Flowcode CEO Advocated for Physical Ad Investment
Tim Armstrong urged brands to pivot toward physical advertising at the Beet.TV Leadership Summit.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Advertising
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Should brands spend more on physical advertising rather than focusing primarily on digital ads?
Flowcode CEO Tim Armstrong has argued that companies should increase investments in physical out-of-home advertising. He noted that brands currently undervalue time consumers spend in the physical world compared to digital platforms.
Why it matters
As AI agents increasingly handle consumer logistics, brands must shift from traditional ads to providing direct value. This change aims to capture engagement in physical spaces that brands historically overlook due to digital-first biases.
While the average adult spends two hours and 27 minutes on social media daily, individuals also spend 18% of their day in the physical world. For comparison, the average daily commute lasts 27 minutes.
The players
Tim Armstrong
Tim Armstrong is the CEO of Flowcode and a prominent figure in the media and advertising technology sector.
Flowcode
Flowcode is a technology company that creates offline-to-online connection platforms for businesses and brands.
The details
Armstrong emphasized that brands must adapt to an era where AI agents process travel and shopping itineraries. He pointed to the two million people at the New York Knicks championship parade as evidence of the immense scale of physical gatherings.
Timeline
September 23, 2026: Date of article publication.
September 2026: Timing of the Beet.TV Leadership Summit in Cannes, France.
Market Landscape
This strategy marks a shift in how firms position themselves against digital-only competitors by targeting the physical environment. It forces a move toward an advertising model centered on value-added services for consumer-facing AI agents.
Consumers may notice more targeted information and services integrated into their physical experiences as brands update their outreach. This move seeks to provide tangible value to shoppers rather than relying on traditional, disruptive advertising.
The takeaway
Brands that prioritize presence in the physical world can better align with consumers as their daily logistics become automated. Companies should evaluate whether their marketing mix reflects the actual amount of time their target audience spends outdoors.
Further reading
For more on evolving media strategies, see Advertising.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Beet.TV - The Root to the Media Revolution.
Live Poll
Should brands spend more on physical advertising rather than focusing primarily on digital ads?
