#InfoComm25 Networking Events

May 10th, 2025

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

#InfoComm25 will shortly be with us. Here is a starting list of networking events taking place that week.

Two things to note; 1. There is an AVTweetup BUT it has been renamed.  It takes place on the Wednesday and is listed as AVNation Access, 2. there is no big Peerless AV evening party this year BUT we do understand that they will instead be hosting a Lunch & Learn and a Happy Hour that week (details to come shortly).

Some of the events are invite only and / or require registration. For any of the events below please contact the organisers if in any doubt.

MONDAY June 9

HETMA Awards
18:30-20:00
Funny Bone Comedy Club
Pointe Orlando

TUESDAY June 10

Velasea & Snap Install Golf Tournament
07:00 Start
Reunion Resort & Golf Club, Kissimmee
Places are limited, reach out to kevin.cosbey@velasea.com or tonyg@snap-install.com for more information
The organisers say “Golf, breakfast, lunch, drinks, rentals, and prizes are all included. Shotgun Start at 08:30”

Solomon Partners Cocktails
17:30
The Hampton Social – Orlando
9101 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819

CTI Tech on Tap
19:00-21:00
ICEBAR Orlando
8967 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819
The organisers say “Parties with live music, games, and more. CTI’s biggest Tech on Tap yet for our current and prospective clients and sponsoring partners”.

Bose Professional After Work Drink (Private event, invite only)

WEDNESDAY June 11

AVNation Access (formerly AVTweetup)
16:00-18:00
Room W304 AB

LED Studio InfoComm After Party
17:30-20:30
Sports & Social: Social Sports Bar
Pointe Orlando
The organisers say “Join LED Studio & Colorlight for an unforgettable night of innovation, networking, and entertainment during InfoComm!”

CTI Tech on Tap
19:00-21:00
Kavas Tacos + Tequila (note different location from Tuesday night)
9101 International Dr #1198, Orlando, FL 32819
The organisers say “Parties with live music, games, and more. CTI’s biggest Tech on Tap yet for our current and prospective clients and sponsoring partners”.

Midwich VIP InfoComm Party
19:00-22:00
Howl At The Moon
8815 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819
The organisers say “This year’s theme: Then vs. Now—a look back at where we started and how far we’ve come. We were Starin, The Farm AV, and Toolfarm… now we’re united as Midwich and ready to celebrate the journey with you. Expect music, drinks, good vibes—and a chance to reconnect with the people who’ve been part of the ride”.

THURSDAY June 12

Pixels in Paradise (SOLD OUT)
18:00-21:00
The Palm Tree Club, 9101 International Dr Suite 1008, Orlando
The organisers say “We’re transforming the Palm Tree Club into an ‘80s-inspired tropical escape, where pastel hues meet palm trees and good vibes flow as easily as the cocktails. Whether you’re catching up with old friends, making new ones, or just taking a well-earned break from the trade show grind, this is the place to be”.

CTI Tech on Tap
19:00-21:00
Kavas Tacos + Tequila (note same location as Wednesday night)
9101 International Dr #1198, Orlando, FL 32819
The organisers say “Parties with live music, games, and more. CTI’s biggest Tech on Tap yet for our current and prospective clients and sponsoring partners”.

InfoComm 2025 takes place June 7-13 (exhibits 11-14) at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

Dubai Metro Naming Rights

May 9th, 2025

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has granted Life Pharmacy the naming rights to the UAE Exchange Metro Station, which will henceforth be known as Life Pharmacy Metro Station, under a 10-year agreement.

The agreement was signed between Life Pharmacy Group and Hypermedia, with Mada Media attending in its capacity as the authorised concessionaire appointed by RTA under a concession agreement between Mada Media and RTA.

Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Kalbat, CEO of RTA’s Rail Agency said “RTA is committed to forging successful partnerships with the private sector, given its vital role in driving national economic growth and contributing to GDP. This successful public-private partnership model facilitates the transfer of knowledge and expertise, creates job opportunities across multiple sectors, and supports the government’s broader development agenda.”

