Before you set fingers to keyboard (or speak to your chosen AI assistant) to create your submission(s) to this year’s Outdoor Media Awards, spare a thought for the judges of your undoubtedly brilliant work.
Not to feel sorry for them - they’ll have the privilege of behind-the-scenes access to the best of out-of-home insights and execution - but to get inside their heads. Wouldn’t that make your entry-writing easier and better?
It may sound as though we’re offering yet another AI tool, but, in fact, we’ve gone old school and simply talked to them on your behalf.
This year’s OMAs are all about celebrating work that “Outshines Ordinary”. So our judges have given us a peek into how they - and OOH - help brands do just that.
And, invaluably, they tell us what will make your entries “Outshine Ordinary” too.
Hear from 14 of them here; and if you missed the first of this two-parter, you can catch more judges’ wisdom here.
Entries for the 2025 OMAs, run by Clear Channel in partnership with Campaign, close on February 28th, 2025.
Violeta Andreeva, marketing director, Whisky, Diageo 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
In a world where marketers find it harder to capture attention, great outdoor advertising can still have stopping power and is harder to ignore.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
The key ingredients are a strong consumer insight and the magic of communicating the idea in less than two seconds. And, of course, we will be looking at the results that the work drove.
Ed Birth, head of brand marketing, Hiscox UK 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
I would like to hope that our Hiscox campaign has shown marketers and brands how playful and entertaining OOH advertising can be; especially how even so-called “boring” categories like financial services can use the scale, impact and intimacy of OOH media to outshine ordinary and create disproportionate creative impact. For us, the ingredients for success have been a clear point of view on what makes us different and distinctive as a brand and brilliant collaboration between client, creative agency, media agency and media owners.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
I’d love to see ideas and executions that play to the unique strengths of OOH media: campaigns that creatively explore context, format and location. And I’m looking for entries that carry a clear story: from problem identification, to strategy to execution and results. But most of all I’ll be looking for campaigns that surprise me and stick with me long after I’ve finished reading the entry forms.
Amir Rasekh, managing director, Nectar360 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
The digitisation of the store environment is expected to be the next evolution of retail media which is why Nectar360 (Sainsbury's & Argos' Retail Media Network) has partnered with Clear Channel to create “Sainsbury’s Live” - a digital screen network of +800 screens. Connecting these screens within the shopping environment has immense potential for generating diverse customer engagement, from displaying relevant offers to customised creative, and through to driving upper funnel brand awareness. By integrating out-of-home advertising, brands can extend their reach both in and around the store, creating a seamless and engaging customer journey that inspires shoppers, enhances brand visibility, and drives measurable conversion at shelf.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
A focus on innovation, creativity, and impact but also always taking into consideration the end customer and how the campaign is additive to the customer experience. Draft a compelling entry that highlights the background and spark of customer insights used to craft your campaign - pull through any striking visuals and how you strategically placed ads for maximum impact. Make sure there is a focus on the entire campaign journey from the customer-first creative to driving measurable results, such as increased brand awareness or sales. Make sure to highlight what makes you different. By blending creativity with technology and customer consciousness, your entry will stand out.
Maria Koutsoudakis, chief brand officer, Vodafone 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
For me, OOH that has attracted my attention has also left me feeling something in an instant. Be it “that was funny”, “that’s beautiful”, “that was clever” or “wow, I did not know that”, it’s the ability to cut through in a short, sharp, engaging way. Simply put, it’s the brilliance of making a BIG impact in a BIG format, with a short, sharp, clever message.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
Simplicity – not fussy or overcomplicated; Smart – insightful, simply showing great knowledge and craft; Stunning – something visually appealing. OOH makes or breaks our city landscapes. It’s part of the architecture of our city and, as marketers, we should be adding to its appeal.
Michael McCoy, president, Carat UK 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
At Carat, we have a number of market-leading FMCG brands which have had to outshine ordinary when it comes to their media mix given the potential restrictions that are incoming on TV and online. OOH has helped us to test and craft alternative mental availability strategies, driving reach and telling rich stories through the magnitude of creative opportunities it presents. Improvements in OOH infrastructure; its digitisation and smarter data and planning tools, as well as improved research, is proving an effective alternative solution at driving sales and ROI.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
Less one-off special builds, more long-term OOH strategies that improve over time and have robust proof points / effectiveness - as an integrated part of the mix. We have so much data/tech/digitisation advances in OOH, and a body of Effie [Awards] that show consistency drives true ROI, so that I am looking for well-crafted planning approaches, pulling from smart data insights that maximise impact over the longer term to outshine the ordinary.
Grant Shaw, marketing manager, People’s Postcode Lottery 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
At People’s Postcode Lottery, we believe in the power of OOH to cut through the busy media landscape through a combination of insight-led targeting and bold, clear creative. Wherever possible we like to use dynamic content to make our ads really stand out and resonate with our target audience. Bespoke creative that appeals to who we are talking to is absolutely key to our success. We also use a variety of formats to maximise our presence and the effectiveness of our campaigns.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
Lean into the strengths of your brand and what is recognisable about it. And then amplify that. You don’t have a lot of time to grab attention and, with so many other examples out there, think about what you can make stand out. Context is also king. Think about where your ad is and what you can do contextually to make your message even more relevant.
