WOO President: Distrust in Social Media Could Boost OOH Ad Share
2026-10-28 · via invidis
World Out of Home Organization President Tom Goddard told attendees at WOO's Central Europe Forum in Warsaw that growing distrust of social media, ad fraud, and AI-generated content could help Out of Home advertising claim a larger slice of global ad budgets over the next five years, according to invidis.
For operators running digital screens in malls, transit hubs, and city centers, the pitch matters because it is effectively the industry's answer to a hard number: OOH still trails online advertising in total global spend, even though digital Out of Home has been posting double-digit growth. Goddard's argument is that the gap can narrow if OOH leans into what social platforms are increasingly criticized for.
Goddard pointed to rising regulatory pressure on major tech platforms, including moves in several countries toward restrictions similar to Australia's ban on social media for users under 16. He also cited advertising fraud, such as fake impressions, clicks, and conversions, as an ongoing problem for digital advertisers, along with the spread of low-quality AI-generated content that is changing how people use search engines and trust what they see online.
His case for OOH's advantage rests on the medium reaching people in physical environments rather than through algorithmic feeds. He cited consumer research, including a recent Outfront Media study in the US, that ranked OOH highly for trust.
What has to happen next
Goddard was clear that trust alone will not move budgets. He laid out four priorities for the industry: proving advertising effectiveness, improving audience measurement, strengthening adtech connectivity, and promoting OOH's competitive advantages more consistently across media owners and trade associations.
On effectiveness, Goddard said a major industry-wide initiative is in development to produce stronger evidence of OOH's impact on advertisers' campaigns, though the announcement does not specify what that initiative involves or when it will launch.
Measurement remains uneven market to market, with some regions still lacking unified audience data systems, something DOOH buyers have flagged as a barrier to shifting more programmatic budget into the channel.
On adtech, Goddard said programmatic trading in OOH has progressed but that much of the industry still runs on labor-intensive, fragmented transactions. He called for more consolidation among platforms and adtech vendors to simplify buying and selling, a point that echoes long-standing complaints from media buyers about the complexity of booking DOOH inventory compared with other digital channels.
For screen network operators and venue owners, the takeaway is less about any single product or platform and more about where the industry's lobbying and measurement efforts are headed. If WOO's push for better effectiveness data and simplified adtech gains traction, it could make DOOH inventory easier to sell programmatically and easier to justify against social and search budgets. Whether that translates into actual spend shifts will depend on the measurement standards and consolidation Goddard says are still missing.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from invidis for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
WOO President Tom Goddard says growing concerns about social media, ad fraud and AI-generated content create an opportunity for OoH, but the industry must improve measurement and demonstrate its effectiveness.
Growing concerns about misinformation, advertising fraud, and social media’s impact could create new opportunities for Out of Home advertising, according to World Out of Home Organization (WOO) President Tom Goddard.
Speaking at WOO’s Central Europe Forum in Warsaw, Poland, Goddard argued that OoH’s reputation as a trusted advertising medium could help the industry capture a larger share of global advertising spending over the next five years.
Although OoH continues to record double-digit growth, driven largely by digital Out of Home (DooH), it still trails online advertising in the global market.
Goddard believes changing attitudes toward social media could help narrow that gap.
Goddard pointed to increasing regulatory scrutiny of major technology platforms, particularly over their impact on younger users. Several countries are considering restrictions similar to Australia’s social media ban for children under 16.
He also cited advertising fraud, including fake impressions, clicks and conversions, as a continuing problem for digital advertisers.
Meanwhile, the proliferation of low-quality AI-generated content is raising further questions about the credibility of online platforms and changing how consumers interact with search engines.
Against that backdrop, Goddard argued that OoH has an advantage because it reaches consumers in physical environments rather than through social media feeds.
He referenced consumer research, including a recent study from Outfront Media in the US, that ranked OoH highly for consumer trust.
However, Goddard acknowledged that trust alone will not be enough to secure a larger share of advertising budgets.
He identified four priorities for the industry: demonstrating advertising effectiveness, improving audience measurement, strengthening adtech connectivity and promoting OoH’s competitive advantages.
Proving effectiveness remains particularly important. Goddard said a major industry-wide initiative is being developed to provide stronger evidence of OoH’s advertising impact.
Audience measurement is another concern, with some markets still lacking comprehensive or unified systems.
Programmatic trading has made progress, but Goddard said much of the industry’s advertising transactions remain labor-intensive and fragmented. He called for greater consolidation among platforms and adtech providers to simplify buying and selling.
Finally, he urged stronger collaboration among media owners and national trade associations to communicate OoH’s advantages more effectively.
For Goddard, greater industry cooperation will be essential if OoH is to convert its perceived trust advantage into sustained growth and a larger share of global advertising spending.