Q&A: KATIE SMITH, THE MANCHESTER SCREEN 31 www.signlink.co.uk Issue 263 - February | March 2026 What has the industry reaction been to the new platform and upgrades to the site? What’s been really exciting is the curiosity and the energy. Traditional buyers are intrigued, creative agencies are lit up by the possibilities, and media planners are suddenly thinking much bigger about OOH again. It’s been refreshing because the feedback isn’t cautious, it’s ambitious. People are actually talking about it, and that’s the highest compliment in an industry where silence is often the default. Add to this some of the results that our clients have shared, such as a campaign reaching 2.2 million views from one post, and over 20k shares – brands can’t help but understand the opportunity the screen now brings. The Manchester Screen has grown into a genuine destination for brands – not just a placement – and next year is about pushing that even further with new creative technologies, partnerships, and data-led approaches. Is The Manchester Screen’s integration of different elements a part of a wider trend in OOH, or do you feel like you are trailblazing in that regard? I see both. The wider ecosystem is moving toward integrated experiences – audiences don’t compartmentalise media, so why should we? But in terms of scale and execution, I genuinely believe we’re trailblazing here. Combine static and digital at this magnitude, with layered experiential options? That’s not standard. We’re proving that OOH can be more than a medium – it can be a platform for storytelling in real life. Marketers are tired of safe campaigns. They want bold. They want fun. They want you to feel that “you need to go and see that”. Manchester is perfect for this because the audience genuinely loves seeing itself reflected on big cultural moments. That’s why The Manchester Screen has evolved into a canvas for builds, projections, murals, and rooftop activations — not just a rectangle with pixels. What challenges have you faced when transitioning to being a company owner and how have you overcome these changes? It’s been a steep learning curve, no doubt. Going from operator and producer to strategic owner means thinking about business health, people, growth, cashflow, and stakeholders – not just creative execution. The biggest challenge was letting go of being the expert in every room and instead building a team that is doing that. I leaned hard into hiring diverse thinkers, trusting them, and setting a culture where debate is encouraged and accountability is real. That shift from doer to leader was the toughest but also the most rewarding aspect. Outdoor media at the large-format end is still heavily male-dominated, especially when you’re talking about ownership rather than sales or operations. But being the outlier gives me freedom. I can run The Manchester Screen without the legacy systems or corporate constraints that often slow bigger operators down. I make decisions quickly, I work directly with agencies and brands, and I lead with creativity rather than structure. I want my presence in this space to make it easier for more women to enter at senior, strategic, and ownership levels, not just sales roles. Representation matters, especially in an industry that shapes public spaces. What are your plans for the business and for The Manchester Screen moving forward? We’re just getting started. 2026 is about scale, creativity and smarter integration. The Manchester Screen has grown into a genuine destination for brands, not just a placement, and next year is about pushing that even further with new creative technologies, partnerships, and data-led approaches. The goal is to activate The Manchester Screen not just as a billboard, but as a creative engine for the North and for UK brands and international ones alike. That means tech upgrades, more integrated data and measurement, stronger partnerships with creative agencies, and pushing into new formats and spaces that surround the screen. We want to set a new standard for what OOH looks like in the next five years – and prove that real-world advertising can be even more powerful than digital. The Manchester Screen has grown into a genuine destination for brands, not just a placement, and next year is about pushing that even further with new creative technologies, partnerships, and data-led approaches ▼ British rapper, Aitch, advertising his album ‘4’ next to The Manchester Screen
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjM0NDIxOA==