Adtype, Pioneering Data-Driven Transformation in Korea’s out of home advertising industry

As consumer fatigue with performance-driven digital marketing intensifies, South Korean adtech company Draftype Co., Ltd. is steering the out-of-home (OOH) advertising industry toward a smarter, data-powered future. At the helm of this transformation is Seungman Yang, Executive Director of Strategy, who oversees the firm’s flagship OOH solution business, Adtype.

“OOH advertising can no longer rely solely on visibility,” Yang explains. “It must integrate seamlessly into consumers’ everyday moments and serve as a platform for immersive brand experiences.” Founded on big data, AI, and IT technologies, Adtype aims to redefine the value of OOH by offering a comprehensive, integrated media solution that enhances operational efficiency and campaign performance.

From the early stages of the company, Yang focused on the imbalance between performance and brand marketing. “While there are many media channels for building product awareness, we believe that physical media in real-world settings leave a more lasting impression on consumers,” he says. “We’re helping shift budgets from performance marketing toward brand marketing by providing data-driven evaluation tools for brand awareness.”

Adtype has grown into a media lab, collecting data from over 10,000 OOH media assets across the Seoul metropolitan area. It supports clients through every stage of a campaign — from planning and targeting to execution and performance analysis. Yang emphasizes that the media lab is not just a buzzword, but a function: “We act as a broker between advertisers and media owners, supporting advertisers in media selection and budget planning.”

The company collaborates with telecom companies, credit card providers, and local governments to gather real-time population and traffic flow data. This information is transformed into actionable metrics tailored to advertisers’ needs. “Since decisions for OOH campaigns are often made 3 to 4 months in advance, predictive data is crucial,” Yang notes. He describes Adtype’s role as “quantifying the brand intuition of our clients.” For example, if a client senses that women in their 20s and 30s will visit Gangneung in summer, Adtype confirms that hunch with real-world movement data.

On programmatic OOH, Yang is candid. “Technologically, Korea is not yet ready to fully realize the programmatic OOH model,” he says, adding that even abroad, the focus remains on designing meaningful consumer-brand touchpoints rather than pure automation.

Adtype’s pre- and post-campaign services include spatial and demographic analysis, qualitative market research, post-campaign surveys, impression-based population data, and keyword search lift analysis. These help advertisers evaluate full-funnel brand marketing metrics — from awareness to purchase intent — and show how consumer perception translates into behavior. “Consumers now want brand experiences that are connected to their lives, not just visibility,” Yang asserts. “Quantifying that connection is key.”

Despite Korea’s current OOH market estimated at around 1.2 trillion KRW, Yang believes it has the potential to grow to 3 to 4 trillion KRW. However, he points to structural hurdles, particularly the lack of real-time data infrastructure. “We need to know when, where, and how consumers interact with media. Automation is a tool — interpretation and planning still require human expertise, especially for high-involvement products.”

Yang also seeks to address concerns that digital transformation will replace human roles. He compares the OOH industry to insurance and finance, where automation is mature but expert advisors remain essential. “Even with automation, building trust and communicating with clients cannot be outsourced to machines.”

On the future, Yang remains cautious yet resolute. “We can't predict the landscape even a month ahead,” he says, “but we are committed to solving the real issues between media companies and advertisers.” He sees signs of revival in traditional OOH formats and a rapid increase in available media due to regulatory relaxations. Still, he acknowledges that the overall ad market remains tied to GDP growth, making significant budget expansion challenging.

He stresses that although 80% of total ad spend currently flows online, consumers still live and act in the physical world. “At least 20% of brand marketing budgets should go toward physical media to restore balance,” he argues.

“South Korea’s OOH industry stands on the foundation built by many pioneers since 1988,” Yang concludes. “What we’re doing now is layering data on top of that foundation to evolve OOH into a medium that blends naturally into people’s lives. We want OOH to become the number one touchpoint between brands and consumers.”

Adtype continues to support the industry’s digital transition through dual tracks: providing integrated sales and operations platforms for media owners, and offering data-driven campaign services for advertisers. Its key solutions include a content management and business operations CMS for digital signage, an automated reservation management system (PMS), online media sales and marketing platforms, and performance tools using population data.

By delivering precision targeting and comprehensive campaign evaluation, Adtype aspires to make OOH as measurable, targeted, and effective as platforms like Google and Facebook. Its vision is clear — to elevate OOH as a top-priority medium in brand marketing strategy.