Agency members of the IAB New Zealand Programmatic DOOH Working Group share their perspective on the recent 2026 IAB New Zealand DOOH Market Barometer Survey Report. Agencies see first hand how brands are actively slotting Programmatic DOOH right alongside their other digital channels, a direct reflection of how much the channel’s automation, targeting, and measurement capabilities have grown.
Authors: Kaitlin Mitchell, Business Director, MBM and Micaela Bos, Activation Director OMD New Zealand.
If you’ve sat in a media planning session recently, you already know the vibe has changed. We are officially past the era of treating Programmatic DOOH as a shiny, experimental add-on; it now sits firmly as a core part of media strategy.
Agencies see first hand how brands are actively slotting Programmatic DOOH right alongside their other digital channels, a direct reflection of how much the channel’s automation, targeting, and measurement capabilities have grown. In agency land, we are no longer asking whether we should turn Programmatic DOOH on, but exactly where it plays within the broader media mix. We are finally planning, buying and measuring it with the same rigour as other digital channels.
The Great Restructure: How We're Actually Working
Looking back at the IAB AU/NZ surveys from 2024 and early 2025, Programmatic DOOH buying was heavily siloed and managed by teams experienced in digital trading workflows. Fast forward to 2026, and the New Zealand agency landscape demonstrates a clear trend toward integrated DOOH planning and buying.
The numbers tell the story; in 2026 over 50% of media agencies report that the same team plans and buys traditional OOH, DOOH, and Programmatic DOOH. Compare that to just 20% back in 2024.
Interestingly though, there's still a distinct difference in trans-Tasman approaches. In New Zealand, a substantial proportion of agencies employ integrated planning with separate buying teams, whilst in Australia, teams are way more likely to be separated, with 67% of agencies planning programmatic DOOH independently.
Over the last two years, we've seen the pendulum swing away from programmatic teams leading the implementation and back toward traditional trading and planning functions. This is evidence of a maturing product and a convergence of established expertise and digital innovation, with teams working together more effectively to ensure the channel is properly positioned and activated across the broader media mix.
Where the Real Planning Power Sits
While specific team titles vary by agency, the workflow has converged on programmatic platforms (DSPs) as the primary execution mechanism.
But the crucial point lies in who actually holds the decision-making power: Account teams and business development/planners still dominate DOOH purchase decisions, commanding 60% of the influence. They sit well ahead of digital planning teams (13%), trading teams (13%), and programmatic teams (5%)
This concentration of authority within account-facing roles suggests that DOOH buying decisions are driven more by client relationships and strategic alignment than by specialist programmatic expertise. For organisations seeking to grow programmatic DOOH investment and effectiveness, this underscores the importance of educating and influencing account teams and planners, who serve as the primary gatekeepers for channel inclusion in media plans.
Moving Down the Funnel (and the Measurement Gap)
We all know Programmatic DOOH is a force for brand awareness, which remains the dominant objective, but the briefs have evolved. Agencies are increasingly leveraging the channel for lower-funnel outcomes:
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Audience engagement and consideration (64%)
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Footfall traffic and purchase intent (51%)
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Direct sales conversion (22%)
This is a big shift from viewing Programmatic DOOH as purely a branding channel to recognising its role across the full marketing funnel.
But how are we measuring it? According to the 2026 IAB New Zealand DOOH Market Barometer Survey Report traditional delivery metrics continue to dominate DOOH measurement. Reach and frequency, alongside impressions, remain the most critical evaluation approaches and the most regularly used metrics for reporting. This focus makes sense, as it reflects how OOH is typically planned and reported. However, it's encouraging to see NZ agencies increasingly exploring outcome-based measures such as attention metrics, highlighting growing maturity in DOOH measurement capabilities.
That said, we do have to acknowledge the notable gap in advanced measurement adoption between New Zealand and Australia. While 51% of Australian marketers use Market Mix Modelling (MMM) to evaluate Programmatic DOOH performance alongside other channels, only 27% of New Zealand marketers consider this a success metric. This represents a significant opportunity for the market to develop locally.
What's Next?
What emerges from this research is a market at an exciting turning point. Across New Zealand, agencies are already building strong collaborative structures, and we're now perfectly positioned to level up our advanced measurement capabilities together.
To unlock deeper investment and truly champion this channel for our clients, we have three clear areas where we can partner with publishers and the wider industry to drive growth:
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Clarifying the value: Building a shared, crystal-clear understanding of programmatic DOOH's unique role in the media mix.
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Aligning on metrics: Working toward consistent, unified pre and post campaign measurement standards across all OOH inventory.
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Proving the Impact: Co-creating compelling, local case studies that showcase business outcomes.
There is a big opportunity for more shared learning and partnership. If we invest the time in educating ourselves and our partners together, the media investment will naturally follow.
New tools like knOOH 2.0 and the shift to share of time metrics that demonstrate a much clearer picture of value will be catalysts, as will establishing more transparent methodologies and standardised creative specs.
The agencies that partner closely with clients and vendors to strategically position Programmatic DOOH alongside traditional and digital media will move the conversation from one of caution to one of confidence and lead the next wave of growth.
The full 2026 IAB New Zealand DOOH Market Barometer Survey Report, including detailed breakdowns by audience, creative format, and regional planning, is available for download at the link below.
