AOM: Firstly, please introduce ADstruc to us with your own words.
John F.Laramie(Hereinafter Called “John”): The process of buying outdoor advertising has long been too antiquated. It involves a fragmented market with hundreds of operators and a process entirely entrenched in Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets. ADstruc provides the easiest way to buy outdoor advertising. Our company works with hundreds of operators across the United States to help agencies, advertisers, and local businesses plan and purchase the medium. We’ve built a platform that automates the planning and workflow needed to efficiently purchase outdoor advertising.
AOM: Why did you start ADstruc originally? what industry opportunity did you see at that time?
John: I got the idea for ADstruc a few years ago, when I discovered a number of inefficiencies in the process while trying to find outdoor space myself .I discovered that the outdoor advertising industry in the United States is incredibly archaic, in spite of the fact that it generates approximately $8B annually. I believed that by addressing these inefficiencies, the industry could significantly increase its revenues and position in the overall advertising market. The opportunity was obvious to me - bring an $8B industry online. The implementation proved to be a more difficult process: introduce technology that improves communication and workflow, while also balancing the development for both buyers and sellers. I like to think of the outdoor advertising industry as an old car with sticky engine valves. With ADstruc, we’ve replaced worn out parts and rebuilt the engine so it can run another 500,000 miles.

AOM:   How has ADstruc changed the OOH industry since it was launched? and how is it been accepted by the industry currently?

John: Change has taken time: it has required educating the industry, while encouraging it to give up old practices. This industry has long been promised better ways of buying: liquid marketplaces, third party brokers, you name it.  But each of those promises has failed. Introducing change to an industry that hasn't changed in 100 years requires a delicate balance. It is common these days to hear change referred to as “disruption,” but disruption is really just education; education that there is a better way to do things. So, understanding how others have approached the industry prior to our existence has helped ADstruc educate the market properly. We’ve been able to do this through a very clear vision, committed to education and engagement across the industry.

For operators, we had to educate by introducing a new way to think about their inventory, how it’s managed, presented, and interacted with. If we can make their OOH easier to buy, then we improve upon the foundation on which this industry is built.

For agencies or advertisers, we introduced them to better planning and buying tools: a workflow solution that drives efficiencies throughout their process of launching campaigns. By introducing better communication tools, better mapping, and new data sources, agencies and advertisers now have a more informed, interactive buying experience.

I believe that our position as the leading buying platform in the US speaks to our acceptance. We continue to further integrate our platform into more agencies and operators and are encouraged by the increasing demand for ADstruc internationally.

AOM: OOH is really changing fast as technology advances, in which ways will technology reshape the industry in the next 5 years? how will ADstruc further develop accordingly?

John: We’ve spent a lot of time on our blog talking about ways technology will continue to create challenges, but also opportunities, for the industry. The biggest advance will continue to be digital. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the majority of operators making their inventory digital-ready or converting entirely. And as operators continue to invest in building out their digital capabilities, agencies will start to move more digital/online budgets into OOH. Operators will also demand similar metrics to track their ROI and ability to reach niche audiences, rather than continuing to rely on the basic targets of gender, age, and income demographic.

Additionally, technology such as NFC, QR, Bluetooth and other mobile/social implementations will enable more 2-way interaction with advertisers. We have spent a lot of time planning and building technology to support these advancements. We are encouraged by the industry’s move towards being more “digital,” which has many similarities to the display ad market. This brings us back to the big opportunity I confronted in the first place: bringing this industry online.

AOM:   What opportunities do you see now in the industry? where could the next biggest breakthrough come from?
John: I believe the main opportunity for the industry is to move online. It will be the biggest breakthrough for both sides of the market over the next few years and yet another step towards maximizing efficiencies. Once this is complete, introducing new technology, like mobile/social, etc., will become easier and more effective.

AOM:   Although 28, you’re a two-time entrepreneur and you’re already featured in Business Week’s Best Young Tech Entrepreneurs 2011, what advice would you give to the young tech entrepreneurs in this industry?
John: The biggest piece of advice I can give to any other entrepreneur is to always keep your eye on the big vision, but make sure to also set achievable goals on a week to week basis.

AOM:  What’s your vision of ADstruc and yourself in the future?

John: Our vision for ADstruc is to be the technology that connects the entire outdoor advertising industry – we want to be the backbone of how OOH is bought and sold. Our goals continue to be to ensure our technology  empowers both buyers and sellers and drives a more efficient buying process. We will continue to aggressively invest in international opportunities. For me, personally, it is about making sure that our vision is successfully realized.

AOM:  You like playing ping pong? how has it enriched your life?

John: Ping Pong is a fantastic sport. It relies so much on hand-eye coordination and intense focus on a 40mm ball that can travel up to 50MPH. Because of that, it has become a great source of relaxation for me, while also providing a recharging effect. Whether I am going into a meeting or coming out of one, it helps me focus, relax, and breathe. I also really enjoy it because I can share it with my team.  They have all become great players, and it’s great to see them enjoy the sport and play great matches together.

