The goverment is getting more tech savvy by the day! The United States Enviroment Protect Agency and the Department of Transportation have teamed up to create QR codes for car shoppers. These new codes will be displayed on the fuel-efficiency labels that are stuck on each car at the dealership. Once you scan the the code, you can get specific information to that particular car, including number of gallons burned per 100 miles, an estimated annual fuel cost for the car, and both the average and best miles per gallon range for cars in that class. Alternative-fuel vehicles and electric vehicles have their own QR codes, too.
The website powering these QR codes, FuelEconomy.gov, is hoping to help consumers make smarter, more cost efficient decisions when it comes to purchasing a new vehicle.
Not too long ago, Sony admitted that their Playstation Network was, indeed, hacked. Their members were heavily urged to change their password to aleviate any chances of their account being infiltrated since they had to provide contact information and (more importantly) credit card information when enrolling. These hackers can not only steal vital information but render a handful of features on the Playstation (playing online games, using netflix, software udpates, etc) useless.
Well, with phones evolving with media players, GPS's, and now the integration of NFC (Near Field Communication), the devils advocate in me can't help but make a cameo. Hearing how your credit card can be scanned through your wallet (video below) can be a bit of a chilling, paranoia-inducing thought, no? Think about how many times you've heard a friend or co-worker that had to get a new card because someone stole the numbers while paying the bill at a restaurant or shopping online. Since its origin in the early 1960s and many advancements later, people are still being able to steal credit card numbers.
What defenses can we look forward to in this newer, easier, faster advancement of mobile commerce? With the avenues that we're connected to with our phone (WiFi, 4G Networks, Bluetooth, Facetime/Tango, etc) while letting the world know where we are at all times (Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare, etc); is this a recipe for hackers to use as a backdoor into our personal information?
Maybe my cautious skepticism is no different from the many back in the 60's who thought credit cards were a dangerous step in exchange for easier shopping. Other than having a bank that will reimburse you for stolen cash, what tech advancements could help? Could there be:
Cases that could shield/lower the range hackers need to connect?
Detection software on the phone that would put up a firewall or lock the phone temporarily?
Detection software at store entrances that would detect illegal scanners (the same security detectors that shoplifters set off)?
Not only do we have to worry about other people stealing our cash and identity, but we also have to acknowledge that we have to beware of our own spending activity. Would you be more inclined to shop knowing its that much easier? If we're making technology that makes it easier to spend, wouldn't we be placing ourselves even closer to debt? Some find it beneficial to get rid of cards entirely.
Don't get me wrong, I'm very intrigued by all this and could very well be inclined to try it first hand. However with the introduction of any new platform, software or hardware - there are going to be bugs and kinks to work out - and when it deals with your hard-earned money, are you willing to take that chance?
You might have already heard that Japan has already utilized these mobile wallets and has grown in popularity with its introduction back in 2005. However did you know who's been providing the standard technology used for these wallets?
A few weeks ago we blogged about McDonald's super-sized out-of-home disappearing cup campaign in Paris, France. Now, the french fry kings are offering more freebie's to unsuspecting consumers... but with a catch. McDonald's Pick-n-Play campaign (created by DDB Stockholm) prompts Stockholm passerby's to play with their Pong-inspired video game; using your mobile phone as the remote and the digital billboard as the display. If you beat the progressively more difficult boards and last more than 30 seconds, an instant coupon is sent to the gamers phone for a free item at McDonald's.
Just more brilliant interactive and out-of-home advertising from McDonald's. Wonder what they'll come up with next... I vote for a DOOH billboard that dispenses french fries when you use your phone to unlock it. Creativity, interactivity, mobile... all of this IS digital out-of-home and McDonald's does a fantastic job at being innovative in the DOOH space and showing the potential for what can come next.
As we venture forward into advanced interactive technologies, where touchscreens are all the craze, we're now one step closer to touching nothing at all. A group of students over at Texas A&M have developed a "multi-touch no-touch, uh... touchscreen", where a grid comprised of a combination of LED lights and infrared sensors creates a digital web of sensors. This allows not only precise interaction, but it also reads varying degrees of pressure. So say if you're painting, you'll be able to get those variances of painterly strokes.
For germaphobes, this is a godsend, for everyone else, its another wall that's being broke down to make the interactive experience that much more immersing and entertaining. The opportunities for this kind of technology can be anywhere. Need to find your location at the airport, zoo or museum? How about checking in at the hospital?
After watching the Heat put the Mavericks in a box last night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, I noticed that the court-side correspondent held a bright piece of hardware. Surrounding her mic were four screens that animated the NBA Finals logo with the ABC logo. Small attention to detail can result in a big impression, no?
BANE!!! Yes, that's right folks, unless you've kept your spoiler-free head under a rock, you'd know that Batman's next adversary will be one of his most difficult foes to handle. To start off the hype for next years conclusion to Christopher Nolan's trilogy, a newly released website has been open to the public, which is only an audio track, but it's no match for the keen internet masses that found it was a hash-tag #TheFireRises, which, once on Twitter, Dark Knight fans would find a link to another portion of the viral website to discover what the secrecy is all about - a photo mosaic movie still of Bane; Batman's enemy in the next(and last) Dark Knight series
This isn't the first user-generated ad to create buzz for a film. Similar to my previous post for Jake Gyllenhal's Source Code, users would submit their Facebook profile picture to integrate in the poster. However, instead of just accompanying your picture with the poster, it now helps reveal the image by building a mosaic of all the user-submitted photos.
I love ideas like these because it's left up to the audience to bring the marketing to life. They directly interact with it and then get rewarded for their viral efforts. It taps into Facebook where their friends see the post in their live feed, and therefore the response grows exponentially; getting the word out and making for a very successful campaign that's easy on budget. As a follow-up to this viral marketing method, I could picture(and would hope) to see this on movie theater networks, having it animate all the pictures in to build the mosaic, leave them with a call to action to check out the site or to simply, "get ready". Nonetheless, I always enjoy creatively cryptic marketing executions and the dedicated fans to crack the shell open.
As a follow-up to the previous blog I posted on the concept of the "every-day" consumer being able to upload/submit content through a motion capture device(in this case the XBOX360 Kinect), I found this video where a guy has hacked experimented with the Kinect and motion tracks his movements. Those movements are then transferred to a simple 2D version of himself.
Though its very basic, the motion couldn't be more dead on. Why not harness this into an installation at a bus stop, mall or theme park? Would you agree this would be a magnet for curious minds and an outlet for direct consumer interaction? I think the potential is great here to really engage customers. Plus it reminded me of this...
Through this past month, Senator Al Franken has been face to face with Apple to come to the conclusion whether or not iPhone/iPad software is accurately pinpointing and storing your location.The reference to this piece of software is being known as the Locationgate.
