board.

Frogley is the latest in a series of new senior hires, signalling Talon’s commitment to ongoing strategic growth worldwide. Last year, Stewart Easterbrook joined as Chairman, the appointments of Mike Saunter as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Henry Lucas in the newly created role of Group Chief Commercial Officer soon followed.

Frogley’s appointment follows a period of significant growth for Talon, which celebrated its 10^th anniversary in 2023. Since Equistone Partners Europe, one of Europe’s leading mid-market private equity investors, invested in the business in July 2022, Talon has completed the acquisition of Evolve, the fast-growing, independent specialist OOH business, and the acquisition of Novus Media Canada Corp (now Talon OOH Canada).  

In her new role, Frogley will focus on further international growth, driving Talon’s digital capabilities and awareness of OOH as an effective, creative, data-driven media channel.

Stewart Easterbrook, Chairman, said: “Sue is a formidable and dynamic leader with a wealth of experience leading global media businesses.  I am thrilled to have someone of Sue’s calibre leading our business and look forward to working with Sue, and with our teams, to drive further growth in the scale and ambition of Talon.”

Sue Frogley said: “I have long admired Talon’s proposition, ethos and trailblazing spirit to challenge perceptions and drive growth in the OOH sector. Over the past 10 years, Eric has developed a talented team that has successfully built a unique and expanding global business that holds an enviable position in the industry. I can’t wait to get started and help unlock even more growth potential and shape Talon’s next important chapter.”

The last year has been a strong period for Out of Home (OOH), and as we look to 2024, the sector shows promise for continued growth and transformation. This dynamic industry has consistently evolved, given back and provided advertisers with exceptional creativity, data-driven strategies, and technology-driven outcomes.

It’s not surprising that consumers prefer in-person media channels for advertising over online platforms, with OOH and digital OOH (DOOH) ranking among the top five channels. No longer just a medium that drives primarily top-of-the-funnel outcomes, OOH is successfully driving bottom-end metrics too.

Overall, global OOH revenue is projected to reach US$38.41bn in 2023, with DOOH projected to reach US$17.54bn. By the end of 2024, global OOH is predicted to reach US$45bn. DOOH is set to see further significant growth and is predicted to grow 17% – driven by further media owner investment and increased investment in programmatic OOH (prOOH).

Curious about the future of OOH? In this blog, we’re diving deep into the upcoming trends and insights shaping the landscape for 2024:

1. The Positive Impact of OOH 

2. Data-Driven Outcomes 

3. A Drive Towards Attention 

4. Creativity and Technology Unite 

5. The Brand Fame Comeback 

6. Standardisation of Programmatic OOH 

7. Retail Media & DOOH drives Path to Purchase 

8. Enhancing OOH with AI 

The Positive Impact of OOH 

OOH will continue to come together as a collective to showcase the sustainable and giving nature of the channel.  

A recent study by PwC, commissioned by Outsmart, found that in the UK 46p in every £1 that is spent in OOH goes back into the community. The industry will focus on the positive impact of spending in OOH towards public infrastructure and communities whilst working to reduce OOH’s impact on the environment.

Another study (Outsmart, Legacy Media – out soon) has shown that when compared to TV, Press and Online, OOH has the strongest ESG credentials – ranking highest for Environment and Community.

Data-Driven Outcomes 

The death of the cookie is stated to finally happen in 2024, meaning the era of highly targeted ads will end and advertisers will need to seek new ways to drive brand objectives.

OOH continues to impact across the whole funnel. In 2024, we will see a further drive towards performance and bottom-funnel metrics with brands using first and third-party data to create audience-first OOH campaigns.

We will see even more brands gravitate to utilising OOH for data-driven outcomes. Programmatic OOH impacts metrics across the entire brand funnel amongst optimised audiences. The strongest impacts are seen in bottom funnel metrics – preference and purchase.

A Drive Towards Attention

Understanding attention in advertising will become even more important. Attention in OOH is not a new metric and is imbedded within the methodology of Route. However, understanding how attention is given to inform effectiveness is what should be looked at; not only understanding where someone has looked and for how long, but correlating that with the impact – good or bad – to showcase the influence attention metrics can have on brand performance.  

