Glossary A–ZLetter T
Targeting
Targeting is the deliberate choice of where, when and under what conditions an advert is played so that it reaches a particular target group.
In digital out-of-home it is based on location, surroundings, time of day and external data. Individual people are generally not addressed.
A campaign for a breakfast offer might run only on weekdays until 10 am on screens in railway stations, and one for sun cream only when the sun is shining. A maker of sports drinks chooses screens in gyms. The criteria come from the sites' master data, from time and calendar or from connected data sources.
Operators should distinguish between targeting by surroundings and targeting of individuals. Screens do not know who is standing in front of them; anyone who wants to change that, for example with cameras, needs a careful assessment under the GDPR. Every additional criterion shrinks the bookable inventory and can sharply reduce the number of possible ad plays.