As part of our #WeAreDOOHers initiative, where we spotlight key industry players, we sat down with Yassine Mahdar, CEO & Founder of Turnadon, to explore the evolving DOOH landscape. In this interview, Yassine shares his perspective on the key challenges, opportunities, and future of DOOH advertising.
Watch the interview
Identifying the opportunity in DOOH
For Yassine, the journey into DOOH started with a clear market gap.
Recognizing this opportunity, Turnadon deployed its first digital screen network in the heart of Paris, paving the way for its expansion into other high-traffic areas in France.
Overcoming the initial barriers to DOOH adoption
Despite DOOH’s strong potential, one of the biggest challenges remains convincing advertisers to take the leap, according to Yassine Mahdar.
This often leads to always-on campaigns, as brands recognize DOOH’s effectiveness in driving visibility and recall. At Turnadon, a high client retention rate has been observed, further confirming this trend.
Standing out in an oversaturated digital world
With digital advertising becoming increasingly crowded, DOOH has a unique advantage: its presence in the real world.
This ability to capture audience attention in real-life settings positions DOOH as a powerful alternative to digital advertising. Also its strong memorability and ability to reinforce brand messaging through repetition make it an essential component of an effective omnichannel strategy.
The three key rules for an effective DOOH campaign
Yassine identifies three key principles for a successful DOOH campaign:
- Clarity and simplicity – A DOOH message should be instantly understandable. Given that most audiences are on the move, the content must be clear, concise, and impactful within just a few seconds.
- Repetition and frequency – Rather than distributing ads too broadly, an effective campaign focuses on strategic moments and high-traffic locations. Repetition strengthens brand recall and maximizes impact.
- Omnichannel integration – DOOH is most powerful when combined with other media, such as TV, digital, and connected audio. A consistent message across multiple channels enhances brand awareness and reinforces the campaign’s effectiveness.
The Future of DOOH: what’s next?
Looking ahead, Yassine is confident that programmatic buying will become the dominant method for DOOH in the next five years. He emphasizes how automation is transforming the industry.
This shift, he explains, mirrors trends seen in other markets, whenever a process becomes more accessible, adoption naturally accelerates.
Beyond automation, DOOH is also set to expand into new environments. Yassine predicts a growing presence in regional areas and smaller towns, particularly those with populations under 300,000.
As advertisers recognize the value of reaching consumers outside major cities, the expansion of screen networks will create new opportunities for targeted, high-impact campaigns.
With programmatic advancements streamlining media buying and DOOH’s footprint extending beyond urban centers, the future of the medium is more dynamic and data-driven than ever. As brands continue to seek meaningful ways to connect with audiences, DOOH is poised to become an essential pillar of modern advertising strategies.