Kantar’s recent Media Reactions is a key example of how attention is coming to the forefront of conversations surrounding media effectiveness, citing a 90% correlation between channels that consumers claim capture their attention and those that they prefer.

51% of marketers claim their marketing budget decisions are influenced by attention, but Kantar’s report shows a clear divergence between what marketers think delivers consumer attention, versus what consumers think captures their attention. There is a 90% correlation between channels that consumers claim capture their attention, and those in which they prefer seeing advertising.

Creativity and Technology Unite 

Over the past year, we have seen significant developments in creative DOOH, from AR and VR to 3D and AI. In 2024, brands will begin to realise the possibilities and potential of these developments even further to engage audiences, build brand share and deliver significant ROI. 

Looking back at our 4^th Space Research, as well as Ocean’s “Neuroscience: Redefining Human Engagement” and “Digital OOH: The Vital Ingredient,” creative digital OOH executions are proven to supercharge impact and deliver significant increases in attention, purchase consideration and memory encoding: 

• Full motion DOOH copy is viewed 60% longer than static 
• Special build OOH can increase purchase consideration +35% vs traditional 
• Increase in consumer attention when using 3D DOOH +15% vs 2D 
• Stronger memory encoding for live stream content 3x vs full motion. 

The Brand Fame Comeback 

OOH is well known for its ability to provide broad reach and deliver brand fame, in 2024 we’ll see advertisers revisit the channel’s number one strength. With a 98% UK population reach, OOH is, of course, powerful at driving reach. However, it is also incredibly powerful at driving brand fame (+23%) and brand trust (+8%).  

The likes of PepsiCo, McDonald’s and HSBC lean into OOH’s strengths to build their brands and we’ll see more and more brands follow suit, using it to build awareness and impact. 

Continued Growth of Programmatic OOH 

2024 will see Programmatic OOH (PrOOH) technology continue to develop, and we’ll see a drive towards the standardisation of PrOOH alongside more OOH media owners trading through programmatic.  

Programmatic OOH spend is predicted to grow over the next 18 months by a third on average (VIOOH State of the Nation). The move towards ever more digital and data-driven outcomes through programmatic will continue to increase, with consumers demanding more dynamic video content to connect OOH to their other digital media channels alongside a growing demand for greater online-to-offline opportunities.  

Advertisers will continue to adopt PrOOH as part of their omnichannel digital strategies, alongside many new brands entering the market as barriers to entry are removed. 

Retail Media & DOOH drives Path to Purchase

The role of OOH within the Retail Media ecosystem will continue to gain momentum and DOOH, will become a pivotal player in every shopper marketing strategy.  

Leveraging first and third-party data, DOOH ensures your message reaches the right audience at precisely the right moment, from the outset of their journey to the final in-store purchase. It’s the missing link that seamlessly connects the worlds of home and store, providing brands with a unique opportunity to engage with consumers on an entirely new level.  

The integration of DOOH with retail media networks will enable marketers to supercharge their shopper marketing – with advanced measurement and attribution solutions linking OOH ad exposure to critical business outcomes. 

Enhancing OOH with AI

As the drive towards AI integration within businesses continues, OOH agencies and media owners will continue to integrate AI to improve efficiency, creativity and copy to create even more effective OOH campaigns.  

Watch this space_ 

Lucy Baumgartner’s Talon Story: Leadership and Innovation

Outside thinking – it runs in the Talon family. We pride ourselves on being a company built on people with big ideas. People who constantly challenge themselves and the industry to re-imagine and re-invent the possibilities of what Out of Home can be. ​

In this series, we’ll be getting to know more about the people of Talon, their roles, advice and what they get up to outside of OOH. This week, we sat down with Lucy Baumgartner, our Senior Effectiveness Executive and also the recipient of the OMA’s Rising Star Award.

Explain your role? 

My main role is to provide campaign measurement solutions for our clients. I manage the measurement fieldwork with our research partners, and then create reports and run debriefs with clients, giving insight into how their campaign performed and future recommendations.   

