Ocean Outdoor Drives Retail and Roadside Development in Scotland’s Out of Home Market

Premium digital out of home (DOOH) operator Ocean Outdoor is close to completing its new full motion network in Edinburgh’s prestigious St James Quarter, marking a new era in the development of full motion retail and large format roadside advertising environments in Scotland.

Adding to its existing Loop network of 34 double-sided portrait D6s (1.689m high x 0.973m wide) and D6 totem, Ocean is installing two large format full motion screens (5m wide x 7.5m high), working in partnership with Edinburgh St James.

Due to complete by the end of Q3, the project reinforces Ocean’s position as Scotland’s No.1 provider of super large premium outdoor advertising screens and facilitates the introduction of innovative new advertising formats. These include the imminent introduction of DeepScreen Alive to complement and enhance the nine event spaces housed within Edinburgh St James.

Developed by Ocean Labs and Ocean Studio, DeepScreen Alive brings real time interactivity to spectacular 3D DOOH content, building even deeper audience connections through immersive entertainment using bold illusions, real time theatre and live effects.

St James Quarter managing director Nick Peel said, “St James Quarter has established itself as Scotland’s number one retail led, mixed use destination since its opening in June 2021. With a series of world class new arrivals lined up for the second half of 2023, including The Botanist, Flight Club, the handover of New Eidyn residential apartments and the final piece of the jigsaw with the much-anticipated launch of W Edinburgh hotel and Sushi Samba restaurant. The Quarter is therefore delighted to partner with Ocean Outdoor and its ground breaking digital outdoor solution, as we head towards annualised footfall in excess of 19 million in 2023.”

Ocean Scotland managing director Marc Keenan said, “St James Quarter is the UK’s most prestigious retail location outside of London. Ocean’s partnership is a milestone in the long term organic development of premium out of home both in the Capital and across the country which we as a business have led for the last seven decades.”

Ocean’s Scottish heritage goes back to the 1960s when Forrest Media, now Ocean, started strategically developing hand-picked premium out of home locations. More recent launches include a 50 square metre full motion screen in Glasgow North Hanover Street. Just yards from George Square, the location features a wild green meadow and a bee hotel.

And at 80 square metres, The Edinburgh Media Wall (pictured) is the largest full motion digital screen in Scotland, bringing Ocean’s total large format portfolio to 59 which gives Ocean an 80% share of the Scottish DOOH market larger than a 48 sheet.

Ocean Outdoor UK CEO Phil Hall said, “For brands and advertisers, the imminent availability of DeepScreen Alive in St James Quarter takes DOOH to a completely different level. Our continued investment in quality formats and the best locations in both Edinburgh and Scotland’s other top three cities reinforces Ocean’s position as the No.1 provider of irreplicable DOOH experiences in high traffic and high footfall areas.”