Smart by Name, Smart by Data

Originally published May 2022 on the previous Data Jam site. Preserved here as part of our archive.

A fast-growing outdoor advertising business is introducing real-time audience monitoring technology to its portfolio across the UK following a successful trial.

Smart Digital Network (SDN), which brings together a network of screens across the UK, teamed up with data technology business Data Jam last year to become the first out-of-home (OOH) advertising business to trial its mobile device counting technology on live sites.

Initially counting mobile device movements through its privacy-first, scrambled data approach on over 100 screens across the UK, the technology allowed SDN to provide real-time, verified impression data on its screens to customers, marking an industry first.

The trial has proved such a success that SDN and Data Jam have since agreed a deal to roll out the technology across the business' 300 small format screens across the UK, adding transparency, accountability and real-time impressions for each and every campaign the company oversees.

Julian Carter, commercial director at SDN, said: “The partnership between Smart and Data Jam means agencies and clients can now power their decisions to include our digital OOH screens into their media mix, reaching huge, verified audiences with full motion video, and even audio capability to reach customers in a high dwell, captive environment.

“We now intend to roll this Data Jam tech across the rest of our network to deliver truly measurable, guaranteed audiences for our clients.”

The Jam Boxes identify those passing by the screens by counting mobile signals through their privacy compliant technology, and feed that data into reports that allow SDN to help its customers understand the true reach of the ads it serves and create more targeted campaigns. This means SDN can now accurately collect data while guaranteeing the privacy of passers-by, providing the company the real data required to provide accurate impressions — with one device only counted once per minute, ensuring that impressions are aligned to the 60″ full motion digital loop.

During the trial, data showed that on a weekly footfall of just over 4 million, impressions were just over 10 million, proving that digital OOH advertising can now be as transparent as online in terms of delivered actual impressions.

Arran Javed, founder of Data Jam, said: “Working with real data has always posed a huge challenge within OOH, and even when real data is being collected, it is always after the fact. Wouldn't it be nice to know what a campaign delivered in the moment, and not months after once the data has been digested? Well now we can. Adding transparency and accountability to OOH audience like we've never before seen. We're over the moon with the outcome from our extensive trial with the SDN team, and in providing real data in real time, we can start to truly unlock the potential of their digital DOOH assets.”

For more information on Smart Outdoor, visit www.smartoutdoor.co.uk.

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