OOH in 2023: Talon MENA Reflections

According to Statista, global Out of Home (OOH) revenue is projected to reach US$38.41bn in 2023, led by traditional OOH with a market volume of US$20.87bn in 2023. Meanwhile, in MENA, digital OOH (DOOH) is the format expected to drive growth over the next 5 years, more than doubling, from $288.28 million in 2023 to $616.27 million in 2028. This is a significant increase, bolstered by a hunger for DOOH and its capabilities in the region.   

In Talon’s Dubai office, we are dedicated to growing and nurturing the channel, providing a seamless experience for our clients. This year, we’ve been busy, showcasing our commitment to innovation, industry leadership, and global collaboration. In this blog, we are reflecting on the milestones achieved during the year and celebrating what is possible when you think outside. 

Talon’s International Summit in London 

Setting the tone for the year, Managing Director, Chadi Farhat, and Client Director, Mansour Wehbe, joined the leadership teams from Talon International, Talon Ireland, Talon Germany and Talon APAC, to discuss our progress, goals and plans for the year ahead. 

We’re constantly challenging ourselves and the industry to re-invent the possibilities of what OOH can be and we’re proud to be the largest independent OOH global network, expanding our reach from Dubai through our centralised experienced team. 

World Out of Home Organization MENA Forum in Dubai

 Next, we attended and presented at the World Out of Home Organization’s MENA forum in Dubai – the first in-person regional event to take place there. Over 200 delegates attended the event, drawn from the region’s major media owners, media agencies, marketers and suppliers, all major growth drivers in their respective markets. 

On the first day, Managing Partner, Adrian Skelton, hosted the panel “Qatar 2022 – How the World Cup Impacts a Country,” – reflecting on the results that the World Cup delivered and how OOH in Qatar was as good as any other World Cup event. “Quality, innovation and possibilities in Qatar are huge, and the standards of OOH quality is there.”  

Client Director, Mansour Wehbe, also participated in the panel “View from the OOH Buyer Side: Challenges & Opportunities,” highlighting that opportunities in OOH in the region lie in DOOH, considering that digital screens bring higher revenue due to higher inventory.  

For the second day, Group Chief Strategy Director Sophie Pinto Del Rio, and Managing Director Chadi Farhat, shared their expertise on “The Evolution and Impact of Data-driven Strategies in OOH.” During this keynote, Sophie and Chadi shared Talon Benchmark data showing that clients who used intelligent audience data see positive outcomes.  

The data shows that deploying intelligent data through technology are:  

• 4 times more likely to drive brand consideration  
• 15% more relevant to lifestyle vs. OOH benchmarks  
• 2 times more effective than social media at driving purchase intent.  

It was a fantastic opportunity to focus on the possibilities and appetite for the region comprehensively with our industry colleagues. 

Campaign Middle East’s Agency Guide

Following the successful MENA forum, we proudly unveiled our feature in Campaign Middle East’s agency guide. The guide offers the industry a 360-degree view of the OOH industry in MENA. We’re proud to be the only independent OOH industry featured, sharing our expertise and thoughts on effective OOH. 

Read the guide here.

Talon Turns 10  

Back in 2013, Talon was founded in the UK with a plan to revolutionise the world of OOH advertising. In 10 years, the business has grown substantially – securing our spot as a leader in OOH planning, creativity, effectiveness and technology. The business now spans over seven territories, including Talon MENA which was launched in 2022. 

We’re proud to be part of a business built on being the changemakers, the trailblazers, the provocateurs and the pioneers. Find out more about our decade in OOH.

Talon MENA – Members of IAB MENA

Proud members of IAB MENA since 2022, this year saw us actively participating in the development of the first DOOH whitepaper for the region. Contributing our expertise, knowledge and dedication to adding value to the market, “This State of DOOH in MENA,” highlights the key areas of DOOH that advertisers, measurement companies and media owners need to be aware of. 

The whitepaper is available for download here.   

Alongside this , Business Development Director, Rezarta Bytyci, also took part in a podcast with a panel of fellow experts from Amazon Ads, Publicis Media and Google to highlight the value proposition of DOOH from the buy-side & sell-side. The podcast covered topics such as the available formats, the benefits of cross channel planning and integrating with other channels, the measurement opportunity and some of the challenges and opportunities in growing DOOH in MENA.  

Listen to the podcast here.  

Talon x American University in Dubai (AUD)  

As the changemakers, the trailblazers, the provocateurs and the pioneers; nurturing young talent with aspirations of joining the industry is extremely important. 

This year, we visited AUD to deliver a lecture to marketing students, preparing them for OOH – OOH’s evolution and future. It was a very enlightening session, in which our team showcased the capabilities and sophistication of the OOH and how data and technology are fueling the efficiencies and effectiveness of this medium.  

Campaign Middle East’s OOH Guide  

For the latest OOH guide, our Client Director in MENA, Mansour Wehbe, provided an overview of global trends of OOH and DOOH with valuable insights through our experience of advising and servicing global campaigns for our MENA region clients.  

As the only independent OOH agency featured, Mansour shared his extensive knowledge of the trends that will drive OOH’s global evolution.  Read the issue here.

World Travel Market (London)

Rounding off the year, we attended the World Travel Market (WTM) event in London in association with Saudi Tourism Authority. For 42 years, WTM has been the most influential 3 days in the travel industry, providing a fantastic location for travel and tourism teams from around the globe to meet and build relationships. It was great to network, listen to some fantastic speakers and catch up with our own clients! 

Thinking Outside in 2024  

2023 has been another fantastic year of establishing ourselves as the independent OOH specialist agency of choice in MENA, taking MENA campaigns global.  In 2024, we look forward to continuing to grow and nurture the OOH channel, reimagining the industry to deliver greater value for our clients whilst inspiring people and caring for our planet – it all begins with thinking outside.   

We’d like to thank our clients, agencies and partners for their support, and we wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.