rVue Blog

The U.S. EPA & DOT go QRazy!

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.

 

Ashley DiVeronica - Digital Marketing - rVue

Is NFC the way to be?

 

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?

 

- Spoiler Alert - 

 

Sony.

 

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

Digital Mic-age at the NBA Finals

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? 

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue

  

 

Dark Knight Rises, Virally.

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. 

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue

  

 

 

BBC covers DOOH

The BBC covers digital out-of-home advertising and discusses it's benefits and advantages. Fantastic segment.

Ashley DiVeronica - Digital Marketing - rVue

 

Industry Insights: Jennifer Bolt

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.

 

 

I'll trade you my Kobe DOOH for your Griffin DOOH

 
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:

   

Ashley DiVeronica - Digital Marketing - rVue

Save a tree with a Panda

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? 

Click Here to get the WWF software now!

   

 

 

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

And the award goes to.... Beyonce!

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:

   

Ashley DiVeronica - Digital Marketing - rVue

3-D Projection Mapping Radar: Hyundai Accent

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.

Hyundai Accent 3D projection mapping from flipEvil on Vimeo.

 

 

rVue Spotlight: Reach Sports Group

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.

Let us know what you think!

 

 

Catch up on our previous Spotlight videos!

 AMI JukeBox

Boldwater TV

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

Become the Content.

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)

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

It's really happening...digital wallets.

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.

   

Blogged by Ashley DiVeronica - Marketing - rVue

Parisian's get their coffee fix thanks to McDonald's & clever O.O.H. ad

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:

 

Ashley DiVeronica - Marketing - rVue

 

Motion Poster Radar: Captain America: The First Avenger

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?

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

Tranformers 3 Mega-Banner at Cannes

 

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!

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

Motion Poster Radar: Iron Sky

 

Though it may not contend with summer blockbusters as Thor or Transformers 3, this independent sci-fi comedy is taking itself very seriously with this motion poster which they have released.

Towards the end of World War II, Nazi's made a breakthrough in anti-gravity, and put a space station on the dark side of the moon. An invasion 70 years in the making, the new wave of Nazi's come flying back to Earth. How this will turn into a comedy I have no idea, but they sure have my attention!

Here are other motion posters that have come up recently...

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

Coca-Cola turns Traffic Jam into Drive-Thru Theater

 

As a result of the high traffic in Bogota, Coca-Cola set up an big screen like an electronic billboard and played short independent films; and what's incredibly clever is that they transmitted the audio through the radio. Colorfully branded, smiling vendors would then go to each vehicle offering Coca-Cola as well as hot dogs, nachos or popcorn. That certainly would bring a smile to even the most white-knuckled, road-raged commuter. So please silence your phones and horns. 

If you have a captive audience, you have an opportunity to connect! Get out there and get inspired!

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

DOOH + QR Code + Mobile = Music freebies

Warning: Music in video may not be safe for work.

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.

 

 

REALLY BIG DIGITAL SIGNAGE!

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?

 

rVue Spotlight: AMI Jukebox

Here's our second installment of rVue Spotlight, where we feature JP Mulligans that hosts the AMI Jukebox 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.

Let us know what you think!

 

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

Monthly Trends: April 2011

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!

 

 

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

rVue Spotlight: Boldwater TV

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.

Let us know what you think!

 

 

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

Emergence and Convergence: QR Codes, Tech Talk and Media Buzz

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.

 

Motion Poster Radar: Billy Elliot

Well it may not be as raw and bloody as a the Conan the Barbarian motion poster(which is probably a good thing), but to promote the the broadway production of Billy Elliot, there's a new motion poster out for all to see. Its clean and simple, but fun and energetic at the same time. Since the movie identity is known for it's main character jumping in mid-air, the creators cleverly harnessed the bullet-cam effect(No Billy's were harmed) and produced quite an immersing moment that freezes in time and makes for an impressive poster that demands attention. 

 

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
  

Digital Cola Wars? Pepsi, Coke and their Refreshing Approaches to Interactive DOOH

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.

 

 

Mother's Day a la DOOH

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!

The biggest Mother's Day card. Ever. from Todd Turner on Vimeo.

 

 

Care Media Holdings Corp. wins big at 2011 DSA Industry Excellence Awards

 

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. 

Billboards & Signage Go Green

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.

 

For the love of mobile marketing...

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?

So Many Types. Still QRazy.

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!

