For this month’s Media Owner Spotlight, Vistar spoke to Max Charnin, Head of Programmatic - Outdoor and Radio at MediaWorks. This interview spotlights the unique value proposition their digital network brings to the out-of-home (OOH) industry and how MediaWorks’ partnership with Vistar Media is enhancing digital advertising experiences in New Zealand.
Please describe your network in 2 sentences:
MediaWorks is an audience driven business with New Zealand's largest multi-format digital national footprint. Our extensive network spans various platforms, delivering diverse content to engage audiences across the country.
What types of screens do you have / contexts can they be found?
Our network includes National Roadside screens across 14 regions, the Auckland Transport Network, and Wellington Airport.
What regions do you operate in?
MediaWorks Outdoor operates in all major regions across New Zealand, including Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch, Whangarei, Rotorua, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Gisborne, Greymouth, Blenheim, Timaru, and Hastings, with plans for future development.
What audiences do you reach?
MediaWorks national footprint and breadth of coverage delivers broadcast reach across the country. Our multi-format offering has been strategically placed in key environments and arterials with high audience concentration; capturing vehicular, foot or commuter traffic as they go about their daily journeys.
What sets you apart from other digital channels?
As New Zealand's only outdoor omnichannel company – the MediaWorks offering enables us to provide custom audience solutions for our clients that access multiple touch points of our network. Being able to execute cross channel campaigns in the market sets us apart from all other digital channels and outdoor providers alike. As the market moves to a more omnichannel digital world, Mediaworks is in a prime position to lead audience centric buying across the outdoor market.
What is your network's main value proposition to a brand?
The MediaWorks ecosystem leverages audiences, data and environments that provide the perfect platform for brands to connect with their desired customer base. Our broadcast reach gives us unmatched scale across the outdoor market.
What do you wish more digital buyers knew about out-of-home?
Outdoor is one of the last ways to passively reach new audiences in an increasingly digital world with one-to-one targeting. As other channels become more and more fragmented, that positions OOH as the last true broadcast medium.
Programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) brings the best of both broadcast and digital buys by enabling digital audience targeting in a one-to-many execution.
How do you see digital out-of-home evolving over the next year?
From an industry perspective, this is a HUGE year for OOH. With a number of OOH tenders up for pitch over the next year, I suspect the OOH market may be in for a shake up regardless of how these fall.
From a buying perspective, I believe we will see more clients utilise the power of pDOOH buying when combined with a traditional OOH buy. Most clients have used pDOOH as a standalone tactical buy but I see the future as a blend of both to create more effective outdoor campaigns.
Why did you choose Vistar as a partner?
MediaWorks chose Vistar as a partner for several reasons. Vistar's seamless user interface enables us to streamline campaign management and delivery efficiently. Additionally, being connected to the Vistar network allows MediaWorks to meet market demand and scale our pDOOH offering effectively. As a global company, Vistar provides MediaWorks with the capability to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving international outdoor advertising market.
What has been Vistar's most valuable contribution to your business?
Vistar has played an instrumental role in the growth of our pDOOH offering. Their consistent presence and education in the market has also assisted in the confidence of the MediaWorks offering across the agency landscape.
What Vistar software capabilities do you find most useful?
Vistar's interface allows us to seamlessly execute and manage campaigns with ease. Additionally, their Dynamic Creative product is a standout in the market, enabling clients to access Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO) effortlessly.
What benefits have you been able to leverage by working with Vistar?
Vistar's audience data has empowered our clients to engage with our network in new and innovative ways. This audience-first approach to buying aligns perfectly with MediaWorks' main value proposition.
