VIOOH adds Abode Media residential screens to marketplace

VIOOH has partnered with Abode Media to add the residential digital out-of-home network to its programmatic marketplace, expanding its reach across premium housing locations in the UK.

Abode Media operates more than 250 screens in over 230 residential buildings across London, Manchester and Birmingham. The network delivers more than 60 million monthly impressions and focuses on interior screens in high-traffic areas of premium residential properties.

The agreement gives advertisers using VIOOH access to inventory in apartment and residential buildings, a part of the out-of-home market that remains less developed than traditional roadside, retail and transit formats. Positioned to reach residents as they leave home and return, the screens offer repeated exposure during daily routines.

Residential media has attracted advertisers looking for new ways to reach affluent urban audiences in settings with less competition for attention than public spaces. Abode Media’s estate is concentrated in higher-value buildings and is designed to reach consumers where they are likely to see messages at the start and end of the day.

The partnership adds central London coverage and broadens the range of locations available through VIOOH’s trading platform. VIOOH operates in 37 markets and works with more than 50 demand-side platforms globally, giving media buyers access to digital out-of-home inventory through automated transactions.

Residential expansion

The addition of Abode Media reflects a wider move in digital out-of-home towards more specialised, venue-based networks. As more advertisers shift spending to programmatic buying, operators of smaller or more targeted estates are seeking distribution through larger marketplaces that connect them to agency and trading desk demand.

For Abode Media, the partnership provides access to buyers using programmatic tools to plan and book campaigns across multiple screen networks. That could make residential inventory easier to include in broader out-of-home and omnichannel media plans, particularly for campaigns aimed at urban consumers with higher spending power.

Abode Media describes residential buildings as a proximity channel that can support brand and purchase messaging close to moments of decision-making. It also says the format allows advertising to sit alongside building communications and community messaging in shared spaces.

Its footprint in London, Manchester and Birmingham gives the network a presence in three of the UK’s largest out-of-home advertising markets. Interior screens in residential settings differ from many traditional formats because they are viewed by a recurring audience rather than passers-by alone, potentially increasing frequency for advertisers seeking regular contact with the same households.

Market access

Programmatic digital out-of-home has become a larger part of the media buying mix as advertisers seek flexibility in planning, targeting and activation. Supply-side platforms such as VIOOH act as intermediaries between media owners and buyers, making inventory available through automated systems rather than solely through direct sales.

In the UK, that shift has brought a wider range of screen types into programmatic trading, from transport hubs and shopping centres to gyms, offices and residential blocks. The partnership with Abode Media adds another venue type to that mix as media owners try to demonstrate the value of more context-specific placements.

Gavin Wilson outlined the rationale for the deal. “Our partnership with Abode Media represents further expansion of our programmatic marketplace, offering brands access to premium central London locations through a uniquely agile and flexible media owner. Its strategic coverage provides advertisers with exceptional opportunities to reach diverse London-centric and internationally travelling audiences. Its new-generation approach to flexibility and responsiveness perfectly complements VIOOH’s real-time trading capabilities,” said Gavin Wilson, Global Chief Commercial Officer, VIOOH.

James Withers outlined Abode Media’s view of the opportunity in residential screens. “We’re very excited by our new partnership with VIOOH, which opens up genuine possibilities for brands to connect with a unique audience in premium locations. Our screens are situated at a key priming location for brands to take advantage of an audience engaging in multiple lifestyle activities. They are the first and final OOH messages seen each day by our residents, or at important moments of craving, decision-making and active shopping,” said James Withers, Head of Agency Sales, Abode Media.