News
Petrol stations to install
first-of-its-kind TV screens
– Bharat Petroleum and Future
Media take the initiative
Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd, a Global Fortune 500 oil
company and Future Media, the media company of the
Future Group, recently announced an alliance, which
is one-of-its kind for both companies - the launch of
an innovative form of digital communication. A
network of television screens to be positioned at
petrol stations across the capital would be used to
communicate with consumers coming into the petrol
stations. This will offer a unique and another form of
engaging media vehicle in out-of-home
communications.
While the digital medium of
communication has been growing steadily
over the past few years and these screens
are now present at in-store, multiplexes and
many such consumption spaces, this is the first time that
petrol stations are being targeted as a media opportunity.
The initial launch in select outlets in Delhi was done
with much fanfare at the BPCL Defence Colony Retail
Outlet. In a phased manner, this will be spread over
prominent locations among the 7500 strong BPCL
outlets across the country.
The launch of this media vehicle has been another
unique endeavor by BPCL, the company who has
pioneered Pure For Sure branded fuels and a host of
other initiatives in petroleum retail marketing in the
country. The alliance is unique for both technologically
advanced BPCL and Future Media, the company
that provides media solutions in the “ambience of
consumption.”
Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay Krishnamurti ED,
BPCL, said, “It has always been our endeavor at BPCL
to introduce innovations that attract customers and
make the buying experience at petrol stations more
enjoyable. The
high level of IT
capability in the
organization is
being utilized
to drive various
new business initiatives as in this case.
The added attraction of the screens will
increase footfalls both at the forecourt
of the retail outlets and in the IN &
OUT stores. The medium would also
be leveraged to
communicate
information to
the public on oil conservation, safe driving
habits and other public service messages.”
Partho Dasgupta, MD & CEO of Future
Media (I) Ltd, added on the alliance
“We are delighted to partner with Bharat
Petroleum which is a very consumer
centric and technology driven company.”
Future Media will manage both content
and advertising for the network for the
alliance period. BPCL has an Integrated
Data Centre, which proposes to be
used as a network-operating centre for
the television network. The attractive
large-sized (65 inches) screens placed at
prominent positions will further enhance
the ambience at the retail outlets and give
them a modern and hi-tech look. Screens
would also be positioned inside the IN
& OUT, BPCL’s branded convenience
stores, for the benefit of customers who
visit them. Advertisers could find this
medium very attractive since the dynamic
images will offer a distinct advantage over
the static outdoor hoardings.
Future Media India Ltd is a part of the
Future Group, which owns Pantaloons,
Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar, Central,
HomeTown, etc and manages
multiple retail formats through
4 million square feet of retail
space, has over 500 stores across
50 cities in India. This number
is growing rapidly and the
estimated number of people
who walk into these stores this
year would be 200 million.
Beijing Olympics 2008
world class digital signage
systems at airports in China
AirMedia Group Inc, the operator of the largest
digital media network in China dedicated to air travel
advertising, and DT Research Inc, an industry leader in
the development of information appliances for vertical
markets, announced the deployment of the WebDT
signage system at the Beijing Capital International
Airport (the ninth busiest airport in the world) in
preparation for 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The WebDT signage system - a comprehensive system
comprising of industrial-grade signage hardware, content
management software and device management software
- offers a unique medium for capturing audience’s
attention at key locations. It can deliver dynamic
advertising, information, news, and training - displays
in up to eight zones on each screen. Content scheduling
and playback are controlled remotely by secure wireless
media players.
Five hundred thirty-eight digital frames powered by DT
Research’s WebDT signage system have been installed
at the Beijing Capital International Airport; and over the
coming months, additional digital frames
will be installed at other major airports.
AirMedia has concession rights to operate
digital TV screens at 52 airports, including
28 of the 30 largest airports in China, and
has contractual concession rights to place
its programmes on the routes operated
by 9 airlines, including the three largest
airlines in China.
According to Xiaoya Zhang, director and
president of AirMedia, “With Beijing
hosting the upcoming Olympic Games,
the Beijing Capital International Airport
will house one of the most desirable
audience groups that advertisers desire
to reach in 2008. We want to ensure
that our airport advertising is delivered
through a state-of-the-art system that
could effectively and securely manage
dynamic content remotely, which is
why we chose DT Research’s WebDT
Signage System.”
Dr Daw Tsai, president of DT Research
added, “Our digital signage system
allows AirMedia to quickly and easily
change the content that is viewed on
each digital frame.”
Watchfire launches new high resolution LED sign
The most reliable LED sign manufacturer in the business
with unique loyalty to its sign company customers,
Watchfire Signs has recently launched its new 16mm
colour LED sign with XVS video capability offered as a
standard feature at the International Sign Expo held from
March 27-29, in Orlando (USA).
