OOH Industry Advances Effort to Modernize Audience Measurement and Selects Ipsos for Pilot Program

Joint effort by Geopath with OAAA marks major step in evolving measurement to support modern media planning and continued industry growth

NEW YORK, March 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Geopath, in partnership with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), today announced a major step forward in modernizing audience measurement for Out of Home (OOH) advertising with the development of a next-generation measurement platform. Ipsos has been selected to support an industry pilot launching in the second half of 2026.

The pilot is part of a coordinated industry effort to modernize OOH audience measurement for today’s evolving advertising marketplace. Led by the executive committees of Geopath and OAAA, the initiative reflects a broad commitment across the OOH industry to ensure that the medium provides advertisers with data that is consistent, credible, and aligned with the expectations of today’s marketers.

“We’ve heard clearly from across the industry that the expectations for OOH measurement have evolved. Advertisers and agencies need a more modern, transparent, and interoperable approach to evaluate performance alongside other channels,” said Ali Broback, Chief Client Officer and Partner at ODN and Chairperson of the Board at Geopath. “This initiative is about meeting that moment. While there is still work ahead, selecting Ipsos as our pilot partner and moving into this next phase reflects real progress and a strong, collective commitment to building a measurement framework that supports the future growth of out of home.”

The initiative began in early 2025, with a comprehensive review of the future requirements for OOH measurement. The process included a detailed needs assessment and interviews with stakeholders across the OOH and advertising ecosystems—including media owners, agencies, marketers, and research experts—as well as an evaluation of evolving measurement practices across the broader media landscape.

That work culminated in a competitive RFP process that invited proposals for both partial and comprehensive measurement solutions. Following extensive review and evaluation, Ipsos was selected to partner with the industry on the measurement pilot. Ipsos brings significant global experience in audience measurement and media research, including providing foundational data or fully productized OOH measurement systems in more than 20 markets worldwide, including countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia.

“Out of Home has always delivered powerful real world reach and impact for advertisers,” said Scott Wells, Chairman of the OAAA Board and CEO of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings. “As the media ecosystem continues to evolve, our measurement must evolve alongside it. This effort brings the industry together to ensure advertisers have the insight and confidence they need to grow investment in OOH. Ipsos brings deep expertise in media and audience measurement, including OOH, and we look forward to working with them to help advance measurement for our industry.”

The pilot will evaluate a next-generation OOH audience measurement system across multiple formats and environments, including updated methods for estimating impressions, reach, and frequency. Findings from the pilot will help inform the development of an industry-standard measurement platform that provides advertisers with more transparent, credible, and actionable insight into OOH audiences and the medium’s role in the broader media mix.

The measurement initiative comes at a time of continued growth for the medium. OOH advertising revenue reached $9.46 billion in 2025, increasing 3.6% year over year, according to OAAA, with digital formats continuing to drive expansion across the industry. Transit was the fastest-growing segment for the second consecutive year, increasing 9.2% annually, while street furniture and place-based media also posted gains.

“The OOH industry has come together in an unprecedented way to define what the future of audience measurement should look like,” said Anna Bager, President and CEO of OAAA. “Advertisers expect clear, comparable measurement across every channel they invest in. This work will ensure that Out of Home continues to meet that expectation while strengthening the transparency and accountability marketers rely on.”

Following the pilot phase, Geopath and OAAA will work closely with industry stakeholders to evaluate results and determine the path forward for implementation. The organizations anticipate an orderly transition from the current Geopath measurement system to a next-generation framework beginning in 2027, allowing time for industry testing, validation, and full adoption in 2028.

Additional details about the measurement program and timeline will be shared with industry stakeholders as the pilot progresses.

About the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA)
The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is the national trade association representing the out of home (OOH) advertising industry. OAAA’s mission is to protect, promote, and advance the medium through government affairs and advocacy, industry research and market intelligence, brand and agency engagement, and industry leadership and convening. OAAA works to ensure OOH’s essential role in the modern media mix by advancing standards, aligning the industry around shared priorities, and shaping the future of OOH. Founded in 1891, OAAA serves more than 850 member companies, including media owners, advertisers, agencies, ad tech providers, and suppliers. The association is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in New York City. For more information, visit oaaa.org.

About Geopath
Founded in 1933, Geopath is the industry standard that powers a smarter OOH marketplace through state-of-the-art audience location measurement, deep insights and innovative market research. The organization is headquartered in New York City and governed by a tripartite board composed of advertisers, agencies and media companies spanning the entire United States. For more information, please visit https://geopath.org/.

About Ipsos
Ipsos is one of the largest market research companies in the world, present in 90 markets and employing nearly 20,000 people. Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multispecialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. Our 75 solutions are based on primary data from our surveys, social media monitoring, and qualitative or observational techniques. “Game Changers” – our tagline – summarises our ambition to help our 5,000 clients navigate with confidence our world of rapid change. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has been listed on the Euronext Paris since 1 July 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120, Mid-60 indices and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD). ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP www.ipsos.com

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