Mediakeys Taps OOH Veteran MacDonald to Lead Americas Expansion

NEW YORK, NY – March 25, 2026 – In a significant strategic move aimed at capturing a larger share of the booming Americas advertising market, independent out-of-home (OOH) agency Mediakeys has appointed industry pioneer Andrea MacDonald as its new Chief Executive Officer, Americas. The appointment signals an aggressive new chapter for the Paris-based international agency as it seeks to challenge established players in the highly competitive U.S. and Latin American regions.

MacDonald, a respected figure with over four decades of experience in the OOH sector, will be based in New York. Her mandate is to spearhead Mediakeys' growth strategy, focusing on expanding its U.S. client base and solidifying its presence across the Americas. She will oversee all regional operations while working closely with the agency's global teams to deliver its full suite of international capabilities to a new roster of clients.

A Strategic Play for a Booming Market

The timing of MacDonald's appointment is critical. The U.S. out-of-home advertising market reached a record $9.46 billion in 2025 after 19 consecutive quarters of growth. This expansion is largely fueled by the rapid rise of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH), which now accounts for over a third of all OOH revenue and is growing at more than double the rate of the overall market. By bringing in a leader of MacDonald's caliber, Mediakeys is making a clear statement of intent to capitalize on this momentum.

Mediakeys Global CEO, Paul Cahierre, lauded the decision, highlighting MacDonald's deep industry roots and forward-thinking perspective. "Andrea MacDonald is one of the most respected leaders in out-of-home advertising — a pioneer and a genuine visionary who has helped shape this industry over decades of exceptional work," Cahierre stated. "Her understanding of, and passion for, this medium, where it has been and where it is going, is extraordinary. We are building something significant in the Americas, and there is no one better suited to lead it."

This move underscores the agency's commitment to the region, which includes existing offices in New York, Mexico, and San Francisco. Until now, Mediakeys has primarily served U.S. agencies with their international media buying needs. MacDonald's leadership is expected to pivot the strategy towards acquiring more direct-to-client business, mirroring its 50/50 global split between agency partnerships and direct brand relationships.

A Veteran's Vision for a Digital Future

MacDonald's career is a testament to her entrepreneurial drive and deep understanding of the OOH landscape. She is best known as the founder of MacDonald Media, an agency she built over 23 years into one of the country's leading independent OOH specialists, crafting award-winning campaigns for globally recognized brands. In 2020, the firm was acquired by billups, a major U.S.-based advertising technology company, in a move that integrated her agency's creative and strategic prowess with a data-centric tech platform. Following the acquisition, MacDonald founded the marketing consultancy Honcha.

Her return to an agency leadership role comes as the OOH industry undergoes a profound technological transformation. The conversation has shifted from static billboards to a dynamic, data-driven ecosystem. Programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) is rapidly becoming the standard, with marketers planning to increase their programmatic spend by nearly 50% in the coming 18 months. This shift allows for real-time campaign optimization, advanced audience targeting, and integration into broader omnichannel marketing strategies—addressing the historical challenge of OOH measurement.

MacDonald's four-decade journey has given her a front-row seat to this evolution, from traditional print to the rise of digital screens, 3D anamorphic billboards, and interactive, data-triggered campaigns. Her experience navigating these shifts will be invaluable as Mediakeys aims to position itself not just as a media buyer, but as a strategic technology partner for brands.

Technology as the Core Differentiator

What ultimately drew MacDonald to the Paris-headquartered agency was its unique operational model and proprietary technology. "What drew me to Mediakeys is something very simple: 32 years, 20 owned offices, more than 100 markets, one team," MacDonald said. "They know the landscape like locals, because they are."

This philosophy is powered by a technology stack developed in-house over the past decade. At its core is GLOBALAD, a worldwide database and planning tool that gives teams access to OOH inventories across the globe, complete with historical data and performance benchmarks. This allows for centralized planning and decentralized execution, ensuring global consistency with local relevance.

The agency’s programmatic and multichannel capabilities are driven by ARAGO, its proprietary Demand-Side Platform (DSP). ARAGO enables sophisticated geodata marketing, allowing advertisers to target consumers based on specific interests and behaviors. Its "Geobuilder" tool offers precise territorial targeting that moves beyond simple radiuses to minimize ad spend wastage. This platform integrates OOH with other digital channels like display, video, and social, creating a cohesive consumer journey.

This combination of localized human expertise and a unified, proprietary tech platform is Mediakeys' primary value proposition. It is designed to solve the complexities of launching international campaigns, streamlining everything from currency conversion and language barriers to cross-market performance measurement—all while providing clients with a single point of contact and invoicing in U.S. dollars.

Navigating a Crowded and Evolving Field

MacDonald's mission will not be without challenges. The OOH landscape in the Americas is crowded with formidable competitors. These include media owners with vast inventories like Lamar Advertising and Clear Channel Outdoor, as well as technology-first firms such as Vistar Media, recently acquired by T-Mobile, and Broadsign. Ironically, one of her key competitors will be billups, the very company that acquired her former agency.

Mediakeys is positioning itself to compete by blending the best of both worlds: the global scale and strategic insight of a major network with the agility and local knowledge of an independent agency. By appointing a proven leader like Andrea MacDonald, the agency is betting that her deep network, entrepreneurial track record, and unparalleled understanding of the OOH medium are the keys to unlocking significant growth and establishing Mediakeys as a dominant force in the Americas. Her leadership is poised to translate the company's global capabilities into tangible, culturally resonant results for brands across the region.