Mohamad Al Hammadi, CEO of Mada Media said “This initiative reflects our goal of transforming advertising spaces into impactful platforms, enabling naming rights sponsors to enhance their visibility and commercial footprint. The agreement presents a unique investment opportunity for Life Pharmacy, capitalising on the strategic location of Dubai Metro stations, particularly this one, to strengthen brand awareness and deepen engagement with commuters.”

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Just The Right Amount of Elton

May 9th, 2025

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

Specsavers has unveiled its global partnership with Elton John Eyewear, marking one of the brand’s biggest ever product launches and kicking off a major integrated marketing and PR campaign across YouTube, OOH, press, social and in-store.

Blank billboard on brick building by pedestrian path

Richard James, Global Creative Director at Specsavers told us “Elton John isn’t just a glasses wearer; he’s a glasses pioneer. With this collection and campaign, we are proud to celebrate that spirit while creating something that’s stylish, iconic and accessible. ‘Just the right amount of Elton’ perfectly captures what Specsavers set out to achieve — frames that stand out but are wearable every day.”

The Elton John Eyewear collection is exclusively available at Specsavers. It features 13 beautiful optical frame designs and two limited edition sunglasses, all named by Elton John after either an iconic song, personal milestone, or pivotal period in the star’s journey. The frame designs include Tiny Dancer, Captain Fantastic, Seamstress, and the limited edition sunglasses, Yellow Brick Road and Love Song, are all inspired by his greatest hits.

By teaming up with arguably the most famous glasses wearer in the world, Specsavers is aiming to highlight its design and style credentials with this partnership. While Elton John is famous the world over for his iconic flamboyance, the frames in the collection are not quite as over the top as you might think. Spanning understated elegance to bold statement frames, each frame has been crafted with Elton’s unmistakeable aesthetic in mind. In fact, you could say that they’re ‘Just the right amount of Elton’, with a sprinkle of the music legend’s distinctive flair.

The creative concept, led by Specsavers Creative, elevates the brand into a more fashion-led space and has been shot with the clean, elegant art direction expected from a luxury fashion brand. Central to the campaign is a striking set of visuals: Elton’s arm, clad in one of his flamboyant outfits, holding a pair of frames. Reinforcing the idea that this collection balances boldness with everyday style.

The launch film will give viewers an opportunity to see Elton himself speaking directly to camera about the collection’s unexpected wearability.

David Furnish features too, teasing Elton about his “over the top” reputation in a series of playful moments that also reflects the wit and humour we have come to expect from Specsavers.

The campaign is supported by comprehensive PR and social activation. With significant media spend across YouTube, OOH and press.

Sir Elton John was quoted as saying “Glasses have always been a big part of who I am. For me, style is all about confidence and expressing who you truly are. That’s exactly what this collection is about, its helping people feel fantastic in frames that celebrate their individuality. Specsavers and I share the belief that everyone should have access to eyewear that makes them feel like the best version of themselves. I can’t wait for people to find a pair they love and make them their own.”

Launching first in the UK and Northern Europe, the campaign will also run this Summer across Australia and New Zealand.

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Billboards Took Over Coachella

May 9th, 2025

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

Billboards were the talk of Coachella this year, with star-studded advertisements lining the interstate on the way to the annual California music festival.

Brands took advantage of OUTFRONT’s static and digital billboard locations featuring A-Listers such as Lady Gaga, Charli XCX and Laufey.

The clever advertisements caught the attention of a national audience, with features appearing in the New York Times, Vulture, AdWeek and Stereogum.

Coachella is one example of OUTFRONT’s Prime for a Time strategy, giving brands the opportunity to leverage proximity marketing during a tentpole event of cultural relevance, as well as #sOOH (social out of home), when OOH sparks social media excitement and discourse among fans.

Read more here ‘Ranking The Artist Billboards On The Road To Coachella 2025’

What’s Happening in May?