The new 16mm colour LED sign delivers Watchfire’s
sharpest, brightest, and most lifelike resolution ever
with 33 percent more pixels for life-like animations and
colour depth, and realistic up-close viewing. In addition,
this sign is a supercharged LED and video display. The
sign packs 1,080 LEDs into every square foot and is
capable of producing 281 trillion colours, which exceeds
NTSC standards. It’s XVS capability enables the sign
to show full-motion video and also have the industry’s
best viewing angles i.e. 70 degrees vertical and 140
degrees horizontal, for a wider and brighter viewing area.
Besides, these LED signs will be available in a super vivid
11,000 nits to a more energy conscious
5,000 nits.
According to John Kunze, director,
Watchfire Signs, “Our new 16mm XVS
signs are incredibly vivid and deliver
businesses and organizations, a landmark
status that helps them to increase visibility
and drive growth. While we provide a
rugged, reliable and vivid display, and the
industry’s best support before and after the
sale, sign companies can be proud to sell
Watchfire signs to any commercial or nonprofit
business that is looking to increase
traffic, attendance or revenue.”
Founded in 1932 as Time-O-Matic, Inc,
Watchfire Signs is headquartered in Danville,
III. For more information, go to
http://www.watchfiresigns.com
Future TV kicks off “Gone in 30 Seconds” film contest
Future TV, India’s first retail television network brand,
recently announced the launch of a contest for usergenerated
content at a pan-India level. The contest,
titled “Gone In 30 Seconds,” invites short films that
would have mass appeal, to air on the TV network
within consumption spaces – Future TV, which is a
television network that has become a quick and a must
consumer checkpoint for information, entertainment
and benefits as well.
Speaking about the contest, Partho Dasgupta,
MD & CEO, Future Media (I) Ltd, said “The
contest is an endeavour to create awareness within
the industry on how creative execution must be
handled differently for this particular media. The
films will lay more emphasis on the visual aspects
than on audio/music because the final screening of
the film will be in an audio-neutral consumption
environment and will be for universal viewership.”
The competition has been organized with the
intention of activating the industry towards
the need for differentiated creatives for this
medium. Ideas that portray aspects of daily life,
humour or a public service message will be the
themes the films can be based on. The contest
involves a closely-watched elimination process by
the Short Film Club Society and a representative
of Future Media.
Winners will get to showcase their talent on Future TV,
which reaches out to millions of consumers across the
country, with due credit and prizes ranging from
Rs 25,000/- to Rs 1.5 lakh.
The competition will continue for a month, and will culminate
through a creative workshop followed by announcement of
winners by renowned professionals from the advertising, media
and entertainment industry. For entry forms and complete list of
rules and regulations, visit:
www.futuremedia.in
The catch is free Internet
says Thomas John, founder and
CEO, Ooha
Aiming to attract the maximum number of
eye-balls, Ooha Services India has targeted
public-access areas such as shopping malls,
entertainment, educational institutions,
theatres, hospitals and so on and deployed
their first Ooha
station at
Abirami Mall in
Chennai.
This station
offers free highspeed
Internet
to users for 15
minutes while
displaying
advertising on
a public-facing
LCD screen.
It is a 6.5-foothigh
structure
with an LCD
monitor for
free broadband Internet browsing and
another 42-inch LCD mounted on top of
it, according to Ooha’s founder and CEO
Thomas John.
The catch is free Internet,” said John. And
further added, “Once we have a user with
us, then the person has to authenticate his
or her identity. The monitor, during the
registration phase, displays ads. But once
the user is logged in, we ensure that the
browsing experience isn’t diluted.”
Ads on the exterior of the unit can be still
or full-motion, with or without video.
The kiosk can also print out coupons
for promotions. And advertising is
displayed not only to the public through
the exterior-facing LCD, but also to the
Internet user.
The company, which pays rent to host
locations, also has plans for other cities
such as Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune,
and is eyeing breakeven in one to
two years.
CAYIN at InfoCommAsia
China roadshow
In a move set to expand CAYIN’s presence
in digital signage market in China, Taipei
based CAYIN Technology displayed its HD
and interactive digital signage applications at
InfoComm Asia China roadshow (April 7-11,
2008), which comprised one-day exhibition
and seminar in Dalian, Chengdu, and
Guangzhou.
InfoCommAsia is the professional organization,
which delivers exhibitions and events for the Pro
AV, home automation and systems integration
industry in Asia. Using digital signage as target
marketing media has becoming a hot topic in
China, where
you can see
displays playing
full-screen
advertisements
at many places,
such as in office
buildings,
train stations,
airports, or
chain stores.
However, wider
applications of
digital signage still await further development.
Therefore, CAYIN Technology was honoured
to be the representative of the digital signage
solution in this show.
CAYIN has introduced both zone-type and
web-based digital signage players in this exhibition
and demonstrated how their digital signage
solution can be applied in retail, hotel, school,
corporate, and any other out-of-home venues.
