Special Report
Growth, data and digital: WOO charts the next chapter for Out of Home
G
periods in recent history, with revenues reaching record levels and digital transformation continuing to reshape the market. But despite the positive outlook,
the industry’s leaders believe there is still significant work to do if OOH is to maintain its momentum and compete more effectively with other advertising channels. Those themes took centre stage at the
World Out of Home Organisation (WOO) Annual Congress in London, where president Tom Goddard welcomed a record audience of delegates with an upbeat assessment of the sector’s performance before outlining the priorities he believes will define its future. Held at the Park Lane Hilton in
London’s West End, the congress marked the first global gathering of the OOH industry in London since 1989, attracting a record 807 delegates from across the international signage, media and advertising sectors.
A sector on the rise The headline figures paint a positive picture. According to WOO, global Out of Home revenues climbed to US$54 billion, representing growth of 15% compared with 2024. The organisation’s figures cover 85 geographical territories, accounting for approximately 95% of global GDP, making them one of the most comprehensive indicators of the sector’s health. Growth has been led by the
Asia-Pacific region, where revenues increased by just under 30%, while the Americas and EMEA also posted solid single-digit gains. The figures reflect continued investment in digital infrastructure, urban media networks and increasingly sophisticated advertising
| 34 | July/August 2026
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lobal Out of Home (OOH) advertising is enjoying one of its strongest
technologies that are helping OOH remain relevant in an evolving media landscape. Perhaps the most significant milestone
highlighted during the congress was the continued rise of Digital Out of Home (DOOH). Tom revealed that digital formats now account for 47% of all Out of Home advertising worldwide, placing the industry on the verge of a historic tipping point where digital overtakes traditional static displays for the first time. For sign makers, digital display
manufacturers and systems integrators, this represents another indication that investment in digital signage technology continues to accelerate, although adoption remains uneven between countries depending on infrastructure, regulation and market maturity.
Four priorities for the future While the revenue figures demonstrate an industry in good health, Tom stressed that continued success cannot be taken for granted. Instead, he outlined four key areas that require industry-wide collaboration if OOH is to continue gaining market share. The first is effectiveness.
As advertising budgets become
increasingly scrutinised, marketers are under greater pressure to demonstrate measurable returns on investment. According to Goddard, proving the effectiveness of Out of Home campaigns has become one of the industry’s most urgent priorities. He told delegates: “Proving
effectiveness is something we need to address urgently. A major industry- wide initiative is needed to crack this conundrum, and there’s no time to lose. Client CFOs are becoming more reluctant to approve expenditure that does not clearly show a return on investment.” For suppliers throughout the signage
ecosystem, this reflects the growing importance of analytics, campaign measurement and integrated reporting alongside physical hardware and installation. The second priority centres on
audience measurement and data. Reliable audience measurement has
become a fundamental requirement for modern media planning, yet Tom argued that too many markets still lack systems capable of delivering meaningful insights. “This is a fundamental requirement,
yet there are too many markets that are Tom Goddard, WOO president
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