May 9th, 2025

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

May is looking quite busy with industry events across the globe so we thought it worthwhle to write up a quick run down of what we think is interesting enough for folks to attend…

  • On May Day the JCDecaux Programmatic DOOH LIVE Awards 2025 take place at the Curzon in Soho.
  • The first big industry conference of the year is the 2025 #OOH Media Conference organised by the OAAA which takes place May 5–7, 2025 in Boston. Alongside the main event and with a nod to the smaller OAAA members that week kicks off with a *new* inaugural conference, presented in partnership with OAAA’s Independent Advisory Group, and sponsored by Blip and Adkom Media called The Independents Summit.
  • In Sydney, Australia on Thursday May 8 the Australian Outdoor Media Association (OMA) will launch MOVE – Australia’s world-leading audience measurement platform at their OMA Conference.
  • On Tuesday May 13 and Wednesday May 14 the hugely popular AV Showcase put together by Peerless-AV will take place at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
  • Albeit this is online but on May 14, there’s an always excellent DPAA Research & Tech webinar this one featuring Chris Bedford, COO at Pathformance. Register here. Discover how Pathformance is helping brands prove performance and close the loop in DOOH advertising.
  • MPTS is the UK’s premier event for the media and entertainment industry, bringing technology and creativity together under one roof for two unmissable days. It takes place Wednesday May 14 and Thursday May 15 at Olympia, London
  • On Tuesday May 14 the Digital Signage Federation are holding a DSF Mix & Mingle in Detroit, MI. From 15:30 to 19:30.
  • In Toronto, Canada on Thursday, May 15 COMMB (Canadian Out-of-Home Marketing and Measurement Bureau) are holding their annual Awards
  • The Grassfish Summit 2025 takes place between May 20 – 22, 2025 at the World of Volvo in Göteborg, Sweden.
  • In Chicago on Wednesday May 21 the ARF SHOPPER 2025 Conference takes place at the World of Whirlpool. This will be of interest to those in retail and retail media networks (RMN).
  • New for 2025, Digital Signage Summit Europe is now a THREE DAY learning and networking event, providing more opportunity to explore the critical issues, technologies and trends shaping the industry. It takes place this year May 21–23 at (its usual location), the Hilton Munich Airport, Munich.

Next Research, Retail & Tech @DPAAglobal Webinar

May 9th, 2025

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

The next DPAA Research, Retail & Tech webinar will take place Wednesday May 14 (8amPT/11amET/4pmGMT) and will focus on how Pathformance helps close the loop in DOOH campaigns:

Chris Bedford, COO at Pathformance will explain how Pathformance helps close the loop in DOOH campaigns; he will link Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) exposure to verified consumer purchases; give you the confidence to invest in DOOH with proven ROI, explain how to unlock receipt-level validation and how you can get real sales lift insights and more!

Research, Retail & Tech
Wednesday May 14 8amPT/11amET/4pm GMT

This webinar is open to ALL, DPAA members and non-members alike. Register here.

Lasting Influence And Visionary Leadership

May 9th, 2025

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

Big congratulations to Former OUTFRONT Media CEO Jeremy Male and Clear Channel Outdoor’s CMO Dan Levi who were both recognised with top honours by the Out of Home Advertising Association of America for their lasting influence and visionary leadership at this past week’s 2025 OAAA OOH Media Conference.

  • The Myles Standish Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence, the industry’s highest honor, was presented to Jeremy Male, Former CEO and President of OUTFRONT Media. Over nearly three decades, Male led some of the world’s most respected OOH organizations, guiding OUTFRONT’s transformation from a CBS division into a publicly traded powerhouse. His leadership spanned a major rebrand, a digital expansion boom, and landmark partnerships like the MTA deal in New York. Known for his strategic vision, calm leadership, and deep commitment to the OOH community, Male’s legacy is felt across the entire industry.
  • The L. Ray Vahue Marketing Award of Merit was awarded to Dan Levi, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Clear Channel Outdoor Americas, for outstanding leadership in marketing innovation. Levi has been a catalyst behind Clear Channel’s evolution into a data-driven marketing leader, pushing audience-based planning and measurable attribution to the forefront. As Outgoing Chair of the OAAA Marketing Committee, Levi continues to drive creativity, innovation, and real business growth for the industry.

