Changan auto brand enters Ethiopian market with first dealership
Fast-growing middle class and promotion of electric vehicle adoption presents ‘substantial growth opportunities’ for Chinese brand.
OUT-OF-HOME
Congress confirms that OOH is no longer the ‘traditional’ medium
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025
We apply an African lens to the recent World Out of Home Organization Congress held in Mexico City.
When the World Out of Home Organization (WOO) gathered its members in Mexico City earlier this year, the agenda reflected both the resilience of OOH and the urgency of its transformation.
Delegates from across the globe shared case studies, data and forecasts. But behind the variety of presentations lay a consistent theme: OOH has shown the most resilience of the legacy media, and its future will be shaped by the intelligent application of technology, credible measurement, sustainability and purpose-driven creativity.
The 2025 WOO Congress reflected the resilience of OOH. Photo: WOO
For African marketers, the trends emerging from Mexico provide both inspiration and practical pathways, comments Jacques du Preez, WOO board member for Africa and CEO of Provantage Group, one of Southern Africa’s leading OOH media, marketing services and point-of-purchase groups.
“Our markets face unique constraints, from uneven infrastructure to diverse audience literacy levels. But they also possess the kind of agility and openness that can enable OOH innovation to leapfrog legacy barriers,” he writes in the latest issue (Issue 3 2025) of Strategic Marketing for Africa, the magazine of the African Marketing Confederation.
Among his observations from Mexico City:
OOH remains the most resilient legacy medium
Dentsu’s Global Ad Spend Forecasts show OOH retaining – and in some markets, expanding – its share of total ad spend.
Globally, OOH’s ability to reach audiences at scale in brand-safe environments gives it a defensive strength in a media ecosystem that is increasingly fragmented and mistrusted.
For Africa, this resilience is a reminder that physical presence still matters in markets where mobile penetration outpaces fixed broadband and public space remains a vital canvas for brand storytelling.
Data and measurement: from reach to visibility
Australia’s industry-wide measurement system, covering every OOH format from cafés to roadside to transit, uses Visibility Adjusted Contacts (VAC) as a core metric, ensuring advertisers understand not just how many people could see a placement, but how many actually do.
Few African markets have this level of unified currency, but the principle is critical: Advertisers want accountability. In the absence of fully integrated systems, local operators can still adopt partial visibility metrics, audience-verified data and location analytics. As mobile data partnerships mature, African OOH can offer increasingly credible audience guarantees – essential for winning spend from digital-first planners.
Automation and programmatic: Unlocking new buying models
Automation and programmatic buying have moved from pilot to mainstream in mature markets. For buyers, programmatic OOH offers flexibility, speed and the ability to integrate campaigns into broader omnichannel strategies.
In Africa, adoption will be uneven, but the opportunity is clear. Programmatic platforms can enable smaller brands to access premium inventory in shorter bursts, target specific times of day and respond to real-world triggers. For large advertisers, automation reduces friction in multi-market buys – a significant advantage in a continent with diverse regulatory environments and media-owner landscapes.
You can read more about evolving OOH trends in the latest Strategic Marketing for Africa – the voice of African marketing and the official publication of the African Marketing Confederation (AMC). Read Issue 3 2025 online here.
A Print Edition is also available.
MAZ’s 2026 Marketing Week engages local marketers on key topics
Week of activities and events creates opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing and hearing insights from industry experts.
Memorable visuals in ads are more likely to lead to purchase – study
Research suggests that attention-grabbing campaigns may need to be paired with memorable visual design to influence buying decisions.
Underperforming Port of Cape Town seeks a private sector boost
Cape Town’s port must be a competitive advantage rather than a bottleneck that constrains trade, investment and supply chains.
H&M makes senior leadership appointment for South African market
Experienced retail executive Ricardo Valente Da Conceicao returns to Africa as GM, bringing expertise gained in various overseas markets.
Turkish supermarket group BIM hits 1,000-store landmark in Morocco
Local consumers are proving receptive to BIM’s private-label goods and hard-discount model as they struggle with inflationary pressure.
Current issue of AMC magazine brings critical insights for marketers
Issue 1 2026 of Strategic Marketing for Africa, the magazine for deep-thinking African marketing professionals, highlights key trends.
Visit Rwanda announces partnership with Aston Villa Football Club
Rwanda’s tourism marketing arm signs agreement to be the English club’s main shirt sponsor after deal with Arsenal FC ends.
Africa declares a new standard for its communications profession
For too long, the PR landscape has had no shared standard for who practises in it or what responsibility they carry, founders say.
Researchers find a new way to enhance social media influencer messaging
By carefully selecting followers to engage with an influencer’s post, marketers can significantly increase the post’s spread.
Watchdog instructs auto brand to remove or amend TV ad campaign
SA’s Advertising Regulatory Board finds Kia advertisement could be offensive to people with certain health disorders.
