DOOH advances in Brazil and 71% of companies plan to increase investments, reveals unprecedented research by IAB Brasil

A groundbreaking study developed by IAB Brasil in partnership with Galaxies points to a growth scenario for the Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) market in the country. According to the study, 71% of companies in Brazil intend to increase investments in the channel in the coming months. Another 28% will maintain the current volume, while only 2% indicate an intention to reduce.

“More than just numbers, this research provides us with a view of how the market has adopted DOOH and programmatic DOOH, the main challenges faced by agencies, advertisers, and media owners, and the opportunities that lie ahead for the future, which are plentiful,” explains Silvia Ramazzotti, chair of the DOOH committee at IAB Brasil and marketing director at JCDecaux. 

DOOH is primarily used to increase brand visibility (68%), promote products and services (39%), and, to a lesser extent, generate direct conversion (14%). The guaranteed programmatic model, which ensures ad delivery, is preferred by the majority of companies (53%) as it offers greater predictability. Formats such as open auction (27%) and non-guaranteed (20%) are still less common, as they require more technical expertise. Currently, for 34% of companies, investment in DOOH represents less than 5% of the total budget, while 31% allocate between 5% and 10%. “It is strategic content that guides decisions and elevates the debate on innovation, data, and channel complementarity. Seeing IAB Brasil leading this movement only reinforces the important role it plays in our market,” reinforces Heitor Estrela, vice-chair of the same committee and growth director at Eletromidia.

The study identified the main challenges for the advancement of programmatic DOOH: lack of standardized metrics (43%), limited integration with other channels (31%), high costs (30%), and restricted inventory (28%). Furthermore, 91% of professionals point to the need for upskilling, primarily in results measurement and channel integration.

The research utilized synthetic persona technology, created from real interviews with industry professionals. With the support of artificial intelligence, the collected responses are analyzed and transformed into digital profiles that represent the different types of participants. Thus, even with a smaller sample, the research allows for the strategic deepening of analyses and audience understanding quickly and accurately, with an assertiveness rate of up to 98%.

“Synthetic persona technology represents a significant methodological advancement for the DOOH market, enabling predictive analyses with precision and in real-time. The insights generated by this approach enable more assertive investment decisions and optimized targeting strategies for the different DOOH formats. We are only at the beginning of applying this technology, which has the potential to revolutionize how we measure results and integrate DOOH with other channels,” says Daniel Victorino, CEO of Galaxies.

The research was conducted with 133 people, and data collection concluded on April 7, 2025. Individuals from the Media and Planning, Marketing and Communication, and also Creativity departments were interviewed. 

To access the full study, click here..