2024 goa Conference: The Changing Shape of Out-of-Home

Posted 25 Oct '24

At the Brisbane Powerhouse, clients and partners joined us for a day of conversation about where advertising is headed — and what it takes to stay meaningful in a shifting landscape.

Unlike a typical industry event, our 2024 goa Conference focused less on forecasts and more on perspective: how creativity, technology and local context intersect to shape stronger work.

A year of progress

Opening the day, Deb Langham, our Chief Operating Officer, shared her annual address — reflecting on the company’s evolution over the past year and the steady progress made through The Alliance, a network of independent Out-of-Home providers collaborating across Australia.

Her message was one of momentum and focus. The Alliance, she noted, has allowed goa to contribute to a truly national network while maintaining the agility, creativity and community connection that define a Queensland business. It’s a partnership built on shared values — quality, integrity and collaboration — and one that continues to open new doors for clients looking for reach without compromise.

On growth and the city

Anthony Ryan, CEO of the Brisbane Economic Development Agency, followed with a simple idea: Brisbane’s growth story isn’t just about scale — it’s about opportunity. As the city prepares for 2032, he challenged businesses to think about what kind of legacy they want to leave, not just what share of attention they want to hold.

On AI and its limits

Tech strategist Sam Yassa offered a grounded look at artificial intelligence, not as a silver bullet, but as a set of tools that require intention. His message was clear: the future belongs to those who pair curiosity with caution. AI can sharpen creative work and efficiency, but without guardrails, it risks diluting the human insight that makes marketing matter.

On creativity and clients

The client panel brought those ideas into focus. Andrew Pahoff from the Brisbane Lions (premiership cup in hand), Catherine de Silva from Queensland Museum, and Juanita Wheeler from TEDx Brisbane shared what they look for in partnerships: responsiveness, local understanding and a sense of shared ambition.

Out-of-Home, they agreed, continues to earn its place not by being the loudest, but by being the most present, the format that lives where audiences actually are.

A different kind of industry day

What set this year apart was tone. The discussions were honest, occasionally challenging, and always practical. The room wasn’t chasing buzzwords, it was exploring how to build brands that last in a fast, distracted world.

For us, that’s what the conference has always been about: connection over hype, progress over noise.

– The goa team