Bant Breen:
Novus Canada is a true leader in the out-of-home space. They provide comprehensive media strategy programs that allow brands to reach their audiences where they are. Tell me about the latest with Novus.
Debbie Drutz:
We’ve managed to come out of 2020 okay. I remember that first plan in March, where it was like, “Oh, my God, what is going on?” We were sitting with financial statements every week and trying to figure out what our year was going to look like. We were focusing on people, making sure people were happy, making sure clients were happy and just kind of getting it right. Leaning out, the team allowed us to come out okay. We had some unexpected business, which is always positive, that came through. It was just keeping a positive position throughout the year and just kind of accepting what was happening. That got us through 2020 and leading into 21. We’re in Toronto, the market of Ontario, which has been on lockdown since November. We’re still feeling it a bit here. Again, just trying to stay positive as cases are coming down. We hope that marketers are coming back, and we know they’re going to come back into the out-of-home space because I think everybody is dying to get out.
Bant Breen:
Tell me how companies are thinking about this. How is it? How are they thinking about being out of home?
Debbie Drutz:
We’re just being super surgical about how we plan it today. And because of location data, because we’re able to use anonymized device-level data, we’re able to understand the flow of not only traffic but audiences. We can follow customers through their journey. Know where to place these out-of-home ads. I think it’s about being smart and thinking about what the consumer is thinking about today. If they’re getting out into their car, they’re either going to an essential service or going to the grocery store, dropping kids off at school, or heading to a medical appointment. I think it’s about those journeys and where people are going and making sure that messages are super contextual. They make sense for today’s environment. That’s how we’re planning today. We’re certainly seeing, our clients out in the marketplace, but we’re being specific about the location, the neighborhood, and the message that we’re placing on these on these fixtures.
Bant Breen:
What are you guys thinking about and what is that? Are you guys planning for the world post-pandemic?
Debbie Drutz:
We recently presented long-term strategic plans, but we’re so focused on the short term as well because anything can change. I think that’s what this year has taught us, to be flexible and be open and accepting of any change. We have our three-year vision of what the organization looks like, who we want to be, and what we want to come out for being known for. We also need to think about how things are changing every week. We’re kind of focused on both short and long-term out but making sure that we are open and that we’re accepting of what’s going to come at us. That’s a juggle, right? Because you want to plan for the long-term. But this year’s taught us that, “Wow, things could change on a dime,” and you must change with it. I think the people that have stuck with us are on that path as well.
Bant Breen:
Debbie, thank you so much for being on UNCAGED today and we look forward to having you back.
To see the full interview on the Uncaged YouTube channel, go to: