Podcast Summary: Episode #640 – Measuring the ROI on Out of Home with Jeremy Flynn from Clear Channel Outdoor

Introduction

In Episode #640 of The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®, host Greg Kihlström engages in an insightful conversation with Jeremy Flynn, Senior Vice President of Data Products and Strategy at Clear Channel Outdoor. Released on February 19, 2025, this episode delves into the evolving landscape of Out of Home (OOH) advertising, emphasizing the integration of audience targeting, measurement of ROI, and navigating data privacy challenges.

Jeremy Flynn’s Background and Role

Jeremy Flynn brings a wealth of experience to the discussion, having spent eight years at Clear Channel Outdoor prior to his tenure at the Palo Alto-based startup, Share This. At Share This, he focused on building a robust publisher network encompassing over 4 million websites, managing a share-to-social channels feature, and developing a data business—a pivotal role during the era when "data was the new oil."

“I've been with Clear Channel for about eight years, focusing on audience and measurement solutions in OOH, an area ripe for disruption.” [02:40]

Audience Targeting in OOH Advertising

Flynn elucidates how Clear Channel's analytics suite, Radar, leverages mobile location and identity data to comprehend consumer behaviors throughout their day. This capability allows brands to understand the impact of OOH exposures—be it at a bus shelter, roadside billboard, or airport advertisement—and correlate these exposures with subsequent consumer actions like visiting a retail location or engaging online.

“We assign about 4,500 audience attributes to every OOH unit in the market, aligning them with the same behaviors digital marketers use.” [05:00]

This approach aims to make OOH advertising as planable and addressable as digital channels, empowering brands to seamlessly integrate offline audiences into their broader marketing strategies.

Common Misconceptions about OOH Advertising

One prevalent misconception Flynn addresses is the belief that OOH advertising lacks measurability. He emphatically counters this by highlighting how modern OOH can deliver tangible outcomes beyond mere brand awareness, especially in an environment plagued by digital ad fraud.

“Out of home is finally getting a chance to shine in the true omnichannel plan, provided simplicity in measurement and targeting is ensured.” [07:29]

Integrating OOH into Multichannel Strategies

Flynn advocates for viewing OOH as a mass media channel that effectively complements fragmented digital landscapes. He emphasizes OOH's unique position to deliver both top-of-the-funnel awareness and assist in driving conversions, acting as an accelerator within a multichannel media mix.

“Out of home can be seen as an accelerator, amplifying the successes of your other media investments.” [09:06]

Measuring the ROI of OOH

The discussion delves deep into the methodologies for measuring OOH effectiveness. Flynn explains the importance of incrementality—adding incremental reach through mass media channels like OOH—and the integration of Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA) and Media Mix Modeling (MMM) to assess OOH’s impact on assisted and unattributed conversions.

“We participate in MTA models and believe the best measurement is a hybrid of MTA and MMM.” [10:45]

He underscores the need for more sophisticated measurement techniques to accurately attribute consumer actions to OOH exposures, highlighting scenarios where OOH influences immediate purchase decisions.

Data Privacy and OOH Advertising

In the context of increasing data privacy concerns, Flynn outlines how OOH advertising inherently fosters trust within communities. Unlike digital channels that often grapple with data privacy issues, OOH operates within physical spaces, establishing organic trust through repeated, non-intrusive interactions.

“Out of home uniquely establishes trust within the community, acting as a pillar of corporate social responsibility.” [14:00]

He also touches upon Clear Channel’s integration with data clean rooms, enabling brands to maintain ownership and control over their data while ensuring privacy-safe collaboration with media partners.

“We are integrated with data clean rooms to help brands take ownership of their data in a privacy-safe manner.” [17:04]

The Role of Creativity in OOH Campaigns

Flynn highlights the indispensable role of creativity in OOH advertising, asserting that effective creative strategies can elevate campaign performance. He emphasizes an "arts and sciences" approach, where data informs creative decisions to resonate with target audiences and drive business outcomes.

“The right creative can take a campaign to the next level, while the wrong creative can cause it to fall flat.” [18:11]

Brand Safety in OOH vs. Other Channels

Addressing brand safety, Flynn contrasts OOH with digital media, pointing out that OOH inherently avoids issues like digital ad fraud and ensures that advertisements reach real, engaged audiences. He underscores the transparency and accountability inherent in OOH, where marketers can physically verify their campaigns.

“In OOH, the only viewability issue might be a tree partially obscuring a billboard, which is a far cry from digital malfeasance.” [20:59]

Recommendations for Brands: Transparency and Accountability

Flynn advises brands to prioritize data integrity and establish robust measurement frameworks. He emphasizes the importance of partnering with trustworthy media owners, asking the right questions, and defining clear success metrics to ensure accountability and maximize campaign effectiveness.

“Set up the right accountability framework and partner with those you trust to define what success looks like.” [23:14]

Staying Agile: Jeremy Flynn’s Personal Strategies

When discussing agility, Flynn shares his commitment to continuous learning through reading both fiction and nonfiction. He believes that absorbing diverse concepts allows for the application of fresh ideas to drive both short-term revenue and long-term enterprise value.

“Always be learning. Reading diverse materials helps me apply new strategies to stay agile in my role.” [25:08]

Conclusion

Jeremy Flynn’s insights shed light on the transformative potential of OOH advertising in today’s multichannel marketing environment. By integrating robust data analytics, ensuring measurability, prioritizing data privacy, and maintaining creative excellence, OOH can significantly enhance brand strategies and deliver meaningful ROI.

“Out of home is a brand-safe, fraud-free, community-based media that continues to evolve with new measurement and targeting solutions.” [22:16]

For more information about Jeremy Flynn and Clear Channel Outdoor, listeners are encouraged to follow the links provided in the show notes.

Notable Quotes:

• “We assign about 4,500 audience attributes to every OOH unit in the market, aligning them with the same behaviors digital marketers use.” – Jeremy Flynn [05:00]

• “Out of home is finally getting a chance to shine in the true omnichannel plan, provided simplicity in measurement and targeting is ensured.” – Jeremy Flynn [07:29]

• “The right creative can take a campaign to the next level, while the wrong creative can cause it to fall flat.” – Jeremy Flynn [18:11]

Resources:

• Clear Channel Outdoor: www.clearchannel.com
• The Agile Brand Website: www.agilebrandguide.com
• Greg Kihlström’s Consulting Services: www.gregkillstrom.com