Out of the Living Room: How Smart Campaigns Are Extending Their Reach in 2026

With a projected $11.6 billion in political ad spend expected in the 2026 midterms, campaigns and media buyers are looking to all available screens to achieve the reach they need, including digital out-of-home placements on CTV: bars, gyms, gas stations, hotels and doctors’ offices to name a few.

That was the focus of this week’s Intelligence Briefing, hosted by Campaigns & Elections in partnership with Video Elephant. The discussion featured Owen Barnard, senior director of digital strategy at Sage Media; K.C. McLeod, senior vice president of demand and strategic partnerships at Video Elephant; and Tom Ferrall, senior director at National Media.

The discussion traced how the larger out-of-home ecosystem has matured over the past few election cycles and specifically how CTV DOOH can fit into the media mix for campaigns this year.

The panel also walked through recent activations that show the range of what’s available this cycle. Watch the full briefing above.