IAB Australia releases comprehensive guide for programmatic DOOH buyers

The Interactive Advertising Bureau Australia released an updated programmatic digital out-of-home buyers guide on August 21, 2025, designed to support advertisers and marketers navigating the complexities of automated screen advertising. According to the document, this comprehensive 20-page resource provides practical guidance on buying methods, targeting strategies, and creative considerations within Australia's expanding programmatic DOOH ecosystem.

The guide emerges as agencies demonstrate increased adoption of programmatic DOOH capabilities. According to the IAB's accompanying research, "36% of agencies believe that both a general lack of understanding and specific lack of understanding of the cost versus benefit are preventing pDOOH from gaining a larger share of ad volume and investment." This educational gap has prompted the IAB Australia DOOH Council to create practical tools addressing implementation challenges faced by buyers, sellers, and technology partners.

Trading mechanics mirror digital channels

Programmatic DOOH operates through familiar digital advertising infrastructure, utilising demand-side platforms and supply-side platforms for automated transactions. According to the guide, "Programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) is bought by advertisers or agencies via a Demand Side Platform (DSP), and accesses supply or ad space from publishers made available in a Supply Side Platform (SSP)- a marketplace for ad space."

The technology stack includes commonly used DSPs such as Vistar, Hivestack by Perion, Broadsign, The Trade Desk, Yahoo, and Adform. Supply-side platforms supporting Australian inventory include Vistar, Perion, Broadsign, and VIOOH. These platforms enable real-time bidding processes similar to other programmatic channels, though with specific adaptations for outdoor advertising requirements.

A key technical distinction separates DOOH from other digital channels. According to the document, "programmatic DOOH is traded on impressions" rather than traditional panel rates or time slots. An impression multiplier determines audience reach per advertisement play, calculating how many people likely viewed each display based on location and timing factors.

Australian inventory reaches 26,000 screens

The guide details current programmatic DOOH availability across Australia, noting "26k screens available for programmatic campaigns" representing "80% of total digital screens available programmatically." Publishers maintain an average "10% SOT" (Share of Time) available for programmatic purchases at any given moment.

Major Australian media owners participating in programmatic trading include Cartology, Civic Outdoor, GOA, JCDecaux, JOLT, OA Collective, oOh! media, QMS, Scentre Group, Tonic, and VMO. Their combined inventory spans multiple environment categories including airport, transport, lifestyle, retail, billboards, and street furniture placements.

Three buying approaches accommodate different objectives

The guide outlines three distinct programmatic buying methods, each serving specific campaign requirements. Programmatic Guaranteed offers fixed pricing with guaranteed or reserved inventory through one-to-one relationships. Private Marketplace deals provide fixed pricing or floor rates with non-guaranteed inventory accessible to select buyers. Open Exchange enables floor-price bidding with non-guaranteed inventory available to all eligible participants.

Campaign objectives determine optimal buying approaches. According to the research, "83% of respondents seeking to increase brand awareness in 2025, while 57% used it to build brand impact and 40% to inform or educate." Conversely, performance-focused applications showed decreased adoption, with sales or conversion objectives dropping "from 37% in 2024 to 28% in 2025."

Traditional and programmatic approaches serve complementary purposes within broader OOH strategies. The guide notes that "81% of agencies now plan OOH, DOOH and pDOOH advertising within the same team, and 68% frequently or sometimes align pDOOH buys with digital video activity."

Advanced targeting capabilities enable precision

Programmatic DOOH supports four primary targeting methods: triggers, audience, location, and format-based parameters. Trigger-based targeting incorporates dayparting, time-of-day/day-of-week scheduling, weather conditions, localised events, and dynamic data sources. Audience targeting utilises first-party data, second-party retail data, third-party demographic and behavioural information.

Location targeting encompasses point-of-interest proximity, state and postcode boundaries, radius-based geographic areas, transit and commuter routes, plus contextual place-based selections. Format targeting considers screen type, screen size, and screen functionality requirements.

The guide emphasises dynamic creative optimisation capabilities, noting that "DOOH also supports DCO - With dynamic creative your ads can seamlessly adapt to the place and the moment, changing messages and images based on data like: Weather, Countdowns, Sports Scores, Product feeds/offers, Location/nearest store."

Measurement framework utilises MOVE platform

Australian DOOH measurement relies on the MOVE platform, which "captures why, where, and when people move - by hour and season, across all formats nationwide." The system models synthetic population movements using empirical data including bespoke mobility surveys, traffic counts, and mobile device information.

Realistic Opportunity to See calculations undergo adjustment through eye-tracking data to measure Visibility Adjusted Contacts, reflecting actual viewership rather than potential exposure. For digital signage, this metric receives further adjustment through Visibility Adjusted Contacts Digital (VACd), incorporating audience dwell time, advertisement play length, and Share of Time allocation.

