I have come to a realization – or better said, I have verbalized a thought into simplistic terms. And here it is:
DOOH is passive.
IOOH is active.
By now, you probably know my love for the “DOOH” moniker. I think it confuses everyone in the industry and no one corrects it. The closest thing I’ve heard is from Keith Kelsen – he defines “DOOH” as a digital OOH ad network and “Digital Signage” as a digital OOH platform that does not include advertisements. He, at least separates them. I would argue that even “non-advertising”-based platforms are grey, at best, in inherently being an advertising platform.
To me, “digital” out of home means nothing more than applying a digital display to an OOH installation. As such, you have a very passive experience. Is it more dynamic than static? Yes. Is it more effective than static? Has a good chance. But at the end of the day, both of them are passive solutions.
It’s very simple – if you want to engage your audience, you have to be active. Include interaction. Implement an IOOH solution. Not a DOOH solution.