 

 

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
 

Square C-Card Reader Sold in Apple Store

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?

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
 

Vimeo Shows Up to the iPhone Party

 

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. 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
 

Artificial Intelligence... for your Digital Signs.

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.

Is your digital signage network this intelligent?

 

Play for "Kiips"

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?

 

Only time will tell.

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
 

Bar Wars: Return of the Jukebox

 

Have you gone to a bar or lounge and just hated the music being played? Did you wish you could just hop behind the turntables and hook up your own playlist? Well..you can.

It's been out for some time now, but the the Apple Remote App allows you to setup a playlist on iTunes that offers anyone else within WiFi distance to vote for the next song off your library. Whether you're DJing a party at your apartment or at a local bar, your guests can feel a bit more 'part of the scene' when hear the song they voted for off their iPhone. 

The popularity of the jukebox certainly has plateaued, even diminished, over the years to be a common feature in bars these days. However, integrating mobile interaction into the process gives a bit more of a refreshed novelty to it, no? Bar patrons can show up to their favorite bar time and time again, but wouldn't be subjected to the same playlist or overplayed live artist. Instead, its as if they're getting acclamated with what everyone else is in the mood for. It's easy, free, and pretty hip to say the least. I can definitely see this becoming a standard in bars, restaurants, clubs, theme parks, etc. Can you think of other places this could be popular in?

Click here to learn how to set it up!

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
 

So QRazy.

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.

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
 

GIS and rVue Align to Introduce Direct Response to DOOH Media

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.

 

Free Digital Out-Of-Home Media Analytics Available Via rVue DSP

  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: rVue^TM, 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.

 

Rest In Peace RFPs

Dearly Beloved,

We gather together on this 17th day of March, 2011, to say goodbye to someone we all have known well over the course of our careers. It is the RFP.

Many of us have spent hours with Request for Proposals in the past. Maybe even weeks. Alas, we have toiled together and, unfortunately, the results were often in vain.

I could continue on this morbid vein, but this is, after all, St. Patrick's day and being 3/4 Irish it is time to lighten up and talk about green, myths, reality and the luck of the digital. 

Few of us will miss the RFP process - either on the buying end or the selling end. Staffs have been reduced on both sides, yet the RFP process has taken countless hours, pounds of paperwork and it just doesn't scale. Not a green solution, but there is gold at the end of the rainbow Lads and Lassies.

Fortunately, we all live in a highly efficient, digital age and have other solutions to choose from. This is at the core of rVue's business philosophy. We build efficient tools and back them by experts in their field.

Why? So you can concentrate on the big ideas, client service and your core competencies. We want you to have the competitive edge and the time to focus on the things that make your company great at what you do, make your clients happy, and brings you new business and more of the green stuff that pays your happy team.

Myth: Buyers and Sellers aren't ready for a different process.

Reality: Buyers and Sellers are embracing the efficiency of digital solutions, especially when backed by easy-to-work-with experts that are in their corner with plans, offers and resources at their disposal in a fraction of the time that it used to take. We're seeing it happen in all medias. Your competition is tapping into digital solutions. The time is now to act.

Myth: What about my value adds? Will I lose them?

Reality: Eliminating the RFP process has saved Sellers' time, stress and resources. By offering scalable solutions, they have been freed up to be able to offer additional media where it is feasible. RFPs are often vague and have left sellers with many questions. Digital solutions don't eliminate anyone's creativity, they simply free up their time to focus on core objectives.

Myth: This will impact my sales channel.

Reality: Yes, in a positive way. Intelligent, digital solutions can positively impact your bottom line. Smart and creative companies have integrated digital solutions into their sales channel. Sellers often use their profiles as sales tools.

I must bid you farewell and ask your forgiveness as I sign off. It is usually not our style to stump, but on this St. Patrick's day, I wish you well and offer you this:

An Irish Blessing

May love and laughter light your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours,

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world,

with joy that long endures.

May all of life's passing seasons,

bring the best to you and yours.

Dawn Rahicki

SVP, CMO

 

 

"A Day Made Of Glass" May Be Sooner Than You Think.

With over 9 million views on YouTube, in just over a month, Corning's vision for the future features a life filled with interactive glass, making life's tasks extraordinarily easy. Originally created with the intent of helping investors understand the possibilities of glass, the video has become a YouTube viral success. 

