Drones vs OOH, Programmatic DOOH Exceeds Expectations, and more!

With the end of March, one quarter of 2026 is already over. We’ve got interesting findings from this month and quarter, as usual. For a start, Samsung stands firmly at the top in terms of most professional displays sold world-wide. Additionally, research has confirmed predictions and expectations for growth in the realm of programmatic DOOH. Dive into more!

Global Video Everywhere Summit announced for October

A quick heads up, DPAA has announced plans for the Global Video Everywhere Summit coming in October to NYC. This one-day event showcases the growing role of digital Out-of-Home as a whole, but also in-store retail media. It also explores other approaches within the omnichannel mix beyond just digital signage.

“We’ve received early interest from our global community in this year’s Summit,” said President & CEO of DPAA, Barry Frey. “Executives anticipating a bullish year are blocking calendars and reserving sponsorships now.”

Drones versus OOH?

While digital signage provides a powerful reach in consistent and measurable approaches, the concept of using drones for deploying signage provides unique benefits in specific scenarios.

A recent post at campaignasia.com covered this topic, reminding us of last year’s incident in Liuyang, China, where drones malfunctioned and sent burning debris to the ground. The rare incident aside serves as a cautionary tale, to be sure. Still, deploying signage through drones delivers memorable and easy-to-recall events. 

“They function best as vanity campaigns or as one-off spectaculars designed to amplify something 'cool',” Joss Roulet, global business director at Billups, a global OOH managed services specialist company.

17 years later, Samsung remains on top!

According to Omnia, for the 17th consecutive year, Samsung has sold the most professional displays world-wide. The reported number is more than 2.5 million units, accounting for a market share of 35.2%. 

Samsung is focusing on innovations and product differentiation, as seen at ISE 2026 where they introduced new tech such as the Spatial Display, designed to stand on its own in retail environments. They also pushed developments in the E-Paper segment. 

“As businesses change, they need technology that is reliable, simple to manage and ready for what’s next,” said Hyoung Jae Kim, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics.

Programmatic DOOH is growing

While the growth of programmatic DOOH has been expected, a recent survey solidifies the data further. The survey was conducted by VIOOH, the JCDecaux-owned programmatic DOOH platform. It included over a thousand advertisers and agencies across the US, UK, France, and Middle East.

US programmatic DOOH spend is projected to rise 49% in the next 18 months. Keep in mind the forecast was 30% in 2024. Aside from expectations, data shows that pDOOH outperforms regular DOOH in key areas, such as triggering a positive emotional response (61% over 51% for DOOH).

The US has always behaved as the leading market for programmatic DOOH, however, recent data shows the expectations and growth to be exceptional. Be sure to check out the full post for more info, including data surrounding the use of AI as part of the pDOOH workflow.

How many displays does a small business need?

This month on the OnSign blog, we covered one of the most common questions asked by small businesses just starting out with digital signage. For any businesses just learning the ropes, investing in dozens or even hundreds of displays may not be the best approach. At the start, software might not be necessary, but the need will grow with the number of displays. Be sure to check out the full post, especially if you’re just starting out.

And in case you’re running campaigns and looking for more ways to attract attention and engage viewers, we’ve written up practical tips to do just that! This extends into building connections with your local community and forming bonds with businesses. All in all, it’s important to do it tastefully to ensure the impact of your signage continues to be strong.