Personal privacy has always been a cornerstone of what makes our country great. Its kind of peculiar that when Bush indoctrinated the Patriot Act back in 2001, people were outraged, calling it a threat to our right as an American citizen - Privacy was threatened - Paranoia set in - Babies Cried. Three years later, Facebook was released and nearly 700 million(and this number probably has increased, I'm sure - but I'm not counting the users that will fall off the map) members around the world have willingly shared every single who-what-where-when detail about themselves. People have been more than fine with the fact that their entire lives now resides online. We did a 180 without even blinking.
“People have a right to know who is getting their information and a right to decide how that information is shared and used,” said Senator Franken.
“I still have serious doubts that those rights are being respected in law or in practice.”
What difference does this make that there's a technical bread crumb trail left on your phone? If you ever looked at the "Places" tab from your iPhone Photos app, you'll see every single picture you've taken geo-tagged on a Google map - so this is shouldn't be shocking news to learn that our digital Swiss-army knife IS as advanced and innovative as we've been boasting about.
That makes me wonder, well, IF PEOPLE CAN TRACK YOU, THEY'LL FIND YOU - THEN WHAT?! Well, scary loud font, if you're not breaking the law or running from it, you really don't have to worry, do you? When the Patriot Act came out, do you think they're tapping your phone so they can hear you talk for hours about how confused you were about the show Lost?
I mentioned to a fellow colleague, "Well if you're not doing anything illegal, you shouldn't have to worry, right?" He made a good point. "I know my intentions are good, but I don't know the intentions of those who can acquire this data."
I felt this was a legitimate point. This isn't just privacy for the sake of keeping a low profile, but for privacy that each one of us deserves. We certainly need to have a firm grip on technological advancements, considering they tend to evolve quicker than we can keep up. I'm glad people in higher chairs like Senator Franken are trying to steady the course ahead of time by addressing our privacy concerns towards larger communication and technology corporations. Yesterday Senator Al Franken requested from both Apple/Google that their apps distributed via their online marketplace to require "a clear, understandable privacy policy".
How do you feel about this? Do you think is a major breach in privacy or an opportunity to take this information and do some good? Could this help provide Census data for traveling trends? Will there ever be a balance? I would love to hear your feedback on this. Below is a an initial video(one of many) of Senator Al Franken grilling Apple/Google about the technology.
Respected digital media leader Jennifer Bolt, SVP, Chief Strategy officer at rVue discusses the benefits of digital of home media, the importance of third Party Analytics and the exciting future of DOOH advertising.
Static trading cards are so 1990! Digital trading cards are the latest way digital out-of-home is making it's way in to our lives. Lakers star Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers, John Wall of the Washington Wizards and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder are the first stars to go "live" on trading cards. They will be followed up by hundred of other athletes who will go digital. Each card will pack an impressive 20 minutes of video career highlights.
Created by display company Recom Group Inc. for Panini America Inc., cards will still hold some of the same feel as an old-school trading card since they will be mounted on cardboard, but that's about all that will resemeble the classics we grew up with. The new trading cards will be audio-enabled and be thicker than it's original counterpart. The cards will run you about $20 for 5 cards, which isn't as high as we first speculated.
I'm sure you can imagine how our minds started thinking when we first learned of these pocket-sized pieces of DOOH! The digital trading cards are just scratching the surface of what's capable for advertising on the go. For instance, sticking with the sports theme, Nike sponsors an athlete, so they issue "limited edition" cards with pre-roll advertisement playing before the actual video highlights start. And how long until these card will be Wi-Fi enabled? Or social media friendly? Collectors can particpate in virtual card trading, exchanging one piece of video for another (since that's the whole point of trading cards, right?). The possibitlies are endless with the amount of things you can do, the places you can take it or how it's shared when you shrink digital media down to a pocket-sized screen.
And since we're such fans of sports here at rVue, we've created our own virtual trading card of famous (or infamous, depends) Nick Sears. You probably recognize him from our rVue Spotlight series; most recently sinking a half court shot from behind his back. (It's not altered... we promise!) So here's what we would put on our first ever rVue digital trading card:
Fort Lauderdale, FL (May 25, 2011) - rVue, Inc., a subsidiary of rVue Holdings Inc. (RVUE:OTCQB) is pleased to announce the addition of Jennifer Bolt to its executive team as Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to joining rVue, Bolt served as Executive Director of Engagement Planning and Innovation at TracyLocke, an Omnicom agency. She brings 22 years of media strategy experience to rVue, an advertising technology company, which provides the leading demand side platform for Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) place-based media.
Bolt led the media team at TracyLocke in client strategy across traditional, non-traditional and emerging media. In her role, she spearheaded the agency’s innovation initiatives, which evaluated and recommended new technologies and digital media platforms for marketplace viability and partnerships. As rVue’s SVP, Chief Strategy Officer, she will be responsible for accelerating the integration of rVue’s platform into the advertising industry, leading key agency relationships and driving forward the expansion of rVue’s analytics capabilities and product offerings.
“Innovation, relationship management, intelligent media strategy, integrity and thought leadership are at the heart of rVue’s mission to accelerate DOOH media,” said Jason Kates, CEO and President of rVue, Inc. “These are Jennifer’s greatest strengths. Her reputation as a respected strategist is second to none and I am proud to welcome her as the newest member of rVue’s executive team.”
“rVue is uniquely positioned to help advance DOOH's maturation as a medium by providing the tools and analytics media planners and buyers need to make decisions with confidence,“ reports Jennifer Bolt, SVP, Chief Strategy Officer for rVue. “I'm excited to have the opportunity to help develop and shape the tools and analytics that will continue to propel the DOOH industry forward." Bolt shares her Industry Insights via a video available at: http://bit.ly/mLONxx.
Bolt is recognized as one of the Nation’s leading expert’s on media strategy with specialties in innovative technologies, digital out-of-home and place-based media. She serves on an advisory board for the Digital Place-Based Advertising Association and is an active member of the Digital Signage Federation’s Board of Directors.
About rVue:
rVue Holdings, Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary rVueTM, Inc., is an advertising technology company which includes the only demand-side platform for planning, buying and managing Digital Out-of-Home and Place-Based Media. The platform connects advertisers with DOOH networks to streamline campaign management, content distribution, analytics and billing. For more information, please visit www.rvue.com.
Image is everything. TinEye, the world’s first reverse image search engine, has taken this saying quite literally and created an online database of photos to help keep track of what happens to images online.
How does it work? This free serviceuses image identification technology rather than keywords, metadata or watermarks. The plugin adds a right-click menu item that allows you to search for an image to find out where it came from, how it is being used, if modified versions of the image exist, or to find higher resolution versions. When you submit an image to be searched, TinEye creates a unique digital signature or 'fingerprint,’ then compares this fingerprint to every other image in their index to retrieve exact matches.
