MarTech Podcast ™ // Marketing + Technology = Business Growth · I Hear Everything

From Billboards to Bottom-Funnel Results

·40 min·3 clips

Digital billboards are now programmatic, targetable, and unskippable—reviving one of the oldest ad formats.

This episode of the MarTech Podcast features host Benjamin Shapiro and guest Alex Weinberger, General Manager of Digital Out-of-Home at AdRoll. They explore the resurgence and modernization of out-of-home advertising through digital and programmatic technology. A key statistic is that 34% of out-of-home ad spend came from digital screens in Q1 2025, with that segment growing 9% last year. Weinberger explains that digital out-of-home encompasses all digital screens outside the home, including roadside billboards, bus shelters, and place-based screens in gyms, bars, airports, and retail stores. The channel's growth is driven by programmatic buying, which enables real-time bidding, precise screen selection, and measurement previously unavailable for static billboards. An OAAA survey cited found 73% of respondents view brands advertised on digital out-of-home more favorably. Weinberger details how campaigns can be targeted using geography, such as placing ads around a conference venue or a company's headquarters with day-parting for commute times. Attribution methods now include measuring foot traffic, sales lift, and brand lift through post-exposure surveys. He describes how devices near a screen are anonymously observed within a preset radius to build an exposed audience for measurement and potential retargeting. Creative for the medium must use bold colors, large logos, and very few words to capture attention within a few seconds. A surprising claim is that digital out-of-home is no longer just an upper-funnel brand play but can be part of a performance-driven, full-funnel strategy. Weinberger argues that multi-channel activations combining digital out-of-home with CTV, social, or display significantly increase buyer intent. He suggests that in-store digital signage at major retailers will elevate the value of place-based screens in nearby venues like malls and gyms. For B2B marketers, a recommended first test is using digital out-of-home for event support, surrounding conferences with ads in transportation and hospitality venues. A memorable creative example involved a team flipping their ad creative upside down to force a double-take from passersby. Weinberger predicts retail media's growth will drive an "arms race" for in-store digital signage, further integrating physical and digital advertising. The tone is conversational and educational, with the host and guest exploring practical strategies and industry trends. The style is consultative, with Weinberger offering specific campaign examples and tactical advice for different business goals. Marketing professionals interested in omnichannel strategy and alternative advertising channels beyond digital screens would love this episode. Listeners seeking deep technical tutorials on ad operations or those solely focused on pure online performance marketing might skip it.

As heard by us

The episode makes the case that digital out-of-home is a testable medium, not just static billboard space.

Benjamin Shapiro and Alex Weinberger treat out-of-home as a digital channel, not just a field of static billboards. They point to the 34% share of out-of-home ad spend from digital screens in Q1 2025 and the 9% growth in digital spend as the backdrop for that argument.

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Why you'd press play

Make digital out-of-home feel like a channel you can test and iterate.

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