Youdooh.com, a new tech startup, is set to revolutionise advertising for small businesses across New Zealand. This self-service platform allows users to easily book advertising campaigns on various digital screens, including billboards, bus shelters, and locations at airports and train stations.
Launched by advertising veterans Richard Pook and Bram Stevens, Youdooh aims to democratise access to outdoor advertising, which has traditionally been dominated by larger companies with substantial budgets.
“Because these outdoor screens are digitised, they’re more accessible and can be networked, so there’s an opportunity for everybody,” Pook said.
New Zealand currently has more than 3,000 outdoor screens available, with approximately 300 to 400 of these being billboards. The remainder are located outside convenience stores, gas stations, shopping malls, train stations, and airports.
According to Pook, “These digital screens are prolific in New Zealand, but it’s been confusing about how to buy space. Do you go and talk to the owner of the screen or billboard?”
“With our platform, you can choose the billboard or screen and the hours you want to use the screen rather than buying it on a weekly basis, so it’s much more affordable,” he added.
“Anyone with a decent ad and a credit card can book some space for as little as $50.”
“The advertiser only pays when the ad plays.”
The content displayed on the screen is fully controlled by the business. If circumstances change and the business needs to pause or modify their campaign, they can do so instantly.
Youdooh will also provide businesses with insights on the reach of their advertisements. Each screen includes data on the estimated number of people likely to be in front of it at any given time. Additionally, there is dynamic pricing based on the specific times the ad is displayed.
“If the campaign is on the screen from 3pm to 5pm in the afternoon, each time the ad plays, it might be that 30 people are looking at the screen. If it’s on at 1am in the morning, the cost will change because fewer people are looking at it.”
Pook illustrated how the Youdooh platform benefits a diverse range of business owners, including real estate agents.
Agents can effortlessly swap out one advertisement for another or extend the duration of an existing campaign. For instance, if a property sells quickly, an agent can simply replace the ad for that home with a new listing. This flexibility allows real estate professionals to keep their advertising relevant and up-to-date, maximising their outreach and effectiveness in a competitive market.
“Outdoor advertising is a very good way to build a brand. It’s a great way to build the essence of what you’re about in the physical, not just the online world,” Pook stated.
Founders Richard Pook and Bram Stevens, both formerly with the advertising agency Dentsu, left their positions at the end of 2023 to focus on their startup, which has received grant funding from Callaghan Innovation.
They are also backed by the founders of the MBM media agency, Sean McCready and Matt Bale. Both of them are actively involved as members of Youdooh’s advisory board.