What does this mean to you? Well, there are two scenarios here…
Scenario 1: From an entrepreneurial and/or online seller’s perspective, TinEye can help discover if one of your images is being used on the Web, and in what context. It’s especially useful if you take photos or create art for a living and you want to make sure no one is using those images without your permission. But if that’s not the case, it's at least interesting to use TinEye to see where your logo is being used or advertised.
Scenario 2: You’re an avid online shopper and are just dying to know where to find that pictured product you just don’t know the name of. TinEye to the rescue! Just right-click and allow the site to find the origin of that image for you.
Adding tens of millions of new images to its database every week, TinEye can be a useful tool for both marketers and consumers alike.
As hard as we may try to recycle, lets face it, we just don't have that convenient blue bin at hand, at all times, to dump our trash in. We end up printing out copy after copy of paper without properly disposing them. Well, the ingenious people over at World Wildlife Foundation have taken the friendly "Please do not print" note a step further and developed a new green file format, dubbed WWF. Once you convert your PDF into this WWF format, it then restricts you from printing it out. Word of this clever method is already spreading, gathering attention and popularity.
Do you think this will take off and make an impact or a fad that fizzles out?
Did you happen to catch the 2011 Billboard Music Awards last night? Beyonce put on quite the digital screen spectacle with her performance of "Who Run the World Girls". Not only was it highly entertaining, but it was a perfect execution of a real life meets digital performance. Scroll ahead to the 3:00 mark:
The 3-D projection mapping keeps getting more impressive by the day. The latest one to grace a building-side is for the Hyundai Accent. According to FlipEvil, the company who created this video, the projection mapping took 4 months to produce! 120 crew members, 6 HD projectors, 10 HD cameras, 6 cranes and someone brave enough to sit in a hanging car are what it took to pull this illusion off.
Here's a fun Friday post for all. Check out this time lapsed video of Las Vegas over 24 hours by Phillip Bloom (titled 24 Hours of Neon). Be sure to keep an eye out for all of the stunning views of the digital signage throughout the city.
Here's our third installment of rVue Spotlight, where we feature The Herbert Wellness Center at the University of Miami, which hosts the Reach Sports Group Network. We'll continue to personally introduce you to digital out-of-home networks, the locations they're in, and helpful tips that improve campaign success. These videos can help any fresh face to the digital out-of-home industry or a seasoned vet trying to increase the value of their media plan.
Over the past ten years, video games and digital advertising have become more like each other. Video games have real-world advertising and digital advertising has become more interactive and entertaining.
Being a part of a digital culture where the most popular websites include social networking/interaction; where 95% of its content is user generated, I wouldn't be surprised that this approach would continue to evolve even further.
How further you wonder?
The Xbox 360's newest best friend, The Kinect, is a motion-capture sensor that uses the players entire body as the controller for the game. You may have already heard about this new toy and its innovative technology, but what I want to focus/conceptualize on is this:
- If our actions are able to be mapped, captured and transferred into the games we play, then we should be able to export this data to an online server. These files then can then be used in ALL forms of media that associate with animated characters. For example, players can upload and win(through sweepstakes, contests, etc), then have their actions rigged into a character for a new video game.
(Above: How Kinect motion capture is achieved)
That sounds cool and you could probably expect a lot of Kinect owners to participate, but what if we went a step further and had this motion-capturing aesthetic installed in a window display in malls? Bus stops? Gyms? Times Square? Las Vegas? Tokyo?
Could the next big supplier of character content be directly from the consumer? Could digital signage locations around the world be the stage for complete consumer interaction? Would people get swept up in the new wave of socially-submitted interactive advertising? Is it already happening? Software will update, fads will come and go, but there is a solid argument that we are the integral piece to the most exciting and successful digital media out there.
(Above: This is an example of submitting user interactions by utilizing the Kinect)
Big news on the digital wallet front today from none other than credit card giant, Visa. Visa's head of global mobile product, Bill Gajda said, in reference to the announcement, "As the largest payments company in the world, we’re in a position to simplify a key part of those transactions without sacrificing security. Your payments go with you wherever you are."
We have heard a lot of buzz lately about NFC technology coming to our smartphones but this is the first announcement from the credit card and payment technology standpoint. And it's certainly one that will turn some heads and raise the curiosity about the mobile wallet possibilities. Visa says that they are creating a "secure cross-channel digital wallet" and a "range of customized mobile payments services", which for the DOOH industry is pure music to our ears.
Basically, Visa will be acting as our financial ID managers, just like Amazon in a sense. All of your billing information will be stored in a secure manner which will allow you to hit a "purchase now" button and be done with the transaction. It's as easy as it sounds. It will simplify the entire process down to one click from your phone.
The real kicker comes in for the retailers and marketers, though. Merchants will be able to deliver money-off coupons during the actual payment process itself, and have them stored by Visa--assuming consumers opt-in.
Take a look at the video Visa released this week about the exciting digital wallet announcement.
Another awesome Out-of-Home billboard hits the streets of Paris. First, it was the orange juice fueled Tropicana billboards, now it's McDonald's disappearing cup act. The fast food giant is running a promotion through France in which they are giving away a free cup of coffee with the purchase of a meal.
The clever advertisement has 200,000 cups in the middle of a busy section of Paris. Once passerby's figure out they can take the cups for free, a billboard is slowly displayed with the message that the entire country will receive free coffee with the purchase of a meal.
Have a look at this highly-engaging O.O.H ad in the works:
With searching and uncovering new and exciting motion posters for new and upcoming films, I was a little surprised that there were none made for two of the biggest blockbusters this summer. Considering how clever Marvel Studio's execution towards releasing films(The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 1&2, Thor, Captain America) that all weave together and eventually meet in the 2012 release of The Avengers, I would have expected to see more motion posters to come out for Thor and Captain America to build even more excitement.
When I first saw the Captain America poster, I pushed play in my head and saw it for how it should be - full of movement but yet delivered with an instilling emotion. After a few weeks expecting, "They have GOT to be making one", I was too excited to wait and went forward and made one myself. Here it is:
Does this make you more excited to see the Sentinel of Liberty fight the Third Reich?
Is this more successful in catching attention and making an impression than its original still?
Do you think sales for red/white/blue frisbees will skyrocket this summer?
At first I thought I was going to categorize this as a motion poster - HA!
This 'multimedia gate of awesomeness' that surrounds the entrance of the Palace Hotel in Cannes, France is as epic as the third (and final?) installment of the Transformers Trilogy. Flashing clips of the explosive action as well as highlighting the stars, both human and robotic; this constructed triptych is sure to get attention from Cannes Film attendees as well as the general public. It's hard to miss!
