Phil Eastwood: The Optics of Out-of-Home ROI

Guest post by Phil Eastwood, General Manager, JCDecaux New Zealand

Anyone who grew up in my era of advertising will be familiar with this quote…

‘half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, the trouble is, I don’t know which half’.

Attributed to 19th century US retail magnate John Wannamaker, this idea encouraged brands to spread their investment across multiple channels without deep scrutiny of effectiveness.

TV was a given, for most brand campaigns – affordable, delivering universal reach almost immediately. This was typically complemented by static billboards (printed a month ahead), radio, newspapers, even direct mail. The broad, one-message-for-all approach generally worked and it was believed that the combined impact was greater than its individual parts.

Be careful what you wish for…

Today’s attribution tools and data-driven models – once a fantasy – have revealed an inconvenient truth: even a 50 percent success rate would now be considered a win. The largest study on advertising effectiveness in recent years shows success rates averaging just 37 percent, with digital metrics even lower.

The ROI equation for Out-of-Home

At JCDecaux, we’re committed to understanding the return on investment (ROI) our clients achieve. We’ve commissioned extensive research to measure how our formats drive attention, engagement, and brand impact. We build our assets in prime locations, reaching desirable audiences, and invest in cutting-edge technology.

But media placement is only part of the equation. Are brands optimising their share of the responsibility?

Research from Analytics Partners shows that 59 percent of Out-of-Home ROI is driven by execution – factors such as campaign duration, format mix, and placement. The remaining 41 percent comes down to creative execution – the message itself. This 2:3 ratio underscores why brands and their creative agencies must take an active role in maximising impact.

Brands increasingly demand media accountability and measurement. But while media owners like JCDecaux optimise placement and provide proof of effectiveness, brands and agencies must ensure the creative is designed for success.

With evolving Out-of-Home tools, media agencies can now fine-tune Out-of-Home campaigns to reach a high-intent audience and planned to effective frequencies at the moments that are most likely to be relevant.

Are brands and creative agencies investing the same effort in ensuring the creative is fit for purpose? Too often, they are not.

A proven formula for success

JCDecaux is a media platform, not a creative agency. But we are experts in effectiveness. Through research and experience, we have identified a proven framework for Out-of-Home success, one that creatives can build upon with emotion, surprise, and ingenuity. This approach prioritises commercial impact over industry awards.

At its core, effective Out-of-Home creative hinges on saliency:

• Can the message be understood in under three seconds?
• Is the headline easy to read, considering how the brain filters advertising?
• Is the branding clear and instantly recognisable?

Saliency isn’t just about making the logo bigger. It’s about leveraging distinctive brand codes, strategic placement, and visual contrast to ensure recognition. Spoiler alert: the bottom-right corner is rarely the best place for a logo.

Predicting what stands out

In a world demanding measurement and attribution, we must not forget that advertising influences human behaviour. While technology shouldn’t replace human judgement, it can enhance it.

JCDecaux’s proprietary tool, OPTIX, is designed to do just that. Based on more than 10,000 human interactions which applies machine learning to advertising attention, OPTIX predicts saliency using heat mapping and attention scores for different regions of the creative. It applies the Oxford University developed SALICON MODEL, refined specifically for advertising effectiveness.

OPTIX doesn’t judge creative, it analyses it. It recognises text length in relation to viewing time, identifies human elements that drive emotional attention, and assesses colour contrast for readability. It doesn’t know that ASB’s branding is yellow or that ANZ’s is blue, but it does know that black text on a navy background reduces visibility.

Its purpose is to optimise text placement, branding size, and layout against proven best practices helping brands fine-tune their creative for maximum impact.

Using OPTIX to Drive Performance

Clients who have used OPTIX have seen significant improvements in branding and message saliency. Media agencies value it because it provides data-backed insights rather than subjective opinions on whether creative will work.

However, timing matters. OPTIX is most effective when used early in the creative process – when it can inform messaging, layout, and branding decisions. It’s far less useful at at 4pm on a Friday, an hour before the material deadline.

Maximising ROI with data-driven creativity

The quote I began with came from a time when measurement was impossible. The safest strategy was to leave things alone rather than risk breaking what worked.

Today, we have better tools. We can refine what we do understand while still respecting the creative magic that cannot be quantified.

Maximising the 41 percent driven by creative requires thoughtful execution. Tools like OPTIX can help assess and refine creative elements to enhance effectiveness.

As the industry looks to a more optimistic 2025, finding efficiencies in every aspect of campaign planning will be key. Engaging with data-driven insights and using tools like OPTIX early in the process can lead to stronger outcomes.

Bringing creativity and data together ensures Out-of-Home delivers both impact and return on your investment.

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