What does a typical day at work look like for you? 

I usually get into the office early to beat the busy commute and check in on where our measurement studies are tracking. If studies have completed and we have received client data I will create reports, and if not I work on wider projects to inform industry questions. You’ll usually find me buried in our benchmark database and admiring my excel formulas.  

What do you enjoy most about working in OOH? 

I think generally it’s a very exciting channel. I love constantly pointing out our campaigns when I’m out and about (to the annoyance of my friends!) We’re also a very sociable bunch so the lunch time drinks are usually the highlight of the day. 

Most memorable moment or achievement from your time in the industry? 

Definitely winning the OMA’s Rising Star award and celebrating with all my colleagues and friends! 

Any tips or advice for someone interested in joining the industry or pursuing a similar career path? 

Don’t get too wrapped up in what you think you should do in your career. I studied history at university and absolutely hated numbers and presenting at school. Now analysing numbers and trends and presenting back to the company and clients is the largest part of my job and I thoroughly enjoy it.  

What do you get up to outside of work? 

At the moment, my favourite thing to do is look after my new niece. But when I’m released from babysitting duties I enjoy exercising and getting out of the city for walks.  

If you could quickly and easily learn any new skill, what would it be? 

Definitely learn a language, probably Italian so I could travel the country and eat my bodyweight in pasta and tiramisu.  

Share a memorable adventure or travel experience you’ve had during your free time. How did it impact your personal growth or perspective?   

I met my partner in Thailand at an elephant sanctuary after he offered me a banana – no pun intended.  

Caroline Decourcy’s Insights: A Deep Dive Inside Talon

Outside thinking – it runs in the Talon family. We pride ourselves on being a company built on people with big ideas. People who constantly challenge themselves and the industry to re-imagine and re-invent the possibilities of what Out of Home can be. ​

In this series, we’ll be getting to know more about the people of Talon, their roles, advice and what they get up to outside of OOH. This week, we sat down with Caroline Decourcy, our Insights Director, at Talon in Ireland.

Explain your role? 

I am the Insights Director for Talon in Ireland, responsible for all elements of research and insights for our market. I support our planning teams through insight rationale and justification for using OOH across all objectives, categories, and briefs. I work alongside our planning teams on new client business, pitches and OOH market updates at certain times of the year too – a varied role! I am the Talon rep for JNOR, our long-standing OOH Measurement system, a topic I am very passionate about! I am also lucky enough to work with the wider measurement team in London too.

What does a typical day at work look like for you? 

I usually start my day with my calendar, checking what’s ahead in terms of meetings and tasks due that day and week, then work through my emails and start working through my list. None of this is remotely possible without a large coffee from Butlers and a chat with everyone!

What do you enjoy most about working in OOH? 

I’ve worked in OOH for over 20 years (eek!) and one of the things I love most is the evolution of the industry, that no day is ever the same. I love OOH for its creative capabilities, and watching how we, as a team, bring ideas to life on street. Seeing clients share our work is a great feeling.  I love meeting the people who in OOH (and other media). We get to deal with so many different media partners and companies, so there’s many opportunities to meet interesting people along the way too.

Most memorable moment or achievement from your time in the industry? 

I’d have to say that award wins are a key highlight for me.  I think they showcase, not just the brilliant work we do as a company but, the calibre of our people and ideas. 

Any tips or advice for someone interested in joining the industry or pursuing a similar career path? 

OOH, while one of the oldest mediums around is definitely one of the most dynamic and fast-changing, presenting opportunities for newcomers to the field with a chance to progress, grow and – more importantly – learn. With developments in technology and data, there are so many areas of the business to choose from. There has never been a better time to join the OOH Industry!

What do you get up to outside of work? 

I love spending time outdoors and am lucky enough to live by the sea so love getting out for walks on the marina with my family. I love eating out and reading books and spending time with friends. I recently re-joined the local tennis club so working on brushing up on my skills!

If you could quickly and easily learn any new skill, what would it be? 