To get any attention in the music industry these days, you've really got to make a big splash when debuting a new album. So when Lupe Fiasco recently released his latest tunes, he decided to project videos along with his music on the side of a building in New York's famous Union Square. In addition to the videos, he teamed up with RedLaser (QR code scanner) and provided a QR code for fans to receive the album for free. The results? Well, have a look at the mad dash for the code yourself. We'd say this was a successful DOOH campaign.
Coca-Cola celebrates it's 125th anniversary this month, and in honor of the huge milestone comes some huge signage. Digital signage, nonetheless. The 402 feet tall, Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta has been transformed into one large DOOH billboard... from head to toe. The entire building was covered in white sheeting and every Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the month of May, Atlanta residents are treated to Coke's advertisements of years past, a large glass being filled with soda and even pictures of their Facebook "Fans".
This is said to be the world's largest single building illumination. Take a look at Coca-Cola's marketing video for the massive project. You may also find some videos on YouTube that fans have taken themselves. I wonder if you can see this from a passing by airplane?
What does a tech-savvy guy like Steve Jobs have in common with runway model Heidi Klum? Easy. They are both icons in industries that experience constant change; industries where one must remain two steps ahead of the game just to attract the smallest amount of attention: technology and fashion.
Leading fashion retailer, Forever 21, has creatively merged the two industries together to present consumers with a fashion first - digital runway shows. The retailer made jaws drop in Vienna, Austria on Monday as they executed the first of eight holographic fashion shows around the world. With the production help of space150, the show gave invitees the chance to see the latest fashion trends in a runway show comprised entirely of holographic models.
That’s right. Holographic. It’s more than just images on a screen, though. It’s 3-D models walking an invisible staircase and disappearing into starbursts. Have a look at the fashion-forward 3-D show for yourself:
Video clip of Fashion Show:
This isn’t the first digital venture for this Los Angeles- based fashion emporium. Last year, Forever 21 introduced an interactive digital billboard in Times Square, where giant models interacted, in real time, with customers on the streets outside the store. Models snapped polaroids of the crowd, or picked people up, and dropped them into a store shopping bag.
Video clip of digital billboard:
So does this mean that Heidi Klum is out of a job and needs to turn to the Steve Jobs' of the world for financial support? Probably not. But it certainly introduces an interesting approach to the fashion industry and puts a new spin on digital branding.
From demographics, to venues and markets, we track these popular industry trends within the rVue demand-side platform and will continue to bring this information to you every month. If you're curious to see these numbers evolve more often, the are available exclusively on the rVue dashboard - so be sure to log onto rVue.com now!
Here at rVue, we find a certain kind of joy in directly connecting agencies and networks together, to build harmonious and successful campaigns. We thrive on providing you live data, an easy work-flow and support to help you with anything along the way.
And, we feel like giving you more.
We are now going to release weekly video blogs called, rVue Spotlight, where we personally introduce you to digital out-of-home networks, the locations they're in, and helpful tips that improve campaign success. These videos can help any fresh face to the digital out-of-home industry or a seasoned vet trying to increase the value of their media plan.
We've integrated Google Street-View into the rVue platform to show you the surrounding area of a network and we felt these network highlights would be a great addition to further show the different types of network locations available.
Our first segment features the Bimini Boatyard Restaurant & Bar in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which hosts the BoldwaterTV Network.
We continue to be fascinated by emerging technology, new medias and the continued convergence amongst them all. Here's what we're buzzing about around the rVue cafe this week:
We're Still Going QRazy.
Yes, it seems like everyone has QR-Fever. Whether we're reading QR codes on content-rich resumes or watching the Tribeca Film Festival engage attendees with their own QR Initiative with the goal of connecting them with filmmakers, movie trailers, events - as fans of convergent media - we can't seem to get enough. Expect to see QR codes popping up more often on digital signage ads over the course of the year.
Coming soon to a smart-phone near you...
But the bigger mobile story the week is that of NFC, or near field communication, which is coming to a smart-phone near you. The next batch of smart-phones (including the iPhone 5) is rumored to have the NFC technology built straight into the phone. This means that instant gratification will become even more instant. In Lamens terms, this bit of technology basically will let your phone act as a credit or debit card. Simply hover your phone near an NFC tag and instantly purchase an item or service. With the announcement from RMG yesterday that it will combine NFC and DOOH together, I think we're just beginning to scratch the surface of possibilities for this new type of interactive digital out-of-home.
DOOHgood'ers.
Which leads us to our next lunch-worthy topic; digital signage prompting immediate action from its viewers. And what better immediate reaction is there than one for a good cause? The digital signage community is calling this new movement DOOHgood (previouslyDOOH4Relief). What started as a conversation via social media about how the DOOH community could help the victims of the Japan Earthquake earlier this year, lead to the creation of spots created for networks of all types, to use to encourage donations (via text message) to the RedCross. It has quickly evolved to a much bigger picture. Industry experts are collaborating once more to create a one-stop shop for digital signage networks to find and use videos if they decide to support a certain cause or relief effort. We'll keep you posted on further developments of DOOHgood.
Quench your interactive thirst.
Lastly, we're typically water and coffee drinkers here in the rVue cafe but the newest Pepsi machines sure make us want to have a nice, cold soda. Pepsi's latest machine has a digital screen interface which prompts soda drinkers buy their own drink, or gift a friend with a Pepsi drink too. The user selects a drink, enters the recipient's name, cell phone number and a personalized text message with a code redeemable at another vending machine. Consumers can even send a personal message with a short video recorded by the machine.
The possibilities of digital signage (and digital vending) will only continue to "WOW" us in the future.
Last year, Coca-Cola launched a fun viral video that portrayed a ficticious vending machine that turned out free Cokes and pizzas. Now, with their own refreshing twist, Pepsi has introduced a a very real vending machine that is social media-enable and touted as the "Next Generation in Interactive Vend Technology."
Just announced at a Chicago trade show, PepsiCo's Social Vending Machine reinforces their commitment to developing "Smart" Equipment. This generation vending machine let's the users buy a soda, gift a soda to a friend or to a stranger. The purchaser selects a drink, enter's the recipient's name, cell phone number and a personalized text message with a code redeemable at another vending machine. Consumers can even send a personal message with a short video recorded by the machine.
According to Pepsi, this effort extends social interaction with their social networks and comsumers beyond the static, into something fun. What is next for Coke? Touchscreen Interactive vending machines that enhance the user experience.
We stumbled across this a few weeks ago and just had to share it in time for Mother's Day. Last year, the entire staff of Adams Outdoor Advertising in Charleston, SC wrote short notes to their moms or their wives for Mother's Day. The ads ran on a digital billboard along a busy highway for all to see. So sweet!
Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful Mom's out there!
You know what they say: "Go big or go home." Care Media Holdings Corp. certainly wasn't going to go home from the 2011 Digital Screenmedia Association's Industry Excellence Awards without seizing the attention of the industry's finest. The DSA hosted their inaugural Industry Excellence Awards in April, honoring the best digital signage, mobile and self-service kiosk technology deployments across all vertical market segments. CARE Media was awarded Best Healthcare Deployment in Digital Signage earlier this month. But they didn't stop there. During the opening keynote session at Customer Engagement Technology World on April 27th in San Francisco, the final three award winners were announced as part of the 2011 DSA Awards. Stuart Armstrong, DSA immediate past president, and Brian Ardinger, DSA president, presented the final awards which includedCARE Media's Network Operator of the Year.
CARE Media Holdings Corp. produces and delivers educational programming to consumers through pediatric, OB/GYN and veterinary offices throughout North America via a 100% digital broadband network. Did you know that patients wait an average of 17 minutes in reception areas before an exam? CARE Media maximizes time spent in a waiting room by using high-definition digital media to air content, which is all written and approved by doctors. Patients are exposed to short, informational video segments which are interspersed with relevant advertising assuring that viewers are receiving reliable and valuable information.
Launched in 2007, Care Media’s fast track to success has been built on President/ CEO Phil Cohen's relentless focus on ensuring that the network provides exceptional content backed with reporting transparency, accountability, and measurable ROI. Current programming reaches nearly five million female consumers monthly and 60 million annually.
Judges at the Industry Excellence Awards said about CARE Media’s successful deployment:
“The CARE network reaches a valuable audience with relevant content and messaging. Additionally, the results in terms of ad recall are impressive.”
“Overall, it's easy to see that CARE has cornered and succeeded at a particular niche in the digital OOH market”
“The content and presentation seem to work great for the environment. It educates and entertains – the main goal for the host venue. Can’t argue with simplicity.”
rVue continues to take pride in our network partner's success and congratulates them on their recent accomplishments.
As we just celebrated Earth Day last week, there is no better time to share some out-of-home, green advertising with you.
Our citrusy friends at Tropicana used 2,500 oranges to light up a billboard in France. How so? Well, the oranges were fitted with zinc and copper spikes which simply caused the orange juice to dissolve the metals, "causing their electrons to create a current."
According to DDB Paris, Tropicana will be bringing more orange-powered billboards to the streets next month. Stay tuned!
In another clever and eco-friendly ad campaign, Fresh Green Ads, the self-proclaimed "innovative green media agency", has launched the RAINCAMPAIGN for SEA LIFE Scheveningen, in the Netherlands. "Every time it rains the octopus of SEA LIFE Scheveningen appears on streets and cisterns with its tentacles holding the text: SEA LIFE never lets you go." Have a look at the rain-appearing ads in action.
Everywhere I look I see articles and blogs focused on mobile! mobile! mobile! And rightfully so. It's definitely a topic worthy of the marketing hype. While reading through MediaPost, I came across an article about mobile and in-home television and combining the two technologies to bring mainstream advertisers an opportunity to reach consumers in a relatively new way.
A lot of us have been prompted to use our remotes for more information (called Request for Information or RFI) on a product or service, during a TV commercial. While this is a great tool, advertisers are starting to understand, though, that while we have a remote control in one hand, a lot of people have their mobile phones, iPads or other devices in the other hand. This can open a whole new window for advertisers to engage you with.
That’s where IntoNow, a mobile-marketing company, offers some potential. The company has focused on social media interaction while watching TV over the last several months. Using your Apple gadgets, TV viewers can share with their friends exactly what they’re watching (another version of checking in). Example: (as used in MediaPost), “I’m watching Dexter, Season Two, Episode Six”. IntoNow works similarly to the music download App Shazam; it will listen to the audio of the program and then search it’s database for a match. Users of shazam can then download the song through iTunes. IntoNow can identify episodes from five years’ worth of programming on 130 networks so far.
Now, if you combine RFI and mobile concepts together and you’ve got Pepsi’s new campaign with Major League Baseball. A person can point at an MLB-themed spot on their TV and have a digital coupon sent to their phone in the way of a barcode. You can then redeemed the coupon at a store by simply having the cashier scan the code. Easy enough, right?
The system can also offer consumers/viewers information about products or links to videos. This got me thinking, with the buzz about QR codes growing, this “point and click” technology can also certainly take off outside of the home. Especially for the DOOH industry. Imagine you are out grocery shopping and an ad is running for Peeps (since it’s Easter this week and who doesn’t love a Peep). You can point your phone at the ad and voila! you’ve got yourself a coupon to be scanned at checkout. A "share" option, where you could share the coupon with friends within your social media networks, would be the cherry on top.
Just as it does for TV advertisers, the industry can gain a lot of insight using this RFI method. Both advertisers and networks can learn more about the consumption of running ads and participation levels (downloads versus usage). I think there is a lot of opportunity to be explored.
Here's a screenshot from the IntoNow application. Can you see the opportunity now?
While at the AMC movie theater in Aventura, FL, I encountered a cardboard installation promoting the upcoming film "Priest". Once spotting the the QR code in the corner, naturally I whipped my phone out to tag and see what it's about. It brought me to the films mobile site that had a link where one of the star actors Maggie Q introduces a short animation that acts as the prologue of the film.
As I've pointed out in a previous blog, QR Codes are versatile, chock full o'data codes that act as portals to mobile web sites. However, there's not one universal QR reader appllication simply because there's not just one type of QR code. So I thought it was important to revist this topic to talk more about the types of 2D codes/tags you'll encounter. From most popular to less known, these codes are...(feel free to insert Family Feud Bell)
QR Codes
This is your standard issue code. Highly recognized, known for its 3 anchor points; making it very easy for phones to pick up.
Datamatrix Codes
If there were a code race, these codes are biting the ankles of QR codes. Except having three anchor points, its has a perpendicular lines running up the left and bottom side of the code.
Microsoft Tag Codes
Developed from Microsoft, these tag codes may have a climbing popularity due its world-dominating developer. This was the kind of code I encountered with the 'Priest' installation above.
Everyone else... and beyond
You're going to see that QR/tag codes can be as customized as business cards. Developers can create these codes/scanners however they want. Shapes, colors, arrangements and even pictures can be integrated into the code. I created this tag using the BeeTagg Generator. Expect to see many more classes and hybrids of codes to surface. There are already enough out there making it hard to keep up!
Even though we inch closer to the next generation of smartphones that will act as electronic wallets (NFC - Near Field Communication), the popular Square Credit Card Reader is now for sale at the Apple Store for $10 (both in-store and online).