Its agency, Doremus, says the video was designed "to inspire largely Corning's big investors as to the applications of glass into electronics and into our everyday lives," an agency rep tells Marketing Daily. The video, which you can view below, is reminiscent of Tom Cruise running around an interactive world in Minority Report. The video is realistic looking and may not be so far from the future as we think. While the video shows predominately Digital In-Home Media, Digital Out-of-Home glass fixtures are closer than we think.  

iBurger, a new burger joint in Montreal, Quebec, is serving up the classic comfort food by way of ordering via interactive touch screen built in to the tables. The high-tech tables were designed by the restaurant owners with Microsoft Surface. The technology uses 40 inch Samsung SUR40 that can be used as a table, on the wall, or embedded in other fixtures or furniture. The restaurant owners went an extra step of designing the fixtures themselves to withstand the spills, dropped utensils and anything else it's patrons can toss at it. The surface uses PixelSense™ which allows Microsoft Surface to see and respond to touch, and real world objects—supporting more than 50 simultaneous inputs.

You can find Microsoft Surface debuting at Clinique Make-Up counters in the future, further bringing this technology to the retail experience. It's only a matter of time until the technology used to create the touch screen retail environments is advanced to using glass surfaces. 

 

 Ashley DiVeronica, Digital Marketing

 

Help Jake Gyllenhaal Crack the 'Source Code'

With the new Jake Gyllenhaal movie "Source Code" coming out, you'd be right to guess that its marketing campaign would have a digital aspect to it. Driven by your smartphone, Facebook, and the use of QR codes, you go through a 5-task process that ties you into the movie plot. Once completed, the big payoff is having your Facebook profile picture integrated on the 'Source Code' website, as well as being automatically entered into the sweepstakes to win a trip to the 2012 SXSW Film/Music Festival. Not bad, right?

 

Though the actual mechanics of it aren't all that exciting, the interface for it is pretty slick, plus fans of Jake won't mind having him thank them over the phone when they complete a task. What makes successful social/mobile marketing is when it lets the audience do the work. They post it on social network sites, they recruit their friends, they sign up for newsletters. When brands let their target audience become their biggest advertiser, they can't lose. 

Still to this day my favorite mobile marketing campaign was for Eagle Eye; called "The Eagle Eye Mobile Challenge". After submitting your phone number, you would receive a call and interact directly with characters through 'live' security camera footage fed off their website. It's all scripted, but the supercomputer antagonist of the film would use your own words against you within the video, framing you for a crime, giving you choices that allow you to escape from authorities and eventually clear your name.

It's incredibly clever toward tying audience into the story and engages them like never before. Once you hear your own voice, you can't help but submit a reaction. Playing the game also entered you for a chance to win a $1,000 Circuit City gift card. I'd recommend to anyone to try this game, as it is more of an entertaining experience than 'Source Code', however they've ended the campaign and just have a lame flash game for you to play.

The use of QR codes are going to continue to be an integral part of mobile advertising, as its easy to use and a great platform for creative marketing campaigns. This model for associating QR codes with social marketing will continue to be a popular and effective marketing tool, especially for the film industry. Audiences will always come for prizes, and stay to engage using their web 2.0 persona. If this is the first time you've heard about them, it certainly won't be your last. 

So say you are out next time and you see one of these black and white squares that look like an epic game of Dig Dug, use your smartphone and download a QR reader and see where that code takes you. Hopefully it brings you to say... a popular DOOH site.

Blogged by Nick Sears - Senior Motion Designer - rVue
 

DSE, Interactive Content and Top 10 Ways to Attract Advertisers to Your Network

 

It has been a couple of weeks since the Digital Signage Expo (DSE 2011) and we are still getting a flood of interest and inquiries about our CEO, Jason Kates' presentation "Top 10 Ways to Attract Advertisers to Your Network" and his interview on interactive content with Phil Cohen's "Cohen on Content" (full video below in an earlier blog entry).

We'd like to give sincere thanks for the kind DSE folks who invited us back again this year. The show was outstanding - and boasted a record crowd. The Wednesday afternoon session featuring Geri Wolff and Jason Kates was geared to networks owners. The room was reaching near-capacity with many familiar faces in the crowd offering a cross section of interest - from veteran network owners or reps, advertising partners and aggregators to newer networks just entering the industry and other folks with a general interest in the media.

