François-Xavier Pierrel, 

Chief Data Officer at the JCDecaux Group, took the stage at Web Summit 2019 to explain how data is accelerating and transforming the usage between Out-of-Home communication and mobile.

Data is everywhere – from smartwatches and daily travel cards to the apps used on smartphones. So what to do with this mountain of data, which doubles every three years? Brands in every sector can use data to respond to business issues and help connect with their audience in a more meaningful way. For example, Airbnb uses data science to predict the optimal price of a property for holiday-goers depending on their location and the season.

In the world of Out-of-Home advertising (OOH), data science is gaining a foothold thanks to the rise of digital technology. Take, for example, a recent Google Search campaign in Germany, highlighting the little ways in which Google can help citizens enjoy the summer. Using real-time data, creatives were triggered based on weather, location and time of day to help everyone make the most of the summer. 

Brands have become accustomed to targeting the right person at the right time on the web. So why not in the street, too? Through their public and private infrastructure, cities generate data. Cities and brands can now create intelligence by using data to enhance public services and increase engagement with city dwellers with contextually relevant messaging.

In 2019 (and in the coming years), the best resource for meeting these objectives is an object that never leaves our sides: the mobile phone. Mobile and OOH are more connected than any other media, both providing a vertical format and serving as vectors of experience and creativity. The combination provides a more creative, interactive and customised experience for users unparallel to any other media. 

Watch the full video of François-Xavier Pierrel’s keynote address below, courtesy of WebSummit.