Lin-Sze Teh, head of planning, Starcom 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
Thinking deeply about how we can connect consumers’ motivations with something unexpected. Paying attention to delivering an unexpected message, being in an unexpected environment or a creative interpretation of something ordinary to disrupt autopilot mode.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
I’m looking for a strong insight that’s reflected in a choiceful approach to OOH planning. I’m also keen to see brave choices from planners that make a difference to business results or change how the brand is perceived.
Kush Bhardwaj, head of Investment, Zenith UK 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, brands face an even bigger challenge of balancing short-term results with long-term growth. OOH offers a compelling solution, combining high visibility with targeted reach and this allows brands to capture attention while driving immediate action. Additionally, programmatic OOH helps brands utilise data-driven strategies for precise targeting, ensuring campaigns resonate with the right audience. Ultimately, OOH empowers brands to cut through the noise and stand out, delivering impactful messages that drive both sales over-night and brand over-time.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
Focused insight, leading to a clear strategy and execution for the campaign. A simple but engaging narrative throughout, explaining how the campaign delivered greater impact, flexibility, accountability, or efficiency for the client. Finally, an understanding of the measurement framework along with an indication of what KPI, tracking or results you have seen for the campaign.
Rebecca Burchnall, chief planning officer, PHD 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
For me, OOH is just one of the best channels to really be playful, purposeful and effective for clients. Whether it’s the use of data to smartly target different audience groups or activating media in real time, or raising a smile among consumers and the industry with simply brilliant creative executions, there is always a role for outdoor to outshine ordinary.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
I’d like a really great insight that is then executed upon in a really interesting or provocative way.
Lucy Barnes, joint general manager, Havas Media Network Manchester 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
Our work over the years with the BBC exemplifies how OOH can go beyond traditional formats to outshine the ordinary to drive cultural impact. OOH’s ability to reach mass audiences, combined with data-driven targeting and creative flexibility, makes it a powerful tool for brands looking to stand out, evoke a response, or push the boundaries of what’s possible in a dynamic media landscape.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
One of the first campaigns I worked on in the early 00s (ouch) was the launch of Lancôme Hypnose mascara. The product was game-changing, and the client agreed to reflect this in media execution. We used special builds on London buses - using the striking long black lashes to create “eye catching” attention on the T sides (pioneering back then). I’ve loved the possibilities of OOH since. Entries that deliver business results by using tech, data and creative, and doing so beyond the one off “special builds” that tend to appeal more to the advertising community than driving “real people” engagement across the country will get my vote.
Suzy Jordan, chief client officer, Medialab Group 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
- By putting the audience at the heart of the campaign - the abundance of data and insight now available means OOH campaigns can be more relevant than ever, creating powerful connections through storytelling.
- By working collaboratively with clients, creative and media partners to ensure we make the most of OOH’s creative potential.
- By thinking differently, for example not letting budget be a limiting factor for creative use of media, especially in OOH.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
- Work that uses brilliant audience insight and really makes the most of each OOH format and its environment.
- Great use of bold creative, smart placements in context, and innovative use of tech helps make for a winning combination.
- A campaign where OOH’s contribution is clear and attributable.
James Smith, chief executive, The Kite Factory 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
OOH is a brilliant channel for both creating the backbone of campaigns but also award winning work. It has the ability to literally stop people in their tracks and not many channels can claim that! As an agency, we look at how OOH integrates into our owned, earned, shared approach before we use paid to amplify or plug the gaps. This integration of channels makes campaigns work so much harder than media working in silos.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
Thorough research, which unlocks killer insight, executed through perfect OOH placement, and that goes way beyond OOH being labelled “wallpaper”. You can always tell the OOH campaigns that go beyond the brief: using a blend of contextual relevance, working/breaking the format and with messaging that delivers a consumer experience that really makes the audience think by Outshining Ordinary. If OOH is seen as the poor relation to TV or video, it’ll struggle to do what’s required of it.
Parry Jones, chief executive, The Specialist Works 
How do you - with the help of OOH - help brands Outshine Ordinary?
The Specialist Works and What’s Possible Creative, are built exclusively for marketers at entrepreneurial brands. We use our specialist media geekery to create campaigns that drive a measurable business impact for our clients.
This starts with the business goal and ends with campaigns that sweat every media and creative variable. The goal: achieve a disproportionate impact from big, but not the biggest, OOH budgets.
What would make a 2025 OMA entry Outshine Ordinary?
I’m looking for fresh, creative thinking that has a proven business impact. Not creativity for creativity’s sake. Not new nonsense. Just great, original, impactful work.
Tell me the business challenge. Tell me the insights used to better understand the brief. And show me how you created work that wowed the CFO as much as it wowed the marketing department.