This year's discussion sparked questions by network operators from all parts of the globe who are looking to expand their business and succeed in this growing industry. Highlights of the discussion include these key factors needed to attract advertisers and add value to your Place Based Media Network:

1. Location

2. Quality

3. 3rd Party Research

4. Content

5. Audio + Video

6. Use of screen

7. Internet Connected.

8. Audience + Transactions

9. Analytics

10. Reputation

 
The presentation generated interesting questions from newbies and veterans alike as the crowd stayed around well after the time was up. For those of you interested in receiving the full presentation, please email us at connect@rvue.com.

Thank you for those who attended and asked those insightful questions and provided wonderfully lively dialogue.

 

Dawn Rahicki

SVP, CMO

Three signs DOOH and mobile are catching up with traditional media

You've been hearing all the buzz of digital growth over the past two weeks. When it comes to industry predications, December is always when the prognosticators release their forward-thinking articles, taking a stab at the next big trend. Their opinions are either verified or debunked in February, the month when analyst groups release research-backed predictions and reviews of the previous year. 

This year’s analyst reports pointed to some particularly optimistic data for the digital out-of-home and mobile sectors, pointing to a convergence of the two technologies that will offer marketers effective advertising options for the future. As these markets continue to grow, their scale and ability to reach captive and transient consumers at the point of decision will set them up well to serve as viable competitors to traditional media outlets. 

Here are three growth areas that point to this trend:

1. Growth of digital place based networks

PQ Media’s annual Global Digital Out-of-Home Media Forecast is always very anticipated each spring. This year, the firm found that U.S. DOOH operator revenue for digital place-based networks grew at an accelerated 15.1% in 2010 to $2.07 billion. PQ also projects network operator revenue to expand another 16.7% in 2011. http://www.pqmedia.com/about-press-20110222-dooh2011.html

This is good news for the DOOH industry, as the network operator landscape has been traditionally fragmented, making it difficult for brands and agencies to manage. Even after some consolidation in 2010, PQ Media found that there were still 220 network operators running 468 networks in the U.S. PQ expects more consolidation in the future, making it easier for agencies to work with networks and gain a national reach.

2. Growth of outdoor digital advertising and signage

PQ Media also included outdoor digital signage (encompassing digital billboards) in its report, saying that the overall revenue for that sector in the U.S. increased 15.4% to $532 million in 2010. As for 2011, the outdoor sector is predicated to grow at 18.8%.

The growth is further reinforced by metrics by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America released in late February. Digital billboards and outdoor digital signage are a subset of out-of-home advertising, which saw a slowdown in recent years attributed to the recession. 2010 was more positive, however. The OAAA said OOH advertising had a revenue increase of 4.1% in 2010, accounting for more than $6.1 billion. http://www.oaaa.org/press/news/news.aspx?NewsId=1200

3. Growth of mobile internet and smartphone data use

On another front, the mobile industry saw a big increase in the use of smartphones and data use in 2010 as more users began connecting to the Internet with their phones to access media. According to comScore, in December 2010 nearly 47 percent of mobile subscribers in the U.S. were mobile media users. This is largely powered by the popularity of smartphones which enable that access - In the U.S in 2010, 4 of the top 5 acquired devices in 2010 were smartphones, according to comScore.

http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Presentations_Whitepapers/2011/2010_Mobile_Year_in_Review

To complement, a February 2011 report from mobile consultancy Chetan Sharma showed that mobile data traffic grew 132%, increasing 2-5 times on major U.S. networks, with revenues from that traffic growing 23% to $55 billion. That’s predicted to go even higher this year, up 22% in 2011 to $67 billion.

http://www.chetansharma.com/usmarketupdate2010.htm

Convergence of the two technologies is the key to growth

When combined, digital out-of-home and mobile integration have the potential to present advertisers with an interactive advertising solution that can combat the stagnancy of traditional media. PQ Media says that this multichannel approach is what helped U.S. cinema networks, the world's largest and most consistently growing DOOH venue category, begin its decade-long ascent in the 2000s.

By using digital screens to initiate an interaction between a consumer and brand via a smartphone, advertisers can now access elusive target audiences in areas they normally couldn’t. Shoppers can now be notified to receive coupons and loyalty discounts in-store at the point of decision. Waiting travelers can be told to access games, videos or articles in points of wait or points of transit.

Both DOOH and mobile technologies are on the rise, now it’s time to make them work together.

