In the US we see that most recently the Out-of-Home Video Advertising Bureau [1] (OVAB) has signed up CBS Outernet, Zoom Media and Arena Media Networks as members.
In Europe we have DOOHM [2] (we so love that name) in the Netherlands (who have been clever we think by keeping it exclusive – the only members at present are the top 5 networks in the region) and the UK based The Screen Forum [3] (who many of you will know we did some ‘membership’ work for last year).
We also hear rumours that the German market is looking at creating a trade association as well!
What are they all for? What do they do? Do they really help promote the industry or are they just ways for individuals to make money off the back of others?
We loved David Haynes’ comment (he of Broadsign / Sixteen:Nine [4]) at the jadn.tv event about a certain US trade association which was (in his opinion, most probably) just a way for a certain publisher to make money and get names and addresses!
US folks certainly seem to have something in their genes that likes Trade Associations and in most cases they seem to do a very good job of running and organising them (there is always something professional and ‘status’ like with associations in North America) – not so we feel in Europe and the best we have seen is the model put together by DOOHM (keep out the riff-raff if you like, be exclusive etc.) though they have failed we feel to capitalise on what the top screen networks in the region could do for their industry as a whole (and that’s probably a time commitment from the boards of the member companies).
It’s a topic that we are sure will stimulate a lot of debate!!
A European DOOH Association anyone?