I’d love to be fluent in Spanish so using Duolingo to learn what I can! I’d also love to learn to play the piano.

Share a memorable adventure or travel experience you’ve had during your free time. How did it impact your personal growth or perspective?   

Going slightly off-piste I know, but my daughter was born in 2014 at 26 weeks while we were on holidays in the Algarve.  We lived in Portugal for just over 2 months until she was well enough to be transferred to Dublin. A life changing experience obviously but taught me strength, resilience and to never give up on anything you set your heart on. Not to mention learning all the medical jargon in Portuguese!  I always wanted to live abroad for a period, but in future I’ll be careful what I wish for! 😊 But an amazing outcome – so worth the fight!

Stewart Easterbrook Appointed Chairman of Talon for Global Growth

Talon, the independent global Out of Home (OOH) media agency, has appointed Stewart Easterbrook as its new Chairman. Easterbrook brings extensive experience in media strategy and will lead Talon’s board in driving international growth and technological development.

Easterbrook’s appointment comes on the heels of a successful period for Talon, highlighted by the recent acquisition of Evolve, a rapidly growing independent specialist OOH business, and the acquisition of Novus Media Canada Corp, bolstering its growth in this market and giving global access to its best-in-class buying, planning, creativity and industry-leading technology platforms. As Talon celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, the company has expanded its reach with new office openings in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, as well as securing new investment from Equistone Partners Europe, providing capital to continue its global expansion and technical innovation.

Easterbrook is a seasoned advisor to multiple omnichannel companies in media, data analytics and technology. Since 2014 he has worked with MiQ the leading global analytics technology and programmatic media specialist. Serving as Chairman for seven years before transitioning to an advisory role in 2022, he played a key role for MiQ, successfully attracting significant private equity investments.

In addition to his role at Talon, Easterbrook serves as Chairman of Medialab Group, an award-winning agency specialising in data, digital and media planning. He is also a board member of Instrumental, the world’s leading online music talent discovery and management business, and a member of the management team that launched Content Inc., a specialist content marketing company.

Prior to this Easterbrook spent 17 years at Publicis Groupe in various senior management roles, including a five-year term as CEO of Starcom MediaVest Group UK. He later assumed the role of Executive Director of Digital Development, overseeing growth and innovation across SMG’s key European markets.

Barry Cupples, Group CEO:Talon, said: “Stewart is an extremely impressive business leader, with decades of experience guiding global media companies through expansion and transformational change. We are very proud to have him join the team at Talon at such a pivotal time, following the recent acquisitions and Talon’s commitment to both building upon this success and advancing our technological capabilities for the future. Stewart will play a vital role as we continue Talon’s ambitious growth plans.

Stewart Easterbook, Chairman:Talon, said: “Talon is an incredible business that is reshaping the OOH industry – in a short span of 10 years it has achieved great heights in terms of funding, global expansion as well as technological advancement, which is evident in its collaborations with iconic brands and media businesses. I am thrilled to be on the board and working with an exceptional team to spearhead Talon’s ongoing development and growth, positioning the company at the forefront of driving the OOH industry forward.”

Talon International Unveils Global Realignment

As part of a global strategic realignment at Talon, from today Plexus will become Talon International.

The same trusted team of experts you know, the same high-level service you expect and the same global independent OOH network that is still the biggest in the world.  All brought to you more efficiently and effectively under one unified brand synonymous with pioneering innovation and quality in Out of Home – Talon.

The world of Out of Home media is changing fast, and Talon is proud of our contribution to driving this evolution over the last decade. Talon’s ongoing dedication to offering our clients best-in-class planning, buying, creativity and technological solutions, ensures we deliver the best experience and outcomes for our clients on a global scale.

Nothing defines this global commitment more than the Talon International team who serve as a centralised hub connecting over 20 Talon and partner offices around the world, enabling us to plan, buy and execute client campaigns in over 100 markets worldwide.

We are excited to take this next step on our journey with brand partners both new and old – to discuss the new opportunities this future holds, contact the team at

firstname.lastname@talonooh.com

Alternatively head to the Talon International page to see first-hand what this new direction has to offer.