 

Motion Poster Radar: CONAN

As I posted last month about the success of motion poster installations in movie theaters, I recently came across another newly released poster that I thought deserved merit.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN returns to theaters this summer as a fresh reboot shown in 3D. Now, as you may remember from my previous blog(if you missed it, click here), the featured motion poster was for the DRIVE ANGRY movie, starring Nicholas Cage. That poster contained everything you'd expect from a high-octance action movie - explosions, fast camera angles, gunplay, gristled heros and the blond bombshells that adore them. For Conan however, it's a minimal moving shot of our anti-hero standing on what seems to be a very large pile of skulls. 

I thought to myself, well, both posters work so well and yet are still so different - what common ground do they share? These posters have multiple elements working for them, but the most effective is the ability to engage and communicate to the audience. Going guns blazing will always catch attention, but the strongest asset the CONAN poster has is communication. We all are familiar with Arnold's role as the barbarian, but the eery music and apolyptic rolling clouds tells you something more. It's as if it warns us, as if its a subtle disclaimer to prepare the audience what they're in for. 

No doubt, if I saw a still poster of this, I'd be intrigued with a solid "Ohhh, no wayyyy" kind of a response. However, this motion poster succeeds so much more that it figuratively tightens that screw toward my decision to purchase that ticket. What feelings do you get from watching this? Creeped out? Excited?

Two things are for sure.

A lot of heads will roll in this movie, and with this motion poster.. a lot of heads will turn.

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue
 

Intel Kicks Connected Store Concept into High Gear with Adidas, Kraft, Best Buy, and Procter & Gamble

March 2, 2011

One of the highlights of last week's Digital Signage Expo (DSE) 2011 was Intel's Adidas Connected Store display which seemed to draw a crowd each time I passed it. From the display, the customer can touch and scroll through the selection of shoes to find the one they are interested in. Once a shoe is selected, the background disappears and the selected shoe displays a 360 degree view, relevant info and more. It was so popular, in fact, that the display needed a bit of maintenance after a full day on the floor. But, don't let that discourage you -  the application was fresh, fun, innovative and one of the biggest draws of the show.  But there is more to the Intel story.

Intel recently (January, 2011) launched its Connected Store concept - a two-story, 2400 square feet retail environment with a variety of technologies powered by their second generation Intel Core processors, and  previous-generation Intel Core processors. (Read more at http://www.sixteen-nine.net and www.screenmediadaily.com).

Intel offers interesting and engaging applications for high-profile client such as Best Buy, Adidas, Kraft and Procter & Gamble.

It has always been our philosophy here at rVue that creative should push technology, that content is king and customer engagement is critical to success. Digital out of home and place based media offer advertising creatives an artist's pallette that is virtually free from restraint and only limited by the individual's creative mind. Sure, you may be thinking that it is easy with brands like Adidas. I say...challenge your thinking and your creativity to create something memorable and meaningful for your brand while being on point with your objectives. The brand will stand out and your client will thank you.

As advertisers are diving deeper into memorable interactive experiences with consumers, DOOH media and retail/shopper marketing - Intel's applications seem to converge all three and are ones to watch as they continue to evolve and impress.

 
By: Dawn Rahicki

Xerox on Target with Interactive DOOH Media

 
   


When I was on my way to #DSE2011 last week, I changed planes in the Atlanta airport's Delta terminal and walked by this engaging example of interactive place-based media and had to stop (luckily I had a few minutes between flights - unlike the week before...but that is another story). The wall-sized touch screen game begs its audience of all ages to play the game by driving the motorcycle (with Target's adorable dog in tow) and drop mail into the mail boxes down the street. You receive points for each time you hit the mailbox. Underneath it all, you learn that Xerox supports Target's direct mail efforts, feel great about both brands and have a little fun in the process. The screen drew a good-sized crowd.

Kudos to our friends at Target and Xerox for creating such an engaging interactive experience that leaves its audience feeling great about both brands.

3-D Mapping for DOOH

3-D is not just for the movie theatres and your TV anymore. A new technology, called 3-D mapping, is entering in to the DOOH arena and is sure to spice things up. 3-D mapping uses projection technology and state-of-the-art content design to project videos on a building that appears to be three dimensional. This innovative piece of technology is less than 2 years old and is being pioneered by Jack Hattingh, a 30-year film and TV veteran. 

In the simplest of explanations, the 3-D videos are created by a mapping technology that reads and registers every aspect of the chosen building, from windows to awnings to ledges and then recreates the building “canvas” in 3-D. Video content is then overlaid on the 3D rendering, with the computer adjusting each image for the contours of the building.Then the images are coordinated and edited, sound is added and the projection is ready to be shown to an audience. We're looking forward to see which brands use this new piece of technology first. We're thinking Coca-Cola's "Happiness Factory" projected on to a metropolitan building is a good candidate for a first run attempt at advertising with this DOOH technology. 

