For this month's media owner spotlight, Vistar spoke to Michael Whiteside, National Sales Director at QMS Media. This interview spotlights the unique value proposition their digital network brings to the out-of-home (OOH) industry and how QMS’ partnership with Vistar Media is enhancing digital advertising experiences in Australia.
Please describe your network in 2 sentences.
QMS are the leaders in digital out-of-home (DOOH), providing clients and agencies with dynamic and innovative advertising solutions, underpinned by the latest innovations in technology, data and creativity. With a network that is 95% digital, our creative and targeting capabilities enhance neuro impact, which is critical for long-term memory encoding.
What types of screens do you have / contexts can they be found?
Our expanding portfolio of premium billboards, retail and airport locations, as well as our world-class City of Sydney digital street furniture network influence motorists, pedestrians and shoppers alike using the latest in digital screen technology.
What regions do you operate in?
QMS operates across Australia covering the nation’s most coveted sites - strategically positioned high-traffic locations within each major market - with broadcast audience scale, reach and attention, layered with audience selectivity.
What audiences do you reach?
QMS reaches 94% of Australians nationally. We leverage research and data partnerships through our Q-Data and Q-Tech platforms enabling brands to segment audiences by in-market and high-value relevance. Our programmatic specificity combines national scale with audience precision to influence consumer behaviour, intent, lifestyle and moments of receptivity to better connect brands and audiences.
What sets you apart from other digital channels?
The physical presence, premium quality and location of our DOOH assets legitimises brands in consumer minds. In fact, we’ve proven through our global-first research study, conducted in partnership with Dr. Karen Nelson-Field of Amplified Intelligence in 2024, that the levels of attention in DOOH exceed that of other digital channels.
What is your network's main value proposition to a brand?
QMS has reimagined DOOH through a multi-dimensional approach to campaign planning and buying that ultimately drives better results for brands. From data-driven strategies, globally leading research and unleashing DOOH’s creative potential – when applied, these “Eight Dimensions of DOOH” unlock the full potential of any outdoor campaign.
How do you see DOOH evolving over the next year?
Further advancement in measurement will continue to prove positive return on investment; therefore, programmatic adoption will accelerate with its ability to surface insights.
Additionally, with content association opportunities such as our Paris 2024 Olympics Network, proving valuable for brands, dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) capabilities will continue to be leveraged for contextual relevance – further increasing neuro long term memory encoding and brand attribute uplift.
Is there anything else you'd like to highlight about your network?
We were the first OOH provider in Australia to launch 3D OOH (3DOOH). Since its adoption in 2022, we’ve seen substantial uptake from brands wanting to take advantage of the physical and social campaign amplification it provides. 3DOOH is proven to deliver a 62% higher brain response vs standard DOOH creative which highlights the rising importance of creativity as a driver of impact and effectiveness.
We are also proud to extend our official outdoor media partnership with the Australian Olympic and Paralympic Teams into Milano Cortina 2026, with exclusive commercial opportunities launching in Q2.
Why did you choose Vistar as a partner?
Vistar are the preeminent experts in programmatic DOOH, advocating for the sector and developing solutions that benefit brands, agencies and vendors alike.
This integrated ecosystem has been critical in the construct of our Advanced Trading solutions, supporting the capability and positioning from day one, in the true spirit of partnership.
What has been Vistar's most valuable contribution to your business?
Utilising Vistar’s supply-side platform (SSP), Vistar provides QMS with the support to connect with more Australians, ultimately increasing demand. Buying and trading features within Vistar’s platform help us to attract brands that have previously experienced barriers to OOH entry.
What benefits have you been able to leverage by working with Vistar?
Vistar’s suite of tools help to converge DOOH planning and buying, which leads to greater collaboration between supply and demand partners, ultimately supporting brands to make the best decisions when trading in DOOH.
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