Jicky von Bechtolsheim & Mike Bödger – WallDecaux

WallDecaux is a premium supplier of OOH advertising in Germany. The company is strongly expediting digitalisation and innovation of advertising in the public space. In this interview, Jicky von Bechtolsheim (COOH) and Mike Bödger (Director of Strategic Business Development) share insights into the strengths of OOH advertising for brand growth, WallDecaux’s strategies, challenges, and the future of OOH advertising.

The Unique Strengths of Out-of-Home Advertising

Out-of-home advertising is thriving in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. Its ability to blend into environments while maintaining visibility makes it a favourite medium for creatives and brands alike. Jicky and Mike highlight its core strengths: broad reach, non-intrusiveness, and visual appeal. Unlike other media that can overwhelm consumers, OOH subtly embeds messages into everyday environments, fostering positive brand associations.

“The guaranteed visibility of out-of-home advertising in premium, relevant public spaces is a key advantage. OOH isn’t intrusive. We’ve conducted market research on trust in advertising, and when brands use OOH, they gain a trust advantage. It feels authentic because it exists in the physical world,” Jicky says. Mike agrees, “Yes, and that’s the key: Everyone sees it. You can’t escape it, but at the same time, it’s not intrusive. Our medium doesn’t overwhelm you with ad messages. Instead, we showcase large or moving images that have a much higher acceptance rate compared to ads that repeat until they annoy you.” Especially luxury brands, which seek premium positioning in high-traffic, prestigious locations, are big users of OOH advertising. By using OOH strategically, brands can achieve long-term resonance and establish themselves as iconic within their industries.

‘’OOH isn’t intrusive. We’ve conducted market research on trust in advertising, and when brands use OOH, they gain a trust advantage.”

Digital Transformation and Innovation in OOH

Digitalisation has revolutionised OOH, transforming it into a dynamic and responsive medium. Moving images, real-time capabilities, and data-driven targeting have expanded OOH’s scope. For instance, WallDecaux’s ability to adapt campaigns based on mobility patterns or weather conditions demonstrates the power of real-time advertising. Mike describes how programmatic campaigns, like one developed for a museum, adjust messaging based on ticket sales and external factors. These innovations allow advertisers to craft more relevant, intelligent campaigns, bridging the gap between traditional advertising and modern consumer expectations.

However, there are also misconceptions about OOH advertising and what it can enable through digitalisation. The aim of WallDecaux has never been to turn every city into a metropolis with flashing lights, but instead to reduce successively the number of advertising spaces while enhancing their quality and value-added for the public. Furthermore, our digital street furniture is a part of the MoWaS system, the national alert system of the Federal government, which allows it to send emergency messages simultaneously to large audiences in critical situations. “. In emergencies, this centralised communication can prevent panic and provide clear instructions. This is an advantage for a smart city infrastructure .”

“In emergencies, centralised communication can prevent panic and provide clear instructions. This is an advantage we bring to digitalisation.”

Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage

Sustainability emerged as a significant theme in the interview. WallDecaux positions OOH as one of the most sustainable advertising channels, leveraging 100% green electricity already since 2017 and many more eco-friendly practices. “Awareness around sustainability and its role in media planning is growing. Out-of-home, especially digital OOH, is considered one of the most sustainable advertising mediums available. It delivers many impressions while producing lower CO2 emissions,” Jicky highlights.

“Out-of-home, especially digital OOH, is considered one of the most sustainable advertising mediums available. It delivers many impressions while producing lower CO2 emissions.”

OOH’s Role as a Media Amplifier

“OOH doesn’t just work in isolation; it serves as a powerful amplifier in a multi-channel media strategy.” Mike and Jicky emphasise how OOH enhances brand campaigns launched in other formats. For example, brands can use OOH to reinforce messages from digital, TV, or print campaigns, creating multiple touchpoints that deepen consumer awareness. This “amplification effect” is particularly effective for driving brand recall and strengthening engagement. Jicky notes that the creative challenge of distilling messages into impactful visuals ensures that OOH ads remain focused, making them memorable and effective for brand building.

Mike mentions a few examples, “For fast-moving consumer goods we’re a strong impulse medium. Imagine a campaign on our two-square-meter screens featuring an exploding chocolate bar. This creates a craving – what behavioural science calls the ‘Pavlovian effect.’ For luxury products, it’s less about immediate purchases and more about brand building. It’s about presenting the brand in the right context, evoking desirability, and consistently reaching the target audience.”

“OOH doesn’t just work in isolation; it serves as a powerful amplifier in a multi-channel media strategy.”

Measuring the Success of OOH

To measure success from OOH campaigns, WallDecaux uses a variety of tools. Mike explains, “We start with performance metrics, which quantify the reach and impressions generated by a campaign. Clients can track these metrics live via an app that shows their campaign’s network distribution, including specific locations on a map.”

“Beyond that, we conduct extensive market research to evaluate uplifts in brand awareness and other metrics along the marketing funnel. Over time, we’ve built a massive database of benchmarks, allowing clients to compare their campaigns within the industry and across categories.”

In the digital space, the company has also implemented tools like Drive-to-Store tracking. For example, with Burger King, WallDecaux targeted ad spaces near their locations and tracked mobile advertising IDs. Then they monitored whether someone exposed to the ad later entered a Burger King store. “These kinds of campaigns work well when the store locations are clearly defined like Burger King’s typically are.”

Of course, there are also limitations with this approach, for example measuring impact in shopping malls which lack precise spatial data. This is why market research plays a critical role for the company. “We can’t offer precise, digital-style metrics like views and clicks, but we can demonstrate the effectiveness of OOH through market research,” Jicky adds. Mike mentions pre- and post-campaign studies as examples.

“We can demonstrate the effectiveness of OOH through market research.”

The Future of OOH: Integration and Personalisation

The integration of data into OOH has transformed it from a traditional medium into a driver of measurable outcomes. With tools like programmatic buying and real-time adaptability, OOH campaigns can now target specific audiences more effectively, contributing to brand growth and sales.

Looking ahead, the integration of OOH with other media channels, particularly mobile and social media, is a key trend. For example, WallDecaux’s campaign for Burger King tracked the impact of ads on store visits, linking exposure to customer behaviour. This precision allows OOH to cater to both brand-building objectives and immediate sales goals, making it a versatile tool for marketers looking to grow their brands in diverse ways.

3D visuals and immersive storytelling are also set to play a larger role, enhancing OOH’s ability to capture attention in increasingly crowded environments. “Moving images already attract more attention than stills, and adding a 3D effect amplifies that even further. When done well, it leaves a lasting impression, which I think will ensure its longevity as a trend,” Jicky says.

Both Mike and Jicky envision a future of seamless connection between physical ads and digital experiences, where OOH serves as the gateway to personalized interactions. QR codes are only the beginning; future campaigns might incorporate advanced interactions that allow users to engage with content effortlessly. Mike concludes, “There’s so much more potential to integrate OOH with digital strategies. The key is to think beyond just the physical ad. OOH can be the gateway to a richer, more engaging journey.” WallDecaux’s vision is clear: to ensure OOH becomes a standard, indispensable part of every media strategy.

“There’s so much more potential to integrate OOH with digital strategies. The key is to think beyond just the physical ad. OOH can be the gateway to a richer, more engaging journey.”