Big Out-Of-Home Potential in 2026, Global Growth Continues, and more!

As we steer towards the final quarter of the year, we got big numbers from the first half of 2025 and exciting expectations for 2026. As advertising is limited in certain media channels, others are bound to benefit from it. The applications of technologies such as e-paper continue to spread. Global numbers for the industry are looking good and, as usual, we’ll wrap up this news set with useful guidelines for digital signage users, in particular when it comes to staff training and keeping your signage easy to update.

LHF restrictions making a big splash in 2026

January 2026 will come with a big change for the UK. Any creative featuring products which are classified as LHF, or Less Healthy Food, will be banned from advertising on TV before 9PM. This will also include streaming services and all paid online advertising, regardless of time.

With the government encouraging early compliance from media owners and trade bodies, brands are losing their most effective channels to reach the audience. As such, they’re looking for different alternatives. Of course, Digital Out-of-Home stands out as a good choice, which is why it’s expected to see growth once this change is fully implemented. 

Retail media as a whole is a vital complement to the solution as well. Data is on its side. Research backs the fact that it drives more visibility, attention, and brand recall compared to large-format environments. All in all, it’s going to be interesting to see how 2026 starts out, as brands start creating a surge in demand in different media channels.

E-paper growing in public spaces!

E-paper uses in public spaces are still not commonplace. The use is expanding as new tech and upgrades are rolled out. Japan is pushing forward with e-paper-based digital signage in railway stations. E Ink, a leading e-paper manufacturer, has partnered with Japanese ad agency Oricom, to deploy the new full-color Spectra 6 panels. 

This low-power signage operates on batteries or solar power, consuming energy only during updates. The product is ideal for eco-conscious brands, as well as those looking to expand installations in lobbies, showrooms, and tourist destinations, to name a few example uses.

While on the topic of e-paper, at this year’s InfoComm, OnSign was proud to announce full support for Samsung e-paper signage displays. Take a look!

OOH continues global growth, despite the challenges

Australia’s Out-of-Home industry recorded a net media revenue of $363.6 million (AUD) in the second quarter of 2025. This represents a 19.36% increase from the same period in 2024. Elizabeth McIntyre, OMA CEO, said that “The continued double-digit growth of Out of Home demonstrates the industry’s critical role in today’s media mix.” With the news above covered, this fact becomes even more apparent!

On the topic of global Out-of-Home ad spend, WOO, the World Out of Home Organization, has reported a forecast of $49.8 billion in 2025 in spending. The Out-of-Home industry has had its best year to date! Also great news on the topic of programmatic DOOH, as it grew to a reported spend of $1.7 billion (USD) globally. This represents just under 10% of total DOOH revenues.

Demand for displays in the Asia-Pacific region was also good at the start of the year. According to Omdia’s market research, this is due to the replacement of interactive displays in schools and universities in India. Globally, Omdia reports that the market grew by 1.5% compared to the previous quarter, in spite of challenges set on by proposed US tariffs. 

Are QR codes accidents waiting to happen?

A recent post on the Billboard Insider blog talked about the application of QR codes on roadside billboards. While they’re an excellent way to quickly access websites or obtain information from signs, in instances where a user’s lack of attention has the potential to bring them into dangerous situations, their application becomes questionable.

Experts agree, with some even attempting to scan QR codes themselves. Apart from taking attention away from the road and surrounding vehicles, QR codes need to be legible for the camera to properly pick up. A camera must be able to see the individual pixels to get the tag data. Even with a well-designed sign, this poses a challenge. As such, a user will divert more focus and attention, increasing the chance the driver rear ends another vehicle in the process. The only acceptable alternative is if another passenger scans the code, but if an ad’s value essentially excludes every solo driver from accessing its information, there isn’t much purpose in putting a QR code on a billboard to begin with. 

In conclusion, on roadside billboards, QR codes are distracting and inefficient. Instead, use them in locations with heavy pedestrian visibility, and a context where the viewer can afford to divert their full attention to scan them.

Keeping your digital signage up-to-date with ease

This month on the OnSign blog we covered guidelines and tips for making your workflow better, content updates simpler, and employee training more effective. For a start, updating your content should become easier and more practical over time. As you progress, build templates, layouts, and data-driven elements to make updates across hundreds of displays and campaigns take only seconds. Here’s how!

Your staff should also become more accustomed to your digital signage management process over time. The key is to establish just how much they need to learn to manage everything efficiently. Perhaps you need to only give them a few pointers, assign roles to several employees, or hire someone to manage your signage full time.