How pDOOH and Street Presence Are Transforming OOH Media
Luís Felipe Loli Argello explains programmatic adoption at We OOH and the ongoing power of physical spaces for brands.
The convergence of out-of-home advertising and programmatic buying is unlocking new revenue streams for the DOOH industry. On Marketing - The Podcast, Luís Felipe Loli Argello details the rise of pDOOH and the enduring value of physical visibility in ad spend decisions.
In a conversation with Bruno Gimenes on Marketing - The Podcast, Luís Felipe Loli Argello, CCO of We OOH, discussed the integration of programmatic advertising into digital out-of-home (pDOOH) inventory and the role physical public spaces play in the media strategies of major advertisers.
The rise of pDOOH and capturing digital budgets
We OOH began structuring its programmatic media operations in late 2023 by bringing in Marcos Bularo to design the business unit. According to Argello, programmatic accounted for just 1% of the company's revenue that year, with projections to reach nearly 9% of total sales by the end of the following period. Across the broader market, an estimated 14% of out-of-home inventory purchases are now executed programmatically, connected through platforms such as Google, Magnite, Rubicon, and the UK-based VMOOH.
For Argello, this technology enables out-of-home to compete directly for ad dollars historically locked into traditional digital channels: "So that leftover budget that would normally go back online, today our sales team works with Bularo's team to flag it and bring it over, selling that street-level delivery programmatically."
Real-world metrics vs. the performance obsession
Despite advances in geolocation and mobile device data matching, the commercial case for outdoor advertising goes beyond standardized digital metrics like CPM or CPC. Argello points out that a physical presence engages consumers throughout their daily routines—from residential elevator screens to street clocks and large-format roadside billboards.
When breaking down the business case for markets like Brasília—home to the Boulevard and Highline digital panels—Argello emphasized that socioeconomic factors, such as purchasing power and decision-making flow, matter more for consumer goods than raw traffic volume. He also highlighted that even tech giants rely on outdoor formats: "OOH ran two major campaigns—one this year and one late last year, two this year and one late last year—from Meta and TikTok. So, if the street isn't important, why are digital platforms turning to outdoor media to assert themselves?"
In the video above, you can watch the full roundtable discussion covering attention metrics, the evolution of DSPs in the Brazilian market, and practical sales strategies in major urban hubs.