“OAAA is proud to celebrate these remarkable leaders whose passion and vision are shaping the next chapter for out of home,” said Anna Bager, President & CEO of OAAA. “Each award represents a legacy of innovation, leadership, and an unwavering belief in the power of this medium and in the enduring power of presence to connect brands, communities, and consumers in meaningful ways.”

OAAA 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees

May 9th, 2025

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

Established in 1991, the OAAA Hall of Fame honors individuals whose impact on the OOH industry stands the test of time. The 2025 inductees are:

Enza Chiodi, Talon Outdoor

A 15-year industry leader, Chiodi has driven creativity, strategic innovation, and measurable impact, all while inspiring and mentoring the next generation.

Steve Gallow, Media Resources
A pioneer in technology and engineering, Gallow led the charge from hand-painted signs to digital billboards, helping revolutionize the future of out of home.

JJ Johnson, Clear Channel Outdoor
From bill poster to regional president, Johnson’s 40-year career is marked by market growth, policy leadership, and community-driven service.

John Miller, Lamar Advertising Company
A strategic force behind Lamar’s success, Miller has driven sales and marketing strategy and helped shape national initiatives through key industry roles.

Don Riley, Lamar Advertising Company
Over four decades, Riley modernized legislation, expanded markets, and mentored teams with steady leadership across the Southwest.

Scott LaFoy, Link Media
An industry advocate and current President and CEO of Link Media, LaFoy has led with integrity, passion, and strategic insight for nearly 40 years.

Pudge Roberts, Coastal Outdoor Advertising
A visionary builder of markets and digital networks, Roberts has shaped his 35-year career with energy, creativity, and grit.

OAAA Rising Star Award Honorees

May 9th, 2025

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

Congratulations to Vertical Impression’s President and Co-founder Nicolette Leonardis who this past week was honored at the OAAA Media Conference with a Rising Star Award.

Nicolette has led the company from startup to largest elevator advertising network in Canada and one of the fastest-growing in the U.S. She is helping reshape how brands connect with audiences across North America.

The Rising Star Awards, launched in 2019, shine a light on emerging leaders under 40 who are already making waves across the industry.

Vector Media’s Leadership Transition

May 9th, 2025

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

Vector Media this week announced a pivotal leadership transition, marking a significant step in the company’s ongoing evolution.

Gary Greenstein, one of the architects of Vector’s growth strategy and client-first philosophy, will transition from his current executive role to take a seat on the company’s Board of Advisors. In this new capacity, Gary will continue to provide strategic counsel and champion the customer relationships that have helped define Vector’s position in the industry.

For over 25 years, Gary’s impact on Vector has been profound. He has played a central role in building the business from the ground level up, cultivating long-term partnerships, and shaping a culture of accountability, innovation, and trust. His steady leadership and deep understanding of the media landscape have made him a trusted voice both inside and outside the organization.

“Gary’s contributions to Vector have been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Chad Silver, CEO of Vector Media. “His vision, mentorship, and dedication have helped shape not only our strategy but also our culture. I’m grateful he’ll continue to be a close advisor as we enter this next phase.”

“For the last 25 years, it’s been a privilege to help build Vector Media into the meaningful member of the advertising ecosystem it is today, and work alongside the best in the industry,” said Gary Greenstein. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished. I am excited to continue supporting the team and our top customers in this new capacity as we drive the business forward and deepen the relationships that define our success.”

Gary’s transition to the Board represents a natural progression in his leadership journey and reflects his ongoing commitment to Vector Media’s mission and long-term strategic vision.

Founded in 1998, Vector Media is one of the largest privately held out-of-home media companies in the U.S., known for delivering bold, scalable advertising solutions across more than 55 markets—including all top 10 DMAs. With a portfolio of over 30,000 assets spanning transit media, billboards, wallscapes, street furniture, and North America’s only coast-to-coast double-decker network, Vector creates unmatched reach and impact. Its rapidly expanding experiential division brings campaigns to life by fusing media, innovation, and storytelling to deliver unforgettable brand experiences.