To see the 3-D mapping technology in person, take a look at the video: 

 

For more on this new technology, visit Digital Signage Today. 

rVue's CEO, Jason Kates, to speak at the Digital Sign Expo 2011

Jason Kates, CEO of rVue Holdings, Inc. is set to speak at the Digital Signage Expo, the world's largest international trade show and conference dedicated to digital signage, interactive technology, and Out-of-Home networks, in Las Vegas on February 23 at 3:00pm. rVue is an interactive Digital Out-Of-Home demand side platform. Kates has been paving new ground in the DOOH industry for over 15 years. As Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kates is the visionary and driving force behind rVue, Inc. and the rVue suite of technology solutions. As CEO, he steers the Internet-based digital media and technology company’s strategic acquisitions, business and product development and fiscal growth from the company’s Fort Lauderdale, Florida headquarters.

In his presentation, Kates will cover the Top 10 Ways to Attract Advertisers to Your Network. The session will teach digital-out-of-home (DOOH) network managers how to stand out, gain a competitive edge, and meet the needs of advertisers in a quickly growing and ever-changing industry. The presentation will focus on the key touch points that add value to Digital Out-of-Home and Place-Based Media Networks.

 

Batman Needs to Save the Music Industry

Warner Brothers is now releasing The Dark Knight and Inception as iPhone apps. After letting your eyes feast on a 5-minute preview, you would then pay an in-app purchase of $10-$12 to either download or stream it to your iPhone/iPad. It acts like a live dvd, equipped with more extras than you'd get from buying off iTunes. 

By using this easy platform to acquire movies at your fingertips, this should be a great way to increase sales not only across the U.S., but in 35 other countries. Granted, the idea of purchasing movies to your iPhone isn't all that innovative, but to offer them as standalone apps with a utility belt of extras, do you think that would keep consumers around the world from buying pirated dvds? 

After thinking about the kind of revenue brought upon the release of these film-apps, that made me think of how this business model could apply to the tragic condition of the music industry. The worldwide exposure for musicians brought upon through YouTube, NPR, Pandora, etc. has made it very easy for fans to discover new upcoming talent. However, this double-edged sword also makes it easy to get their tracks without having to pay a dime... or in some cases, a dime is all you'll shell out for a single song.  

So that got me thinking, what if albums were released as a digital 'schwag-bag' app of goodies?

From ring-tones, wallpapers, band history, live tour schedule(link to buy tickets), band store for t-shirts/previous albums to purchase, video links, to trivia games that let you play with your friends(therefore you get the social plug in - high scores, SMS challenges, newsletters, contests/sweepstakes, leaderboards on facebook/twitter, etc), consumers might be more enticed to purchase an entertaining experience that lasts - making them feel that they're getting a little more than what they paid for.

This packaged idea is very much a physical reality, as even now Radiohead's new album "The King of Limbs" features just that. Aside from offering the bare bones digital version, their special edition or "Newspaper" album includes:

 

Two clear 10" vinyl records in a purpose-built record sleeve.

A compact disc.

Many large sheets of artwork, 625 tiny pieces of artwork and a full-colour piece of oxo-degradeable plastic to hold it all together.

The Newspaper Album comes with a digital download that is compatible with all good digital media players.

The Newspaper Album will be shipped on Monday 9th May 2011 you can, however, enjoy the download now.

Shipping is included in the prices shown.

One lucky owner of the digital version of The King Of Limbs, purchased from this website, will receive a signed 2 track 12" vinyl.

 

Priced at nearly $50, wouldn't you agree this would sell well? Hardcore Radiohead fans can surely appreciate every piece of artwork and detail put into it, plus a chance to win a signed vinyl is icing on the cake. 

Now by taking this one step further by having this as a digital goodie bag that connects you on a social platform with band news and updates, do you think album sales would increase? How about ticket sales? Social media buzz? Greater mobile application opportunities for ad-space?

It's no question that music industry is on its knees and it needs to offer more to the general public in order to get those colossal sales. Offering an incentive that continues to update the consumer is something that pays for itself and parallels with the standards of our digital age that we continue to hurtle ourselves further into.

 

Blogged by Nick Sears - Motion Designer - rVue