If you haven't known about this already, it allows anyone to accept credit card transactions, receipts and deposits. There's no contracts, just a 2.75% per transaction fee.
However, you can also go to the Square website, where, once registered, you can have one sent to your doorstep for free. It's certainly handy for anyone that's running a business on-the-go. Being that I'm always near a computer, I can't say I'd utilize this as much - but as another gadget on my digital utility belt, I figured, why not?
Video-posting hub Vimeo has released their new application for the iPhone. This may not sound like a wild newsline but for the media culture that resides on Vimeo, it is. Though not as familiar as its more popular cousin, YouTube, Vimeo's quality of content from its users is as clean and 'pro' looking as the site itself. I won't focus so much on which is better since both have pros and cons, which make each site's role significant and appreciated, but the principle of quality over quantity chimes louder than you can ignore when comparing the two.
Now that I got that out of the way, lets get to the app.
As you'd expect, you can search, play, and upload clips to the site; but it also gives you the ability to import video/audio stored on your phone, edit them together on a timeline, and even stylize them with filters, transitions and titles. There is even an option to download audio tracks provided by Vimeo (Wifi/iTunes required). The title design feature certainly is not like having a copy of After Effects on your phone, but it works. (Plus if you're taking the editing/title process seriously, you shouldn't be doing it on your phone; am I right?)
Since I'm covering the features of this app and practically reviewing it, I figured I'd take a test run. After learning for myself (as well as a few instructional cues), I put a short clip together using videos I've taken on my own adventures.
The final product is nothing amazing, but for experimenting purposes, it works! With all the tapping, swiping and pinching, I'd say the learning curve is about 20 minutes. As any newly released app that deals with a lot of complexity you may encounter a crash here and there, but regardless, this is a fun app to put clips together quickly and directly upload to Vimeo.
Now since you've been such a great audience and read this whole blog post, you're probably wondering, "What the heck does this have to do with digital signage?"
Well, with how integrated mobile interaction has been with digital signage in places like malls, bars and concerts (to name a few), the popularity of posting comments and pictures is ultimately going to evolve to posting videos to these networks. From the teenager at the pop concert showing her point-of-view in front of the stage, to the biker showing off tricks on his new ride, people love to share their videos - and that's clearly evident with sites like Vimeo and YouTube.
We hear the comparison of new Digital Out-of-Home to the movie "Minority Report" on a daily basis but, we must admit, this new piece of technology is pretty deserving of the comparison. DOOH already provides a pretty great way to hone in on a particular audience base. But imagine if you could get even more specific in targeting your viewing audience? Enter Immersive Labs, a company that has the goals of bringing highly targeted ads via it's smart billboard technology.
The company introduced the AI:Billboard at last weeks TechStars' Demo Day in New York. The software essentially combines video analytics with enviromental factors and Twitter and FourSquare information to decide what the best ad to display at that exact moment is.
Male? Aftershave ad. Female? Beauty Products. If social networks like Twitter and FourSquare produce data that indicates there's a sports game going on in the area, expect to see something like a Nike ad versus that of, say, FedEx. Over time, the software will learn what works and will improve.
Be on the look out for these digital signs in the near future. Pilot programs will be running at the St. Louis Rams Stadium and JFK International Airport soon and production of the software is said to be available by years end. We're looking forward to following the progression of this technology.
Boy... I sure feel confident about that blog title. If I looked for recognition for creating a cool headline, I'd probably only get a few snickers and maybe a high five from a fellow associate. But what if you could REALLY get rewarded for your small achievements...say, while on your mobile phone?
Stop for a moment and think about your favorite mobile game. Maybe its Sodoku. Or Words With Friends. Or the ever addicting Angry Birds. With the hours you put into it, you've probably earned an "achievement"; but instead of getting little achievements or medals, what if you actually won a reward?
Well, the developers and thinkers over at Kiip (pronounced Keep, like the clever title suggests:) have given advertisers another tool on their belt for reaching out to the consumer. I'll let their video animation explain the concept, as it communicates it very well. I reward Kiip with the "brilliant idea" reward. It's sure to peak ANY advertiser's interest.
Could this erupt to become the next big money maker for advertisers ?
Would this be loved or rejected by the world's mobile gaming culture?
Should pigs build stronger forts or just tell the birds to chill out?
High Network adoption rate underscores the market’s interest in an industry standard for DOOH analytics
Recently, rVue, Inc., a subsidiary of rVue Holdings Inc. (RVUE:OTCQB) announced that it is providing hosted web-based analytics for digital out-of-home (DOOH) media at no cost. rVue Analytics helps businesses use performance data to improve their marketing campaigns and DOOH networks by providing proof of performance metrics such as network uptime, Internet connectivity, validation of network locations, playlist measurements and geo-tracking. Since launching the free real-time analytics program in late March, rVue has reached several milestones:
Adoption rate of over 90% by networks presented the program.
Engagement with four of DOOH’s leading software solution providers.
Over 50,000 real-time network data points achieved in two weeks
“Reporting and analytics are critical for digital signage as it is clear that every network and advertiser are jointly looking for a standard solution,” said Peter O’Connor, Director of Operations for c3ms and the NobelVision Network. “From what we’ve seen in the market, rVue is the only advertising platform delivering a solution that is seamless and ready for our use now. They have provided an easy, one-stop, accurate solution for analytics that will benefit both media buyers and network operators.”
rVue Analytics is simple for businesses new to DOOH analytics to get started quickly yet sophisticated enough for the most advanced DOOH marketers.
Highlights of rVue Analytics include:
No cost to join or utilize the rVue analytics program
Cohesively works with current software and hardware
Network dashboards: Integration with the rVue Demand Side Platform (DSP) works with any DOOH network: Users of the rVue DSP can access analytics from a new interface within their rVue account. rVue Analytics automatically tags DOOH destinations to save time and reduce the potential for errors.
Buyer reporting dashboards: rVue Analytics tracks the results of marketing campaigns through proof of playlist on a location-by-location basis.
rVue Analytics executive summary reports: Developed for the three most common decision makers – executive, marketer, operator– the executive summary will ease access to crucial information across departments.
About rVueTM: rVue, Inc., is an advertising technology company which includes the only demand-side platform for planning, buying and managing Digital Out-of-Home and Place-Based Media. The platform connects advertisers with DOOH networks to streamline campaign management, content distribution, analytics and billing. For more information, please visit www.rvue.com.
