In Africa’s rapidly growing Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising sector, advertisers are investing heavily to capture consumer attention. However, a startling revelation has emerged: up to 70% of reported reach in OOH campaigns is based on outdated or inaccurate data, leading to significant misallocations of advertising budgets. (The Media Online, 2022)
The root of this issue lies in the miscalculation of a fundamental metric called Opportunities to See (OTS).
Understanding OTS in Out-of-Home Advertising
Opportunities to See (OTS) is a media planning metric that estimates the number of times a person could potentially be exposed to an advertisement. In OOH, this is calculated using factors such as the location of the billboard, traffic density, dwell time, visibility, and viewing angles.
While OTS doesn’t guarantee that someone actually saw the ad, it is crucial for estimating campaign reach, frequency, and efficiency. It is the backbone of how media buyers determine where, when, and how much to invest in outdoor placements.
The Importance of OTS in Out-of-Home Media Planning
- Audience reach estimation: helping advertisers understand how many people might see their ads.
- Media buying decisions: ensuring budgets are allocated to high-performing locations.
- Campaign ROI tracking: linking ad visibility to results like footfall, awareness, and sales uplift.
Without accurate OTS data, even the most creative campaigns can underperform due to poor placement and misjudged targeting.
Challenges of Traditional OTS Measurement Methods
Many media owners and agencies in Africa still rely on:
- Manual counts or outdated population projections.
- Assumptions about traffic flow rather than real-time data.
- Lack of technology to account for changes in mobility patterns, urban growth, or road constructions.
This results in overinflated OTS estimates, misleading advertisers about the actual reach and effectiveness of their OOH campaigns.
How Retinaad Delivers Accurate, Real-Time OTS Metrics
Retinaad solves these challenges with AI-powered, geospatial analytics and mobility data, enabling brands and agencies to access:
- Real-time traffic insights from mobile devices, vehicle tracking systems, and satellite data.
- AI-based visibility scoring to determine how likely an ad is to be seen based on environmental and positional factors.
- Dynamic audience profiling based on movement patterns by time of day and day of week.
This not only gives advertisers a more precise and data-backed OTS value, but also allows for better planning, targeting, and post-campaign reporting.
Using OTS Insights to Optimize Advertising ROI
Brands that rely on Retinaad’s accurate OTS measurement will:
- Optimize spend by identifying underperforming or overpriced media assets.
- Improve campaign planning by focusing on high-traffic, high-visibility zones.
- Validate media owner claims with independent third-party tracking.
- Demonstrate transparency and effectiveness to stakeholders.
Real-time OTS data empowers advertisers to shift from guesswork to data-driven decisions that improve campaign performance and ROI.
The Role of AI in Future OTS Analytics
AI and machine learning are driving the next evolution of OOH advertising:
- Predictive models can estimate future traffic trends and suggest optimal times for placements.
- Computer vision can analyze footage to verify ad visibility and dwell time.
- Integration with mobile data and behavioral analytics can connect OOH impressions to digital engagement and offline conversions.
As Africa’s cities expand and digital infrastructure grows, AI-powered tools like Retinaad will be essential for competitive, transparent, and high-impact OOH media planning. With billions spent annually on outdoor ads across Africa, relying on assumptions or outdated metrics is no longer an option.
Accurate OTS measurement is the key to smarter media buying, campaign optimization, and better returns. Retinaad empowers advertisers with real-time, AI-driven data to plan, monitor, and measure their campaigns with confidence.
Ready to move from guesswork to guaranteed results? Book a demo with us today and see how our tools can help you plan better, spend smarter, and deliver measurable impact across all your Out-of-Home campaigns.
