The JCDecaux in partnership with NDA Programmatic DOOH Live Awards 2025 are now open for entry. This year, there are nine free-to-enter categories open to agencies, DSPs, exchanges, and in-house brand teams. The categories span data integration, omnichannel activation, creative, and measurement and the live judging event serves as both a celebration of best-in-class campaigns and as a much-needed educational experience.
Here JCDecaux’s Mark Halliday, Director of Programmatic, Philippa Evans, Head of Programmatic Operations, and Jon Mundy, Associate Director – Programmatic Demand share their top tips for creating stand-out entries and what they’re most looking forward to about the awards event.
What learnings can entrants draw on from last year’s winners?
Mark Halliday: “One thing that all winning case studies from last year had in common is that they had robust measurement that was clearly aligned with the objectives of the campaign. This year, the judges will be looking for more of the same, strategic, robust measurement that generates meaningful insights into how to get the most out of pDOOH.”
Philippa Evans: “Last year, the judges and the live audience really appreciated entries that showed how their campaigns had over-performed compared to category or channel benchmarks. This is a powerful way to prove that your strategy has delivered something out of the ordinary that is deserving of an award.”
Jon Mundy: “I think one of the most important learnings from the 2024 pDOOH Live Awards is that winners can come from all corners of the industry. That said, I’d love to see more entries from brands that buy media in-house this year.”
What excites you most about the JCDecaux pDOOH Live Awards?
PE: “For me the Live Awards is all about the spectacle created by the shortlisted entrants on the day of the awards. As the media owner we have close relationships with our agency, DSP, and brand clients, but it’s rare that we have an opportunity to collectively share our work and learn from each other – that’s what really excites me.”
JM: “I’m looking forward to seeing how the new categories – Best Use of Brand Measurement, Best Use of Performance Measurement, Best Use of Dynamic Creative Optimisation, and Best Multi-market Campaign – shape up. These have been added based on feedback from agencies, DSPs, and brands and I think they will be hugely popular.”
MH: “Although it’s still a couple of months away, I’m already excited to get together with my fellow judges for the shortlisting. I know it’s going to be tough, and I wish we could shortlist everyone, but I’m really intrigued to see the video entries and dig into the details behind the campaigns.”
Top tips for getting shortlisted
MH: “Familiarise yourself with the entry criteria and judging points for each category and make sure that your entries are aligned with what the judges will be looking for. Once you’ve decided which categories to enter, clearly articulate what makes your pDOOH campaign stand out from the competition and emphasise unique approaches, innovation, and results.”
PE: “Quantify results: Provide concrete data and metrics to demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of your marketing efforts. Use numbers, percentages, and specific outcomes to illustrate success. Use visuals such as charts and graphs to make results easy to understand. But make sure that you’re also telling a compelling story -craft a narrative that engages the judges and the live audience and effectively communicates the journey of your campaign, from conception to execution, highlighting any challenges overcome and successes achieved.”
JM: “Remember that if you’re shortlisted for an award you will need to present in person on the day of the awards. We’ve put a three-minute time limit on the video entries because that’s what you’ll have on the day, so avoid adding unnecessary detail, focus on your campaign objectives, your strategy, and the results you saw. Also, make sure you review your entry, a polished submission reflects professionalism and attention to detail. But remember it’s the content that counts, not the production value – a recorded Zoom call is all that’s needed.”
Check out our video guide to entry or view two of last year’s entries for more inspiration: Displayce, Locala & Dell; Blis, Mediacom & Mars.
Find out more about the awards, download the entry kit, and enter here.
This article originally appeared on New Digital Age.