What to Expect at the 2026 OOH Media Conference
Ahead of this year’s OOH Media Conference, we caught up with Olivia Oshry, CMO of the Out of Home Advertising Association of America, to unpack the themes, trends, and shifts redefining the role of OOH in today’s media mix.
What is the central theme of this year’s OOH Media Conference, and why does it matter right now?
The theme of this year’s OOH Media Conference is “The Human Medium.” It’s grounded in the positioning work we’ve done to more clearly define OOH’s role in today’s media landscape. As marketing becomes more fragmented and increasingly driven by automation and algorithms, we saw a need to sharpen how we articulate what makes our medium both distinct and essential.
At its core, OOH is human. It’s experienced in shared spaces, woven into culture, and impossible to ignore. It connects brands to people—and people to each other—in ways that other channels can’t replicate.
That matters right now because while there are more ways than ever to reach people, it’s never been harder to truly connect. “The Human Medium” is our way of bringing that into focus, and aligning the industry around a clear, consistent narrative and reinforcing OOH’s role as a foundational part of the modern media mix.
OOH has seen steady growth in recent years. What is driving that momentum?
OOH’s growth is being driven by a combination of performance, relevance, and evolution.
At a foundational level, the medium works. Brands are seeing measurable impact across the full funnel—from awareness to action—which is leading to increased investment and repeat spend. At the same time, OOH has evolved significantly. Advances in digital, data, and measurement are making it easier to plan, buy, and prove, bringing it more in line with how marketers operate today.
We’re also seeing broader adoption across categories, with both established and emerging brands leaning into OOH as they look to build presence, drive discovery, and show up in culture.
How is programmatic and data reshaping the way brands approach OOH?
Programmatic has made OOH more accessible and more actionable. Brands can now plan and activate campaigns with greater precision, using data signals like location, time of day, and audience movement to inform messaging. What is especially exciting is how OOH is being integrated into broader omnichannel strategies, where it can both spark awareness and drive immediate action. It is no longer a siloed channel, it is part of a connected ecosystem.
What are some of the key topics or conversations you expect to come out of this year’s conference?
The conversations this year will center around a few defining shifts in the industry. A major focus is how brands are showing up creatively and using OOH to break through, create memorable moments, and connect with audiences in meaningful ways.
There’s also a strong emphasis on sports and cultural moments, and how OOH helps brands show up where attention is highest and most engaged. AI and its impact on media will be a key theme, from reshaping content creation, to planning, buying, and distribution, and redefining how brands reach audiences. And more broadly, how marketers are navigating an increasingly complex landscape, and where OOH fits as a channel that continues to deliver scale, visibility, and impact.
For marketers who may be newer to OOH, what should they be paying attention to right now?
For marketers newer to OOH, the key is recognizing how much the medium has evolved and where it fits today. It’s no longer just an awareness play. It’s a full-funnel channel that drives real business outcomes, from discovery to action. Advances in digital, data, and programmatic have made it more flexible, more measurable, and easier to integrate into omnichannel strategies, while still delivering something increasingly rare: real attention in high-impact, contextual moments. The opportunity isn’t to treat OOH as a test, but to see it as a foundational part of the mix that strengthens how brands show up, connect, and perform across channels.
