Every month, OAAA’s editorial team sits down with an industry 
leader to discuss the latest insights, trends, and best practices for the OOH industry. This month, we sat down with Branded Cities’ President & Chief Operating Officer, Vaibhav “VG” Gupta, who discussed what excites him about OOH right now, his message for brands that haven’t bought OOH before, and what’s next for the industry.
Read VG’s Q&A in The Drum.
What excites you about OOH right now?
I think what excites me most about OOH right now is we are seeing an incredible union of creativity, technology and data and it’s helping to transform the industry in the eyes of brands and advertisers. In a digital-heavy world, OOH offers tangible connections to audiences in the real world. While impressions are of course important, advertisers are trying to go beyond that and make a real impact in physical spaces where people live, work and play.
What message do you have for brands that haven’t bought OOH before?
I would say that brands are missing out on a powerful way to connect with their audiences in the real world. To an extent, brands have a limited view of OOH and equate our industry as “the one with roadside billboards,” but it is so much more than that. The OOH industry encompasses everything from high-impact digital displays in Times Square to highly targetable displays in malls, airports and transit shelters. With the wide-ranging types of OOH inventory available, brands have the ability to target the right people at the right time.
What’s the next big thing for OOH?
That’s the billion-dollar question isn’t it? To continue to grow our share, we as an industry need to lean into technology and provide brands and advertisers with no excuses to not include OOH. With the advent of AI-powered targeting that adapt creatives to the actual audiences in front of OOH signage, to contextual triggers, augmented reality, gamification and so on, the industry is poised to make real impact on the advertising landscape. For some time now OOH has been more than just a passive medium and I’m excited to see it continue to be an active and engaging part of the consumer journey.
How do you see the role of high-impact, large-format digital OOH evolving in today’s fragmented media landscape?
While there is value in traditional digital advertising, brands are not going to have anywhere near the same impact on a phone or even a TV For example, our Harmon Corner spectacular is full-motion and the length of a football field in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip. Likewise, our Moxy display is the largest single full-motion spectacular in California and directly across from Cypto.com Arena. OOH, especially Branded Cities’ version of it, provides a canvas for powerful storytelling. Whether it’s a striking 3D anamorphic creative on a massive digital spectacular or an immersive advertising experience in a public space like Times Square, brands can use OOH to create memorable moments that resonate with their audience.
Published: March 12, 2025