户外广告走向在线交易
AOM: 首先，请您向我们介绍下ADstruc这一平台。
John F.Laramie(以下简称“John”): 长期以来，户外广告的购买流程一直给人以陈旧冗杂的印象。这一过程往往涉及到一个碎片化的市场，需要与成百上千家运营商以及海量的电子表格打交道。而ADstruc可以为户外广告的购买提供最便捷的方式。我们同来自全美的数百家媒体运营商通力合作，为代理商、广告主及本地企业策划及购买户外媒体。为此，我们特地建立了一个可以实现媒介策划及工作流程自动化的平台，以便更高效地购买户外广告。

AOM: 您创立ADstruc的初衷是什么？您看到了怎样的行业机遇？
John: 几年前当我想要找一些户外广告空间时，我察觉到这一过程的诸多不便，从而有了创办ADstruc的想法。我发现美国的户外广告行业是及其滞后的，尽管其每年会创收将近八十亿美元。我相信只要解决以上诸多问题，那么户外广告行业在年度收益及在整个广告市场的地位都会有显著的提升。为一个价值八十亿美元的行业打造在线交易平台，对我来说是空前的机遇。通过科技手段提升沟通及工作流程的效率，同时还要平衡买卖双方共同发展，真正实施起来倍感艰辛。我喜欢将户外广告行业比作一辆带有粘性发动机气门的老爷车。但ADstruc的出现，我们可以轻松地换下陈旧部件重新安装发动机，使其再跑上五十万英里都不成问题。

行业变革需要时间，需要培训

AOM: 自创立以来，ADstruc对户外广告行业产生了怎样的影响？以及现今行业对它的认可度如何？
John: 改变需要一定的时间，户外广告行业亟待接受培训，摒弃陋习，重获新生。行业一直在鼓吹更好的购买方式，如流动市场、第三方代理等，但是这些承诺一一难以兑现。想要改变100年都未撼动过的行业的确需要一种微妙的平衡。现在我们一提改变通常联想到颠覆，而颠覆真正意义上指的就是教育，教育人们以更好的方式做事。所以通过了解行业前辈的“江湖之道”，有助于ADstruc更好地指导市场运作。通过一种十分清晰的视角，我们能够坚定地致力于在本行业传授新的运营模式。

   我们需要对媒体运营商进行培训，告诉他们以一种新的方式来思考、管理、推介、影响其媒体。如果我们能够使其户外广告的购买过程更加便捷，那么我们就能从根本上使户外广告行业得到提升。
对于代理商和广告主们来说，我们会向他们介绍更好的策划和购买户外广告的工具：即能够在广告发布过程中提高效率的工作流程解决方案。通过使用更好的传播工具、地图系统及新的数据资源，代理商和广告主们现在能够享受到信息丰富、更具交互性的购买体验。
我相信在美国，我们作为领先的户外购买平台的地位是为大众所接受的。在国际同行对ADstruc平台日益增长的需求的鼓舞下，我们会进一步努力将我们的平台整合到更多的代理商及运营商中来。

像思考在线显示广告一样思考户外广告

AOM: 随着科技的进步，户外广告飞速发展，未来五年，科技将怎样重塑这一行业呢？ADstruc将如何随之取得进一步发展？
John: 我们花了大量时间来在博客上探讨，科技如何继续为行业创造挑战和机遇的方式。最大的契机仍然是数字化。对于大多数运营商正在或者已经实现其媒体的数字化，我丝毫不感到诧异。与此同时随着运营者在数字能力方面的建设的大力投资，代理商将更多地开始将数字或在线预算投向户外广告。运营商也将会要求类似指标来测评他们的投资回报率以及触及细分受众的能力，而不是继续依赖于性别、年龄及收入等基本的目标受众人口统计资料。

除此之外，一些诸如NFC（近场通讯）、QR（二维码）、蓝牙及其他手机或是社交应用技术将为受众与广告主之间的双向交互提供更多方式。我们将大把时间倾注在策划并增加科技方面，以支持行业的进一步发展。在户外广告行业向数字化进一步深化的形势下，我们深受鼓舞，随着户外的发展，它与在线显示广告市场也有了诸多类似之处。这为我们带来了前所未有的巨大机遇：实现行业的在线交易。

AOM: 您认为户外广告行业中当前的机遇是什么？下一步的重大突破从何而来？
John: 我相信户外广告行业的主要机遇在于向网络进军。对于未来数年内的市场各方而言，这都将是重大突破，也是优化效率的下一步迈进。一旦完成，那么应用新技术诸如手机/社交网络等，将会更便捷更高效。
AOM: 虽然您年仅28岁，但是创办企业已有两年，并且获得商业周刊2011年最佳科技企业家的殊荣，您对本行业的年轻企业家们有什么建议呢？
John: 我能够给其他的企业家的一条最为重要的建议是将目光放远，同时确保每一周都设立可实现的目标。
AOM: 您对ADstruct及您自己的未来有什么愿景呢？
John: 我们希望ADstruc能够成为连结整个户外广告行业的技术，成为户外广告买卖交易的支柱。我们将继续致力于保证我们的科技能赋予户外买家和卖家权力，促成一个更为高效的购买流程。我们将继续扩大国外市场的投资。对于我个人愿景而言，就是确保公司理想的顺利实现。
AOM: 您喜欢打乒乓球？它如何丰富了您的业余生活呢？
John: 乒乓球这项运动棒极了。它强调手眼的高度配合，所有注意力都集中在直径40毫米、时速达50英里的小球上。正因如此，它对于我来说是一种极大的休闲方式，同时具有恢复体能的功效。无论我是即将赴会还是开完会归来，这项运动都会令我再度精力充沛，身心得到极大地放松。我喜欢这项运动的另一个原因是我可以和我的团队共享它。他们现在球打得都很好，看到他们能够享受这项运动并且配合默契真的是太棒了。