What is Programmatic DOOH Advertising?
Programmatic DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) is the automated buying and delivery of digital outdoor advertising in real-time. Rather than booking static sites for fixed periods, brands can now target audiences dynamically using data – buying ad space across digital billboards, transport hubs, retail screens, and more, with precision.
At Excite OOH, we help brands activate programmatic campaigns across the UK and internationally, reaching the right audience in the right place at the right time.
Benefits of Programmatic Digital Out-of-Home
Programmatic DOOH brings many of the advantages of digital marketing into the physical world. Key benefits include:
Data-Driven Targeting – Reach specific audiences based on demographics, behaviour, location, weather, time of day, or even live events.
Real-Time Flexibility – Launch quickly, pause or shift campaigns, and optimise in-flight.
High Visibility – Reach consumers in premium, high-footfall locations, from airports to city centres.
Cost Efficiency – Buy impressions based on real exposure — no wastage, no guesswork.
Creative Versatility – Serve static or dynamic creative, tailored to the context or environment.
How Programmatic DOOH Actually Works
1. Define Objectives & Targeting Parameters
We start by understanding your goals. Are you looking to:
– Drive footfall near retail stores?
– Reach travellers at the airport?
– Build brand awareness across specific regions or cities?
From there, we use data to define targeting parameters such as:
– Geography – specific postcodes, cities, or proximity to stores
– Time of day / day of week – e.g. rush hour, lunch breaks, weekends
– Audience behaviours – gym-goers, commuters, business travellers
– Live triggers – weather, traffic, sports results, flight delays, etc.
2. Choose Screens & Build a Plan
We map available inventory across trusted programmatic platforms such as:
These platforms aggregate thousands of screens across multiple environments: airports, gyms, shopping centres, roadside, and more.
We identify where your audience is most likely to be – and when – then build a tailored media plan that aligns with your budget and targeting goals.
3. Upload Creative Assets
You provide your artwork or motion creative in standard sizes (typically landscape 1920×1080 or portrait 1080×1920). We can also help create dynamic or data-driven creatives that change based on weather, location, or time.
Formats include:
– Static images
– Looping video (usually 5–10 seconds)
– Dynamic creative that updates in real-time
4. Go Live & Deliver in Real-Time
Once everything’s approved, your campaign goes live. Ads are served automatically when your targeting conditions are met – similar to how digital ads work online.
For example:
– If your target audience is gym-goers, your ad might run between 6–9am and 5–8pm at PureGym locations.
– If you’re a travel brand, your ads may only run on departure boards in airports when flights are delayed.
This precision reduces waste and maximises ROI.
5. Optimise While Live (If Needed)
One of the biggest advantages of programmatic DOOH is flexibility. You can:
– Change creative mid-campaign
– Pause or shift spend between locations
– Respond to live events or performance data
It’s not just a “set and forget” media buy – we can adjust your campaign in real time to suit performance or external conditions.
6. Real-Time Reporting & Campaign Wrap-Up
As your campaign runs, we track every impression delivered – giving you transparent, real-time dashboards that show:
– Total impressions
– Locations and screen-level performance
– Time-of-day breakdowns
Once complete, we provide a post-campaign report with all delivery data, insights, and visual proof of placement.
What Does Programmatic DOOH Cost?
Programmatic DOOH is typically priced on a CPM basis – that’s the cost per 1,000 impressions. Unlike traditional OOH, you’re buying verified audience exposure rather than fixed time slots or locations.
CPMs typically range from £10–£30 GBP (or $12–$35 USD), depending on the market, screen type, audience demand, and time of day.
While programmatic campaigns can technically start small, we recommend a minimum investment of £15,000 / $20,000 to ensure meaningful scale and impact — typically delivering 500,000–700,000 impressions across high-quality screens.
Where Can Programmatic DOOH Run?
Programmatic DOOH can run virtually anywhere in the world – across thousands of premium digital screens in major cities, transport hubs, and high-footfall environments.
At Excite OOH, we activate campaigns across a global network of trusted inventory partners, giving you access to:
– International airports – from London Heathrow and JFK to Frankfurt, Dubai, and Singapore
– Urban centres & roadside screens – including New York, Paris, Berlin, Toronto, Sydney and more
– Retail, gyms & lifestyle venues – such as shopping malls, supermarkets, and fitness chains
– Transit networks – train stations, bus shelters, and metro systems across global cities
Whether you want to reach commuters in Tokyo, shoppers in Milan, or business travellers in Chicago, we can build a programmatic DOOH plan that targets your audience with precision – locally or globally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional OOH involves booking specific sites for set durations, often weeks in advance. Programmatic DOOH allows you to buy digital screen space dynamically, based on data like audience behaviour, time of day, or location – and activate campaigns in near real time.
Costs vary depending on the market and screen type, but CPMs (cost per 1,000 impressions) typically range from £10–£30 GBP / $12–$35 USD. We recommend a minimum budget of £15,000 / $20,000 for meaningful reach and impact.
Yes. Programmatic DOOH lets you target by geography, audience demographics, time of day, and even live triggers such as weather, traffic, or sports results. This ensures your message appears when and where it matters most.
Yes. As a programmatic DOOH agency, Excite OOH provides real-time reporting and post-campaign analysis, including impressions, screen-level performance, and heatmaps.
Get Started with Programmatic DOOH
Whether you’re planning a local pilot or launching a multi-market rollout, Excite OOH is the programmatic DOOH agency that can help you deliver results – fast, flexibly, and globally.
👉 Get in touch to discuss your campaign goals or request a custom quote.
