Data, Measurement, and the ARA System – How Marketers Measure DOOH Like Digital?
For years, outdoor advertising was perceived as a medium that built prestige and broad reach, but was difficult to measure precisely. Marketers accustomed to Google Ads or Facebook dashboards, where every click and impression is visible in real-time, often treated OOH as a "black box". However, that stage in advertising history is now behind us.
Today, thanks to the digitization of media and advanced data analytics, Digital Out-of-Home is becoming a full-fledged element of the digital ecosystem. The key to this change is the shift from estimation to hard data. The tool that is changing the rules of the game is the ARA.
No More "General Traffic". It's Time for a Real Audience
Traditional OOH measurement relied on historical data in the form of traffic statistics from a year or even several years ago, estimations, and general pedestrian flow data. In the digital world, such an approach would be unacceptable. Marketers need to know who was in front of the screen when their advertisement was displayed.
The ARA system provides this data by analyzing signals from mobile devices in real-time. This allows for precise determination of OTS (Opportunity To See), i.e., the actual number of contacts with the message. Importantly, ARA does not measure "nearby traffic" but the real audience within the field of view of a specific MORE network screen. This approach means that DOOH is now reported in the same way as display or online video campaigns – using specific reach and frequency metrics.
The Analytical Duo: ARA Technology and the MORE Network
DOOH measurability is not just about post-factum numbers, but primarily about in-campaign optimization. By combining the potential of MORE screens with ARA data, marketers gain tools that were previously reserved only for online campaigns:
- Audience Profiling: We know whether young people, families with children, or a specific group of business stakeholders are in front of the screen. This allows for the selection of media locations based on specific campaign KPIs.
- Heatmaps and Touchpoints: Data analysis helps understand how consumers move. Thanks to this, DOOH ceases to be a single point on the map and becomes an element of a planned customer journey.
- Creative Verification: With audience data, we can analyze which times of day and which contexts (e.g., weather, traffic jams) best resonate with the target group, which is fundamental for data-driven campaigns.
How Artificial Intelligence Helps Measure Attention?
Contact (OTS) alone is just the beginning. The real challenge is measuring attention. That's why we support the optimization process of our campaigns with artificial intelligence, which analyzes how the human eye scans content in urban spaces.
By using AI algorithms to analyze creatives on DOOH screens, we are able to predict which elements of a spot will attract the most glances. By combining ARA's reach data with AI's attention analysis, we provide marketers with a complete picture of effectiveness – we not only know how many people passed the screen, but we have analytical certainty that the creative was designed to be noticed.
DOOH in the Marketer's Dashboard
The biggest revolution is the fact that DOOH data can now be integrated with the rest of digital campaigns. Measurability according to the ARA standard allows for:
- Cost Comparability: Calculating the cost per thousand impressions (CPM) in DOOH and comparing it with results from social media or programmatic advertising.
- Attribution: Analyzing how presence in urban spaces influenced an increase in search queries (the so-called search lift) or website visits.
- Budget Optimization: Shifting funds to where ARA data indicates the greatest potential to reach the target group at a given moment.
Summary
Digital Out-of-Home ceased to be an intuitive medium. It has become an analytical medium. Thanks to the ARA system, marketers can now plan, buy, and measure DOOH with the same precision they expect from mobile or streaming media. At Jet Line, we prove that data is the new currency in urban spaces, and the MORE network – Poland's first real-time measured DOOH screen network – is the largest "display" your brand can leverage in a digital model.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Is data from the ARA system GDPR compliant?
Yes, the ARA system operates on fully anonymized and aggregated data. The analysis is based on signals from mobile devices, which are processed in a way that prevents the identification of specific individuals. Marketers receive reports on audience size and characteristics (e.g., demographic profile), which is completely secure and compliant with applicable privacy regulations.
How does ARA measurement differ from traditional traffic surveys?
Traditional surveys often rely on data from traffic sensors or mathematical models based on population and registered vehicles. ARA, on the other hand, analyzes the actual activity of mobile devices within the direct field of view of screens in real-time. This measurement takes into account seasonality, city events, and changes in pedestrian behavior, providing data on the current, not projected, audience.
Can I receive a report with ARA data after the campaign ends?
Yes, after each campaign carried out within the MORE network, our partners receive summary reports. These include data on the actual number of contacts (OTS) and other key reach indicators. This allows marketers to include DOOH in their aggregate reports and precisely account for the campaign's analytical goals.