Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising has evolved rapidly over the last few years. What was once static, fixed, and hard to measure is now dynamic, data-led, and increasingly automated. At the centre of this shift is Programmatic DOOH (pDOOH).
This blog breaks down what programmatic DOOH really is, how it works behind the scenes, and why it’s becoming an essential part of modern media planning.
What Is Programmatic DOOH?
Programmatic DOOH is the automated buying and selling of digital out-of-home ad inventory using technology platforms, data signals, and real-time decisioning.
In simple terms, programmatic DOOH allows advertisers to buy DOOH ad space digitally instead of relying on manual negotiations, activate campaigns in real-time, and optimise messaging based on context, audience signals, and performance data. Unlike traditional OOH, where campaigns are booked weeks in advance with fixed creatives and placements, programmatic DOOH brings the flexibility and intelligence of digital advertising into the physical world.
How Programmatic DOOH Is Different from Traditional DOOH
Traditional DOOH typically involves fixed screen bookings, pre-decided time slots, limited optimisation once the campaign goes live, and measurement that is largely focused on estimated reach. Programmatic DOOH, on the other hand, enables real-time buying and delivery, audience and location-based triggers, dynamic creative updates, and performance-led planning and reporting. The shift is less about replacing traditional DOOH and more about making outdoor advertising smarter, faster, and more accountable.
How Does Programmatic DOOH Work?
While the technology stack can seem complex, the workflow itself is fairly straightforward.
1. Digital Screens as Ad Inventory
Digital screens across locations such as malls, airports, office buildings, high-street retail zones, and transit hubs are connected to a central technology platform. Once connected, these screens become addressable ad inventory, similar to digital ad placements online, allowing advertisers to plan and activate campaigns with greater precision.
2. Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs)
Publishers connect their DOOH screens to Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs). The SSP manages available screen inventory, sets pricing and availability, and makes ad slots accessible for programmatic buying. This is the layer where DOOH inventory becomes visible and tradable in real time.
3. Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs)
Advertisers and agencies use Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) to plan and buy campaigns. Through a DSP, they can select locations and screen types, define audience parameters, set budgets and schedules, and launch and manage campaigns from a single interface. The DSP then communicates with the SSP to place ads on relevant screens based on the predefined criteria.
4. Data & Contextual Triggers
One of the biggest strengths of programmatic DOOH is its ability to use real-world data signals such as time of day, day of the week, location and footfall patterns, weather conditions, and event-based triggers. These signals help determine when, where, and which creative should be displayed, making campaigns far more contextually relevant.
5. Dynamic Creative Delivery
Instead of running a single static creative throughout the campaign, programmatic DOOH allows brands to deliver creative variations by time or location, update messages in real time, and enable context-aware storytelling. For example, the same brand can deliver different messages during morning office hours, evening leisure time, or weekend shopping periods.
6. Measurement & Reporting
Programmatic DOOH offers stronger accountability compared to traditional formats. Reporting typically includes impressions and reach estimates, screen-level delivery data, time and location performance insights, as well as campaign pacing and optimisation learnings. This data helps advertisers understand what worked and refine future planning.
Programmatic DOOH allows brands to move beyond fixed outdoor placements and towards adaptive, audience-aware communication in the physical world. For marketers looking to balance scale with relevance, it offers a practical and future-ready approach to out-of-home advertising.
As the ecosystem matures, platforms like Lemma play a role in enabling this transition, helping brands and publishers unlock the full potential of programmatic DOOH within a broader omnichannel strategy.
