MEDIA CENTRAL meets met[ads]: How 3D-DOOH is rethinking outdoor advertising

Outdoor advertising is in a phase of intense change. Technological developments, rising expectations of advertising impact and new creative possibilities are making the market more dynamic than ever. The collaboration between met[ads] and MEDIA CENTRAL brings together expertise in retail communication and innovative creative tech power - an interplay that can open up new options for retailers in the OOH sector.

Lukas Flöer, founder and CEO of met[ads], spoke to us about the development of the DOOH market, the importance of 3D staging and the challenges of measurability, and explained the added value the collaboration offers retailers.

MEDIA CENTRAL meets Lukas Flöer, Gründe r& CEO von met[ads]

Question 1: Lukas, thank you for your time. The OOH market is currently developing dynamically. In your opinion, what changes and movements are currently characterising out-of-home advertising?

Lukas: I think we are currently experiencing a turning point. People are fed up with the flood of advertising messages - their inner "ad blocker" has long been activated. Reach alone is useless if nobody is looking. That's why I see two developments that are really making a difference: firstly, DOOH is becoming increasingly data-driven and programmatically controllable - this creates flexibility and efficiency. Secondly, there is a growing need for formats that really attract attention. 3D advertising is the perfect example of this. It breaks through advertising blindness and creates moments that people stop for. We have to stop just placing more adverts. We need to create advertising that is exciting again.

Question 2: 3D productions are currently attracting a lot of attention in public spaces. What makes these formats so special - and what does it take for them to be fully effective?

Lukas: 3D advertising works because it triggers emotions - it surprises, inspires and irritates in a positive sense. The special thing about it: It is based on an optical illusion, the so-called anamorphic effect. So you don't need any special hardware. Any digital screen can display 3D advertising. But - and this is crucial - the creative has to be right. Light, shadow, perspective: everything has to be perfectly matched to the screen in question. We think hardware and creative together. This is the only way to create that "self-reinforcing effect" in which architecture and content merge.

Source: met[ads]

Question 3: met[ads] is regarded as an innovator in the field of digital outdoor advertising. Which solutions or features currently most clearly demonstrate what met[ads] stands for?

Lukas : Our USP is that we offer everything from a single source: We model, texture, animate and activate the 3D advertising ourselves. Thanks to our use of CreativeTech and AI, we can realise 3D campaigns within a few days. We also design our own screens such as the 3D tunnel or the 3D sphere. By thinking hardware and creative together, we create innovative formats that really attract attention. We have now realised over 200 campaigns for clients such as Netflix, Spotify, Red Bull and Sephora. And: We don't just want to advertise on DOOH screens, but also on other channels - CTV, smartphones or as fake out-of-home* - in a cross-media and flexible way.

Question 4: The measurability of outdoor advertising remains a controversial topic. How does met[ads] deal with this challenge - and what approaches do you take to depict impact and reach as reliably as possible?

Lukas : Measurability is indeed a challenge, but it can be solved. We work with data-driven approaches: Geo-behavioural data helps us to precisely address target groups and optimise campaigns in real time. What's more, our 3D formats go viral organically. People film the screens and share them on social media. This creates additional reach that we can track. We combine classic DOOH metrics such as contacts and visibility with digital KPIs - such as engagement rates from fake out-of-home campaigns.

Question 5: MEDIA CENTRAL and met[ads] would like to combine their strengths in future. What advantages will this bring for retailers who want to further develop their OOH communication?

Lukas: I see a win-win situation here: MEDIA CENTRAL has the reach and the network in retail, we provide the creative and the technology for eye-catching 3D formats. Retailers benefit from integrated, data-based campaigns that attract attention at the point of sale and stimulate purchases. Thanks to rapid implementation, we can react flexibly to promotions or seasonal events - and offer cross-media solutions.

Question 6: Looking ahead, what role will met[ads] play in the long-term development of modern outdoor advertising?

Lukas: Our goal is clear: we want to create advertising that people will stand still for - not just in Germany, but throughout Europe. Over the next few years, we will also be expanding our network of our own innovative screens. At the same time, we are driving forward new formats such as fake out-of-home and CTV in order to bring 3D advertising to every digital screen. In the long term, we want to be the place to go for brands that are bold and dare to be creative.

About Lukas Flöer

Lukas Flöer is the founder and CEO of met[ads], a 3D advertising company. He started his career in the advertising industry at the age of 17 - and quickly realised how often quantity is prioritised over quality. After a good decade in the industry, he decided to break this cycle and founded met[ads] in 2023 to change the advertising landscape with innovative 3D advertising. The mission: no more boring ads. Since 2023, met[ads] has already realised over 200 campaigns for clients such as Netflix, RedBull and L'Oréal. In 2025, Flöer was also included in the renowned "30 under 30"-list by Forbes (the only one in his industry from Germany). Before founding met[ads], Flöer worked as Director of Consulting at Screen On Demand (now part of Axel Springer) and as a guest lecturer for marketing to inspire the next generation for creative advertising.

* The term "fake out-of-home" refers to digital 3D animations that are modelled on real OOH situations but only exist as videos and are distributed online.

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