Announced today, Talon is the headline sponsor of the Campaign Tech Awards 2023.

Talon 2023: Headline Sponsor of Campaign Tech Awards

Open for nominations now, the Campaign Tech Awards exist to celebrate and showcase the companies that represent the industry’s trailblazing thinkers, imaginative clients and cutting-edge technology.  Championing the collaboration between agencies, brands and the technology communities, and recognising the outstanding work produced together to drive the creative industries forward.

The awards honour successful innovators, celebrate amazing work, and stimulate even more ingenuity right across the marketing, advertising and media industries.

By embracing a technology-first approach to Out of Home, Talon have developed market leading proprietary AdTech platforms that have revolutionised OOH planning, buying, execution and measurement. Ada, our Data Management Platform enables behavioural audience-based planning and has been proven to deliver better short and longer term brand metrics. Atlas, our intelligent, automated digital OOH buying platform delivers 100% optimised programmatic OOH campaigns that generate more effective outcomes for our clients. And Plato, our in-house planning tool, automates campaign planning and buying for speed and precision.

Our technology platforms help our clients get the most from their outdoor campaigns –  sponsoring the Campaign Tech Awards is a perfect fit for Talon, elevating the amazing work being powered by technology across the wider media industry.

Nominations are open now, closing 22^nd February. We look forward to celebrating with everyone at the awards ceremony!

campaigntechawards.com

As Talon approaches its 10th year, it is the perfect time to revitalise the Talon brand – including a fresh new look that will be applied to every element of the business. Coming soon!

Our Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Sarah Parkes, shares a sneak peek of Talon’s upcoming brand transformation. 

Talon has changed a lot in the last nine years, from our humble beginnings as an independent challenger brand in the UK OOH specialist market to where we are now – the largest independent global OOH agency with an ever-increasing international footprint. And our growth ambitions don’t stop there… 

We’ve invested in our people, in building market leading proprietary technology and this year we’ve invested in our brand too. You’ll have seen a taster of our new look and feel when you first visited the website and you’ll spy our new logo across our social channels. In the meantime, here’s a quick behind the scenes of what to expect when we officially launch our new brand by the end of the year. 

We are Talon 

If you’ve met us in real life or on Teams, you’ll know our mission is to drive the growth of OOH – supporting the transformation of OOH from a legacy medium to one that is highly effective, data driven, creative, and most importantly, measurable and effective for our clients. 

We’re growing fast, and our new positioning and website will support us on our journey – whilst championing the people who have made Talon what it is today.  

We’ve re-booted our brand look, feel and tone of voice to take Talon’s unique energy and spirit out into the world, and will start to bring the Talon global family together with one voice – including Grand Visual and Plexus which will rebrand to Talon International.

It’s everything our clients and agencies love about Talon – collaboration, bold adventurousness, relentless creativity and innovation – translated into new brand colours, a new logo, and a new website.  

We’re excited to share this next exciting step with you, but for now watch this space and begin to imagine what’s possible when we “think outside”. 

Talon’s CEO on Growth and Collaboration

“The Only Way is Up for Out of Home!” – Barry Cupples, Group CEO Talon

Talon had an incredible time hosting a live recording of the Behind the Billboard podcast and an important conversation between Cephas Williams & Barry Cupples on the LBBonline – Little Black Book & Friends Beach, alongside joining in at Stagwell’s Speaker’s Lounge, a fireside chat with the DPAA on Yahoo Beach, attending events and catching up with clients and industry friends over lunch. Take a look at our behind-the-scenes roundup from Cannes in 2022.

In the words of our CEO Barry Cupples, “we’re just in the room as Out of Home expert’s trying to grow the category.”

Cannes was a brilliant opportunity to connect with our industry peers and begin to work together to grow the medium.

There are huge opportunities for brands to capitalise on OOH’s renaissance and the smart opportunities OOH can offer to reach consumers at scale. The time is now to further collaborate and educate advertisers and agencies on the fantastic results OOH can deliver.

Here’s to Talon in Cannes 2023!