About c3ms: c3ms worked with Nobel Biocare to create entertaining, educational programming and advertising specifically targeted to the dental patient. The programming also includes real time information, such as news in a ticker format, at the bottom of the system's flat panel television screen. Additionally, the network is used for clinician training, communication and continuing education by companies providing products and services directly to the practice after hours. The delivery of these programs mitigates travel time and cost to the dental practitioner, provides manufacturers with a virtual representative in the practice, and streamlines the delivery of these programs for the dental practices and manufacturers alike. For more information, please visit www.c3ms.com.
Ad Exchanges. Ad Networks. Aggregators. Demand Side Platforms. Which one of these is not like the other?
A day doesn't go by when we aren't asked "How are you different?" If you follow Digital Out-of-Home and Internet media, chances are you have heard these terms used almost interchangeably.
A real-time demand side platform offers unique features to both the buyers and the sellers of digital media. It is not an aggregation, agency or ad network model. DSPs provide features like Real-Time Bidding, Real-Time Analytics and empowerment to both sides of the equation. Hyper-local targeting. Broad reach across the US and Canada. Search by keyword...and more.
Buyers can search, target, plan, and buy....in minutes. RTB (Real-Time Bidding) not RFPs - saving media planners precious time so they can get even more done in less time.
According to Nat Turner, CEO, at Invite Media, in an AdExchanger article, Demand Side Platforms offer features such as:
The DSP must provide a fully self-service interface. Clients should be able to have complete control via the interface and build an expertise around its use.
If the DSP provides managed services help to the agency, the DSP should be using the same interface that the agency would be using.
The technology should not require any manual work behind the scenes to activate or "set live" a change or a campaign.
The DSP must remain neutral and have zero allegiances to any publishers, exchanges, data providers or other vendors.
A true DSP should embody the word "platform" and not just be conduit or pretty interface to a pre-existing business.
The DSP should not mark-up media cost without the agency knowing.
The DSP should not mark-up data cost without the agency knowing.
If the DSP works with a publisher directly, it should be in an effort to make that publisher's inventory "biddable." The DSP should not earn any additional margin from revenue sharing with the publisher or arbitraging the inventory.
Data should be treated like media, it's another part of the "supply side" that is purchased by the agency and thus should be transparent in cost.
The DSP should not, under any circumstances, own or operate an ad network. This is in direct conflict with the neutrality aspect.
The DSP's goal should be to expose any feature or tool that a supply source provides (either ad exchange or data provider) and not to try and obfuscate/hide or re-brand certain components (ex. "DSP Auto Segment #1", with no transparency into what that means). If a supply source provides it, the DSP should expose it for the agency self-service and let the agency decide whether to use it or not.
The DSP should not "bulk buy" media in order to re-sell to its clients. This could either be a function of another way to make margin, a lacking of technology, or a combination of the two.
Related to the above, the DSP should not take on media risk. Every impression should be purchased on behalf of a platform user at that time based on an active campaign that that platform user has created targeting that impression.
Tomorrow's MediaPost Expo in NYC features a panel discussion (which includes rVue CEO Jason Kates) and explores the DOOH ad solutions in the marketplace. In coming weeks, you'll be hearing more from us on the language of DOOH and breaking through the differences between these terms and models.
But we want to hear from you. What features and benefits are important to you? What would you like to see? Which models do you prefer? Your voice matters to us, so share with us today at connect@rVue.com.
Jason Kates, CEO of rVue, will be speaking at the Media Post event (part of Screens Week) in New York City on April 14th as part of a panel discussing "Assessing DOOH Technology" at 2:45pm. The discussion will cover the changing and growing landscape for DOOH networks and technology platforms - a topic very familiar to Jason, who has pushed the boundaries for DOOH technology since 1996.
Most recently, Jason's pushed the technological momentum forward with the addition of rVue Analytics, a web-based analytics tool that works seamlessly with a networks current software to provide third-party analysis of running campaigns.
For a full description of the event or to register, please visit Media Post's website or click HERE.
If a bar code is a police officer, then a QR code is a SWAT team.
Confused? I'll make sense of that right now.
QR codes, or Quick Response Codes, are a two dimensional, high-data barcode that's designed to be scanned at a high speed. Compared to a regular one dimensional bar code which are limited to only 20 digits, a total of 7,089 characters can be encoded in one symbol alone.
Once scanned, your smartphone will load up the mobile web address that was embedded in the code or even a prompt to download an app straight. That SWAT comparison is starting to make sense now, huh?
You may be surprised that these actually created in 1994 by Japanese corporation Densowave (surprised it was in 1994, not Japan), but since all of our phones were so technologically basic at the time, QR codes didn't really get the attention it deserved. Now that everyone spends more time on their phone then they do sleeping, and that phone applications are as popular as fashion trends, QR code ultilization has skyrocketed... and will continue to do so.
So how does this process work so efficiently?
There are three anchor points or 'Finder Patterns' that allow your mobile device to quickly align andidentify the rest of the code layout. The design is then read and decoded horizontally and vertically. Those anchor points allow the code to be scanned at any angle, making the scanning/capturing process very easy to achieve.
You can imagine that these codes are being used on all fronts of printed advertisings, but that's certainly not where it ends. From clothing and jewelry, prescription bottles, to even wedding cakes, even embedded into video games, the limitations are only defined by where you can't point your camera phone.
As I'm sure you've already thought about a dozen other methods using a QR code, but have you thought about how companies can profit from them? It's almost as abundant as the methods provided. Coupons, newsletters, videos, downloadable wallpaper/ringtones, marketplaces, census data, sweepstakes, tracking and much more can be offered to customers. For your sales department, these codes are turning everyones phones into direct response devices. I don't have to show clever statistics to prove that this is going to be one of the most profitable (and inexpensive) marketing strategies for companies, big and small, to use this year (and the next few years to come).
We know the potential, we've seen a ton of examples out in the real world. Now we're all waiting for that captilizing moment where a company, viral video, or SNL skit will blow up this trend from being a blip on the radar to defining its place in our everyday lives.
We can safely assume that most of us have Facebook pages (personal and business related), Twitter accounts, YouTube Channels, FourSquare usernames, and the list goes on and on. When we wake up in the morning, most of us even check our phones for news before we turn our TV’s on. We are constantly connected to the world via social media technology. Combine the social with the mobile and we’re essentially plugged-in 24/7. In fact, it’s reported in a new study that social media marketing is on track to trump search engine marketing as the #1 marketing tool. SEM has long reigned supreme as the best way to market to an audience but with Facebook at the forefront, social media marketing will likely take the coveted spot in the very near future.
So what does this mean for DOOH? Earlier this week, we blogged about the billboard that dispersed dog food when a passerby would check in via FourSquare. We also shared the digital sign that gave you ice cream when you smiled; which you could then share on Facebook with friends. Both of these are perfect examples of how digital out-of-home content can encourage brand engagement and brand ambassadorship.