The guide explains impression multiplier calculations: "Audience Impressions / Ad Play = Audience Per Play" with "Audience is based on MOVE's VACd, factoring in visibility adjustment." This standardised approach enables consistent measurement across different screen locations and formats.

Technical infrastructure addresses creative requirements

Creative asset management differs significantly from online advertising due to hardware variations and approval processes. According to the guide, "DOOH screens vary in size, format, and specs as there's no universal standard. As a result, production costs and timelines can differ, especially with vendor specific content restrictions."

Manual approval requirements distinguish DOOH from automated online channels. The document states that "All creatives require manual approval by media owners, so allow for a few days of approval time." Content management systems replace traditional ad servers for creative delivery to physical displays.

Creative format selection should align with environmental factors and audience behaviour patterns. Static creatives suit fast-moving environments like roadside and transit applications. Short animations of 7-10 seconds drive impact in high-traffic retail and street furniture locations. Longer videos up to 30 seconds with audio prove effective in high-dwell environments such as XTrack and petrol stations.

Verification standards ensure accountability

The guide emphasises verification importance as programmatic DOOH scales. Australia maintains "One of the most advanced markets globally" for DOOH verification, with "Strong collaboration between buy/sell sides and industry bodies (OMA, MFA, IAB)." However, "Verification is well established for direct buys; programmatic still evolving."

Verification focuses on delivery accuracy rather than audience exposure measurement. Key metrics include creative and message verification, panel location and market confirmation, timing verification across day, week, and campaign periods, plus advertisement duration, play frequency, loop position, and share of time analysis.

Common verification methods employ system logs providing real-time media player data, creative tags embedded within advertisements tracking plays independently, and physical inspections for on-site verification primarily supporting classic OOH formats.

Marketing implications expand beyond traditional metrics

The marketing community benefits from programmatic DOOH's integration capabilities with broader digital campaigns. Brand uplift studies enable measurement of DOOH exposure impact on brand metrics including awareness, recall, consideration, favourability, and purchase intent. These studies can compare creative effectiveness and track brand sentiment changes over time.

Footfall analysis measures how DOOH campaign exposure influences visits to brick-and-mortar stores or places of interest. Conversion uplift studies examine website, app, or ecommerce sales increases following DOOH exposure, plus in-store sale improvements and search plus social conversion rate enhancements.

The guide notes that measurement options enable understanding "the impact of pDOOH in combination with other channels such as audio, TV, search and social." This omnichannel measurement approach helps marketers optimise budget allocation across touchpoints while demonstrating DOOH's contribution to overall campaign performance.

Advanced measurement capabilities support sophisticated testing methodologies. Recommended approaches include establishing minimum impression requirements for statistical significance, implementing A/B testing across different geographical areas, conducting pre and post-campaign measurement, and integrating pixel or API connections for enhanced attribution tracking.

The programmatic DOOH landscape continues expanding through technological advancement and industry standardisation efforts. Recent market developments include growing international adoption, enhanced targeting capabilities, improved measurement frameworks, and increased integration with broader programmatic ecosystems.

For marketing professionals considering programmatic DOOH implementation, the guide recommends early consultation with programmatic partners to establish optimal test parameters, understanding creative specification requirements across different media owners, and allowing sufficient time for manual approval processes inherent to DOOH campaigns.

The comprehensive resource serves as practical reference material for agencies, advertisers, and technology providers navigating Australia's programmatic DOOH market. Its release accompanies broader industry efforts to standardise practices, improve measurement capabilities, and increase adoption across marketing teams seeking integrated digital campaign approaches.

Timeline

• August 21, 2025: IAB Australia releases comprehensive programmatic DOOH buyers guide
• August 4, 2025: VIOOH releases State of the Nation 2025 - Mainland China Report showing 30% pDOOH adoption
• June 12, 2025: Adform launches DOOH planner with inventory visualization across 15 markets
• March 2025: Google announces new requirements for Connected TV and DOOH inventory
• February 2025: JCDecaux launches programmatic digital advertising at Dubai airport
• January 8, 2025: ECN and VIOOH partnership brings programmatic DOOH to European offices
• December 13, 2023: Perion acquires Hivestack for $100 million, expanding DOOH capabilities
• July 24, 2024: VIOOH and Intersection partnership revolutionizes US DOOH advertising

PPC Land explains

Programmatic DOOH (pDOOH): The automated buying, selling, and delivery of digital out-of-home advertising inventory through software platforms and real-time bidding systems. This technology eliminates manual negotiations and insertion orders, enabling advertisers to purchase outdoor advertising space instantly based on specific targeting criteria, budget parameters, and performance goals. Programmatic DOOH operates through the same fundamental mechanics as other digital advertising channels, utilising demand-side platforms and supply-side platforms to facilitate transactions between buyers and sellers in the outdoor advertising ecosystem.

Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH): A form of outdoor advertising that utilises digital displays, screens, and interactive technology to deliver dynamic content in public spaces such as transit stations, shopping centres, airports, and street furniture. Unlike traditional static billboards, DOOH enables real-time content updates, audience measurement capabilities, and programmatic buying functionality. The format encompasses various screen types from large-format billboards and transit displays to smaller retail and office environment installations, all capable of delivering targeted messaging based on time, location, and audience data.

Supply-Side Platform (SSP): Technology infrastructure that enables publishers and media owners to manage, sell, and optimise their digital advertising inventory programmatically. SSPs connect to multiple demand sources simultaneously, conducting real-time auctions to maximise revenue while maintaining control over pricing floors, buyer access, and brand safety parameters. In the DOOH context, major SSPs include platforms like VIOOH, Vistar, Perion, and Broadsign, which facilitate the connection between outdoor media owners and advertiser demand through automated marketplace functionality.

Demand-Side Platform (DSP): Software platforms that allow advertisers and agencies to purchase advertising inventory programmatically across multiple channels and publishers through real-time bidding. DSPs provide campaign management tools, audience targeting capabilities, and performance optimisation features that enable efficient media buying at scale. In programmatic DOOH, commonly used DSPs include Vistar, Hivestack by Perion, Broadsign, The Trade Desk, Yahoo, and Adform, each offering varying levels of DOOH-specific functionality and integration capabilities.

Impression Multiplier: A calculation methodology that determines how many people are likely to have viewed a single advertisement play on a DOOH screen, converting individual plays into measurable impressions for programmatic trading purposes. This multiplier accounts for factors such as screen location, time of day, audience flow patterns, and visibility conditions to establish standardised measurement units. The calculation follows the formula "Audience Impressions / Ad Play = Audience Per Play" and enables DOOH to trade on impression-based pricing models similar to other digital advertising channels.

MOVE Platform: Australia's official out-of-home audience measurement system that captures population movement patterns by hour and season across all outdoor advertising formats nationwide. MOVE models synthetic population movements using empirical data including bespoke mobility surveys, traffic counts, and mobile device information to establish audience measurement standards. The platform calculates Realistic Opportunity to See (ROTS) metrics and applies attention filters based on eye-tracking data to measure Visibility Adjusted Contacts (VAC), providing the foundation for standardised DOOH audience measurement and impression multiplier calculations.

Visibility Adjusted Contacts (VAC): A measurement metric that reflects the actual number of people who viewed an outdoor advertisement, adjusted from potential exposure through attention filter applications based on eye-tracking research. VAC calculations consider factors such as viewing angles, speed of passage, visual obstructions, and audience attention patterns to provide more accurate audience measurement than simple exposure counts. For digital screens, this metric undergoes further adjustment (VACd) to incorporate audience dwell time, advertisement play length, and Share of Time allocation.

Share of Time (SOT): The percentage of total advertising loop time allocated to a specific advertiser's content on a digital out-of-home screen. In traditional DOOH buying, campaigns are often purchased based on guaranteed SOT allocations, while programmatic DOOH typically operates on impression-based models with dynamic SOT allocation. The guide indicates that Australian programmatic DOOH inventory maintains an average 10% SOT availability for real-time bidding, with the remainder allocated to direct sales and guaranteed campaigns.

Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO): Technology that enables real-time creative content adaptation based on external data triggers such as weather conditions, time of day, location-specific information, sports scores, or product inventory levels. DCO allows advertisers to deliver contextually relevant messaging that responds to environmental factors and audience characteristics automatically. Not all DOOH screens or media owners support DCO capabilities, requiring advertisers to confirm technical compatibility during campaign planning phases and verify DCO-enabled inventory availability within their chosen DSP platforms.

Programmatic Guaranteed: A buying method that combines the automation benefits of programmatic technology with the inventory certainty of traditional direct sales, offering fixed pricing and guaranteed advertisement delivery through one-to-one buyer-seller relationships. This approach provides advertisers with premium inventory access and predictable campaign delivery while maintaining programmatic efficiency in transaction processing and campaign management. Programmatic Guaranteed represents one of three primary programmatic DOOH buying types, alongside Private Marketplace deals and Open Exchange bidding, each serving different campaign objectives and risk tolerance levels.

Summary

Who: IAB Australia Digital Out of Home Council, supported by organisations including JCDecaux, Blis, Broadsign, Cartology, Enigma, Google, and other industry stakeholders

What: Release of comprehensive 20-page programmatic digital out-of-home buyers guide covering buying methods, targeting strategies, creative considerations, measurement frameworks, and verification standards

When: August 21, 2025

Where: Australia, addressing local programmatic DOOH market with 26,000 available screens across major cities and environments

Why: Address agency knowledge gaps identified in research showing 36% believe lack of understanding prevents larger pDOOH investment share, supporting market growth through education and standardisation