Verkkokauppa.com becomes a pioneer in programmatic out-of-home advertising

Verkkokauppa.com has become a pioneer in programmatic out-of-home advertising by executing Finland's first programmatic OOH campaign purchased using a non-guaranteed model. With this pilot, Verkkokauppa.com is seeking new, agile ways to reach elusive target audiences.

"There are already people who cannot be reached through digital advertising. Verkkokauppa.com targets tech-savvy early adopters—an audience where ad-blocker usage is particularly high," says Michael Ovitz, Head of Online Marketing at Verkkokauppa.com.

In the pilot campaign, JCDecaux sends information about available capacity to the buying platform two hours before the ad slot begins, and Verkkokauppa.com secures the desired locations at a pre-agreed unit price. This programmatic OOH campaign using a non-guaranteed model is rare even on a global scale. For this project, OOH inventory was made available for open purchase on the Adform platform, with Verkkokauppa.com being the first to test it.

"The non-guaranteed model offers a true win-win situation. It provides advertisers and media agencies with a flexible, real-time way to reach consumers, while the media owner can sell remaining capacity at the last possible moment," says JCDecaux’s head of digital innovations, Xavier Jolas.

Data helps target the right audience

Compared to previous methods, this new model brings unprecedented flexibility to OOH advertising, allowing advertisers to decide how a campaign is displayed on an hourly basis.

"The e-commerce world is extremely fast-paced. Competitors react to every campaign very quickly. If we need to respond, we can swap out creative materials on the fly through our ad management system. Data allows us to identify which ad placements to use and where our target groups are most concentrated," Michael Ovitz explains.

According to Hearts & Science Finland’s Digital Director Paula Siljamäki, this pilot campaign aims to shake up industry conventions: "Verkkokauppa.com's marketing is characterized by the courage to do things differently than its competitors."

"We want to continue being more relevant, approachable, and engaging than our competitors. This campaign allows us to integrate into consumers' daily lives with messages that matter to them," says Michael Ovitz from Verkkokauppa.com.

Targeting was also utilized in creative selection. For example, the campaign directs consumers to the 24h kiosk in Jätkäsaari outside of the store's regular opening hours.

"I believe that as programmatic advertising becomes more common, we will see a major shift in how OOH advertising looks. People will find it more relevant than ever before," Paula Siljamäki concludes.

OOH advertising is now just one step away from full programmatic integration

The success of Verkkokauppa.com's pilot means that OOH advertising is finally becoming ready for programmatic buying.

"The next step in programmatic development is to enable digital OOH to be purchased in the same way as any other digital media," Xavier Jolas envisions.

Additional information
press@verkkokauppa.com (Ulkoinen palvelu)

Verkkokauppa.com
Verkkokauppa.com is Finland's leading online retailer, offering a wide range of products from home technology to leisure and business needs. Operating since 1992, the company is one of the world's oldest online retailers, combining e-commerce and physical stores into a seamless omnichannel customer experience. Verkkokauppa.com's four megastores are located in Oulu, Pirkkala, Raisio, and Helsinki's Jätkäsaari district. To deliver an exceptional customer experience, the company delivers products to your door in as little as one hour, around the clock, using automation and robotics. Verkkokauppa.com employs approximately 600 people, and the company's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.