If viewers of your out-of-home ads are prompted to interact with a sign via their mobile social media tools, you are harnessing the ability to not only influence the person in front of the actual signage but their entire network of friends. For example, say you pass by the digital sign that tells you all you have to do is “Say cheese and smile!” for a free ice cream bar, naturally you’ll do it and probably laugh at the picture that the screen displays. At this point, you’re fully engaged with the brand and it’s product. Then you’re asked to share the photo on Facebook or Twitter with your network of friends. You’ve now, within a minute timespan, transitioned from an unaware consumer, to interacting with the brand and now to an influencer for the brand, sharing the brand information with your friends.
By integrating the mobile and social media elements in to your advertisements, you are taking the campaign one step further and ensuring the brand is instilled in a consumers mind... and their friends.
With advancements continuesly being made with mobile technology and smartphones, the DOOH industry has a lot to be excited about. We found this great roundup of iPhone 5 rumors and one of the more promising additions to the new models (which also means other smartphones will follow suit) is the inclusion of NFC Technology. According to this infographic, the likely-hood this mobile purchasing technology will be added to the new iPhone is about 80%.
So what is NFC technology? Otherwise known as Near Field Communication, NFC is a is a set of short-range wireless technologies which will enable users to pay for products (like off of digital signage) by debit or credit card within a 4 inch range. This essentially turns your phone into a mobile wallet. Can you see the possibilities already? We sure can!
Every day we become more excited about the importance, the power and the possibilites of Social Media combined with DOOH, or OOH. Today we stumbled across this interactive billboard for the dogs.
In Germany, GranataPet food has a billboard in an area where dog owners often walk their four-legged friends. The billboard for the dog food company prompts users to check-in on Foursquare and in return, samples of the food is poured in to a dog bowl for the pups to try! Check out the video below for the full run-down on this interactive and social media friendly billboard.
Us tech-friendly folks can't resist a good challenge so when a video went viral earlier this month of man allegedly hacking into Times Square jumbo screens via his iPhone, 27 year old Adi Isakovic showed off his newly altered for Times Square product, TubeMote. TubeMote is essentially a custom App for his phone which transmits his video through the web, and then on to any screen. There is a 20 second delay to process feeds but, nonetheless, he is apparently "hacking" into Times Square feeds.
Global Infomercial Services (GIS) today announced a partnership with rVue, Inc., a subsidiary of rVue Holdings, Inc. (RVUE.OTCQB), an advertising technology company that specializes in Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) solutions, to bring alternative advertising channels to product marketers.
Digital Out-of-Home media has been best known for digital screens in New York City’s Times Square and local movie theaters. However, in recent years, DOOH has exploded to include screens and kiosks in office buildings, medical offices, malls, retail environments, health clubs, restaurants and airports. In addition, digital billboards are popping up in high traffic areas because of the media’s unique ability to target and engage audiences through rich media. There are approximately 1.7 million digital screens across the United States, and over 5 million global screens, which are available for advertising. The industry is projected to experience double-digit growth to become a $10.8 billion global market by 2014.
Eric Edington, Vice President of GIS, says, “Digital out-of-Home will continue to be one of the fastest-growing media around the world over the next five years. We, at GIS, always strive to find innovative and effective ways to “Reach out to the World” and are very excited about this alliance. This venture with rVue will allow us to offer Per Inquiry media to the Direct Response TV community that reaches and engages the desired target market more effectively and economically.”
rVue’s Demand Side Platform (DSP) and managed services team has streamlined the process for advertisers to easily create, negotiate, purchase and manage DOOH media for their clients across the landscape of digital screens, billboards and interactive kiosks.
Web-Based DOOH Analytics Service Now Available to All Digital Networks and Advertisers
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.- rVue, Inc., a subsidiary of rVue Holdings Inc. (OTCQB:RVUE) announced today that it is providing hosted web-based analytics for digital out-of-home (DOOH) media at no cost. rVue Analytics helps businesses use performance data to improve their marketing campaigns and DOOH networks. With rVue Analytics, businesses can now access proof of performance metrics such as network uptime, Internet connectivity, validation of network locations, playlist measurements and geo-tracking.
“Our continued mission is make it easy to plan, purchase and analyze digital place based media by removing barriers to entry through technology and support. By providing DOOH marketers and networks access to powerful analytics, they are able to offer their customers what they want – at no cost. With this knowledge, businesses can create more accurate advertising plans and build stronger networks,” said Jason Kates, CEO of rVue. “By making this powerful service free, we aim to give all networks – large and small – the tools needed to serve their customers, make more money, and improve the DOOH experience for everyone.”
rVue Analytics can enhance every aspect of DOOH marketing – from selecting and bidding on effective DOOH networks to optimizing network design. By acting on this information, businesses of all sizes can attract more advertisers, convert more prospects to customers, and improve the overall return on their marketing investment. rVue Analytics is simple enough for businesses new to DOOH analytics to get started quickly, and sophisticated enough for the most advanced DOOH marketers.
Highlights of rVue Analytics include:
No cost to join or utilize the rVue analytics program
Cohesively works with current software and hardware
Network dashboards: Integration with the rVue Demand Side Platform (DSP) works with any DOOH network: Users of the rVue DSP can access analytics from a new interface within their rVue account. rVue Analytics automatically tags DOOH destinations to save time and reduce the potential for errors.
Buyer reporting dashboards: rVue Analytics tracks the results of marketing campaigns through proof of playlist on a location-by-location basis.
rVue Analytics executive summary reports: Developed for the three most common decision makers – executive, marketer, operator– the executive summary will ease access to crucial information across departments.
rVue Analytics runs on the same computing infrastructure that powers the rVue.com Demand Side Platform (DSP) so it can support the traffic demands of any network, from those with a few screens to hundreds of thousands. rVue Analytics is currently in use by many of rVue’s top properties and will continually be adding new capabilities and benefits for both sides of the platform.
Much like it did with buying advertising for DOOH media, the rVue team developed rVue analytics to make tracking DOOH analytics simpler and more accessible for buyers and DOOH networks. rVue Analytics and online support are available immediately and to both existing accounts within the rVue DSP as well as new clients. Customization or advanced integration is also available from rVue representatives and select rVue service partners.
About rVue: rVueTM, Inc., is an advertising technology company which includes the only demand-side platform for planning, buying and managing Digital Out-of-Home and Place-Based Media. The platform connects advertisers with DOOH networks to streamline campaign management, content distribution, analytics and billing. For more information, please visit www.rvue.com.
Adidas is the next big player to step up to the 3-D Digital Mapping Arena with this piece of art titled, "Adidas Is All In". The huge digital out-of-home ad launched last week at the “Palais du Pharo” in Marseille, France. This is our favorite 3-D DOOH we've seen yet!
Recent Comments