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Ocean Outdoor, a UK-based boutique media provider, has been working with Renault to develop what is claimed to be pioneering out-of-home vehicle recognition technology, which has been tested over the past 12 months. The technology is set to be launched for the first time with a campaign featuring the All-New Renault Mégane.

Ocean’s technology provides brands with highly defined targeting and greater efficiency than standard out-of-home play-out, eliminating wastage while connecting to core target audiences. Real-time activation facilitates dynamic delivery based on an environment trigger while brands only pay for play-outs when a target vehicle is stationary at the traffic lights.

A camera, used for vehicle recognition, begins tracking stationary traffic in each lane once the stop sign at a traffic light is activated. Cameras take note of the vehicle’s number plate and the technology matches it with the anonymised vehicle specification database and generates the make, model and colour of the stationary vehicle. Once the target vehicle is detected, the Vehicle Recognition Technology triggers a corresponding creative to be served in real-time. The platform provides a post campaign report every time the advertisement is sent.

Ocean head of screen investment, Kevin Henry, said, “Vehicle recognition is a progressive technology integrated into digital out of home which optimises and innovates the way brands connect with target audiences. This pioneering system identifies and accesses valued audiences in real-time and there are a range of ways it can be deployed: it can serve adverts for a new model of the same car, or it can be leveraged to launch a new product that’s relevant to a particular driver demographic.”

Vehicle recognition is now live in London at Ocean’s landmark Holland Park Roundabout location, with plans to install the technology on other key DOOH road facing sites in Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle in 2016 to reach affluent commuters and shoppers.