Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo said Monday it will enter the outdoor advertising market in Vietnam through a local joint venture, with an eye toward using the country as a foothold for expansion throughout Southeast Asia.

The joint venture, called Vie BOARD, is scheduled to be established in August. Vietnamese multimedia company DatVietVAC will own a 51% stake, with Docomo holding the rest.

Digital outdoor advertising refers to advertising using screens in city centers and digital signs in commercial facilities, stations and airports. The market in Vietnam is smaller than Japan's but is expected to grow in the future, starting with Ho Chi Minh City in the south, the country's largest city.

 
Docomo will analyze Global Positioning System data using in-house technology to measure advertisement views and receive data usage fees from Vie BOARD. It will utilize DatVietVAC's connections with advertisers and media owners to establish sales channels.

This will be the company's first foray into overseas digital outdoor advertising. It hopes to use its data analysis technology to explore expansion into other Southeast Asian countries.

Docomo has experience in the field in Japan, establishing digital signage company Live Board in 2019 with joint investment from advertising giant Dentsu.