TV in a Different Environment Plays by Different Rules

The problem is that much of the outofhome OOH programming is repurposed from formats built for longer more focused viewing Now itamp8217s being honed for amp8220CTV IRLamp8221 or what Atmosphere TV describes as amp8220OOH meets TVamp8221 Across some 60000 bars gyms airports and waiting rooms viewers are seeing shorter intermittent moments frequently without soundIntrigued by a recent MediaScience study that touted higher than expected attention focused on that content which I covered in a previous article for MediaVillage I wanted to better understand the premise for creating that content and how itamp8217s working for advertisers That led to a conversation for an episode of Insider Interviews with Ryan Spicer CRO of AtmosphereFor years Spicer said venues had to make do with television built for the living room As he put it amp8220No one walks into a bar and asks to watch Judge Judy on muteamp8221At its core Atmosphere is still CTV but built and delivered for viewers who are off the couch and on a barstool or stationary bikeBuilt for the MomentThat difference first shows up in the format This is programming that doesnamp8217t rely on narratives or story arcs so can be picked up at any point Itamp8217s visualfirst not dependent on audio and designed to hold attention in quick bursts rather than over a full episode Atmosphere has organized that content into about 30 channels spanning sports entertainment lifestyle and trivia curated to fit the context of environments like bars gyms and waiting roomsSpicer said the company saw early signs that the approach was working from venue operators with anecdotal stories of customers watching the TVs but still needed to validate it with data for advertisers amp8220We had to prove that something other than impressions ranamp8221 he saidAttention Proved IRLThat led to formal measurement including the eyeopening MediaScience study that used eyetracking to look at how well viewers IRL pay attention to content in these outofhome environments In controlled conditions Atmosphereamp8217s entertainment programming generated higher engagement than traditional linear content in comparable settings along with lifts in brand recall The takeaway was not that attention is guaranteed in these environments but that it behaves differently and can be captured when the content is built for itPart of the reason that matters now is what Spicer calls amp8220The Great Reconnectionamp8221 a shift back toward shared inperson experiences after several years of more isolated screenfirst behavior amp8220People are seeking out opportunities to be among other people againamp8221 he said pointing to increased dining fitness and other communal activity He noted that roughly 77 million households went out to dinner in 2025 a number thatamp8217s up about 30 percent over the previous yearFor a platform built around outofhome TV that trend reinforces the idea that those environments are not just background but part of how people are choosing to spend their time againWhat Brands Do With ThatFor advertisers the implications are practicalMost brands already have video assets that can run in this environment and many do But Spicer noted that performance improves when those assets are adapted even slightly to fit how the content is consumed That can mean simplifying messaging emphasizing visual cues or making the creative work without soundHe pointed to a quickservice restaurant campaign built around latenight dining The ads featured only menu items available after hours and ran in bars with limited food service timed to when those options were actually relevant and within a few miles of screen locations The result was a 44 percent lift in foot traffic and more than 25 percent in purchases from those nearby advertisersThe point is not to reinvent creative entirely but to adjust it for a setting where viewers are not sitting still or listening closely yet are still responsiveWhere It FitsThat perspective came through clearly when Spicer was the first to participate in a new amp8220Pitch Meamp8221 segment in the podcast Given the material and his passion he didnamp8217t have to reach for it He had a mix of proof and conviction and made the case that Atmosphere is grounded in how the platform is built and how it performsMore than anything he framed its value for advertisers by not focusing on where it fits but on what it does In other words it matters less if itamp8217s CTV or OOH Those distinctions still matter in how media is planned and budgeted but theyamp8217re not the starting point The more relevant question he said isnamp8217t which bucket it fits into but whether it changes the outcome for a brand by capturing attention and driving action in a unique way or in a way that complements other channelsIn terms of whatamp8217s next I made a pretty good guess during our conversation that Atmosphere could be the perfect complement to or even a part of retail media networks Spicer confirmed itamp8217s a workinprogress strategy Outofhome TV particularly those tied to specific locations offers a way to extend a campaignamp8217s reach while staying close to the moment of decision not replacing what happens on the couch but adding to itNet net People are still watching television Theyamp8217re just not always sitting still for itPosted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership selfpublishing platformClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageorgMyersBizNet

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TV in a Different Environment Plays by Different Rules

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E.B. Moss

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