In addition to product demonstration, they have
hosted a training seminar, titled “Interactive
Digital Signage for High Definition China.”
According to Michael Wu, vice-president,
CAYIN technology, “Besides advertisements,
digital signage can also be widely used as an
external and internal communication platform in
all companies and organizations. We expect
to set up our distribution networks in North,
Central, and South China in the near future.”
Creative Technology
chooses newly launched
Lighthouse R7-ER
LED screen
A worldwide leader in audiovisual services,
Creative Technology (CT) has placed a
substantial order for Lighthouse’s newly
launched R7-ER LED screen. Using the
same advanced digital processing technology
as R12-ER and R10-ER panels, R7-ER’s
enhanced resolution doubles the effective
resolution on the same-sized panel as its
16mm counterpart. This sees Lighthouse once
again leading the way in developing product
that is specifically tailored to the needs of the
rental market.
Creative Technology is taking delivery of a
total of 200m2 of R7-ER. Initially, this will
be distributed between CT in London and
the USA. Its sister company JVR in Holland
will take a further 50m2, meaning the product
is immediately available in all of the group’s
geographical markets.
According to Dave Crump, business
development director for Avesco Group
plc, parent company of CT, “We carried
out a thorough investigation of available
systems including two extensive shoot
outs. The R7-ER product from Lighthouse
not only meet all of our expectations, but
they are also able to meet our challenging
delivery requirements and offer mechanical
compatibility with the well established R16
product, enabling designers to quickly adapt
to the new technology.”
Lighthouse Technologies Limited is a leading
LED technology developer, manufacturer
and global supplier of state-of-the-art
LED modular video panels, which can be
assembled into large scale video screens for
indoor and outdoor use. Specializing in the
research and manufacture of LED video
screens, Lighthouse has its own intellectual
properties with more than ten active patents
worldwide and is committed to remain as the
premier creator of intellectual property value.
For more details contact:
info@lighthouse-tech.com
Lightscape Technologies
JV installs mega-sized outdoor
LED in Beijing
A provider of large scale LED screens and installations,
LED lighting design solutions, and advanced lighting
products Lightscape Technologies Inc, recently
announced that its joint venture has completed the
installation of its first mega-sized LED outdoor
advertising display in Beijing, China.
The installations are the initial projects launched
through the joint venture agreement between Lightscape
Technologies and Beijing Xintong Media and Cultural
Development Co Ltd ‘’Xintong Media’’ to build an
LED-based outdoor advertising network in China. The
properties where the LED screens are being installed
are owned by Xintong Media’s parent the New World
Group.
The first LED display was installed on the outside
overpass wall of a shopping mall in the Chongwen
District of Beijing. The LED screen, measuring 264
square meters in area (approximately 2,842 square feet),
began operating in the beginning of second quarter.
The second LED outdoor advertising display is in
the process of being installed on the outside wall of a
shopping mall, also in the Chongwen District of Beijing.
Installation of the LED screen, measuring 150 square
meters in area (approximately 1,615 square feet), is
scheduled to be completed soon.
Bondy Tan, president and CEO of Lightscape
Technologies commented, ‘’We are very pleased to begin
the initial installations of our mega-sized LED screens
in Beijing with our joint venture agreement partner
Xintong Media. These installations represent the first
two screens targeted to be installed under phase one of
the joint venture agreement to build a national LED
outdoor advertising network in tier-one cities in China.
The installation work at each site encompasses design
and supply of the screens, software and related hardware
for the playback of the content to be displayed on the
screens. A minimum of twenty five mega-sized LED
outdoor advertising displays are targeted to be installed
to establish a strong advertising network in tier-one cities
in China by the joint venture by this end of 2009. In
2010 and beyond, the joint venture intends to expand its
network of mega-sized LED outdoor advertising displays
to include tier-two cities for the completion of a unique
national advertising network across China.
Barco launches
new generation
outdoor LED display
Barco, a market leader in
LED display technology,
has recently announced
its new generation
outdoor LED display for
the rental and staging
market. The T-20 is a
20mm outdoor display
with unparalleled brightness output and
contrast levels, offering the best price
quality ratio in this segment of the market.
Shown for the first time at Barco’s Annual
European Rental Partner meeting in the
Mediterranean islands of Malta, the T-20
is built on a new generation platform
designed specifically to deliver optimal
cost versus visual performance.
Due to its new geometric shader design, the
T-20 vastly improves the black levels in all
daylight conditions which, together with
the increased brightness, deliver exceptional
contrast ratios. Furthermore, the T-20
incorporates new generation LEDs which
give a much higher fill factor impression,
delivering the highest levels of image quality.
Working closely with its rental partners,
Barco also engineered a completely
new mechanical design for the T-20,
concentrating on robustness, weight, ease
of build up/tear down and servicing. The
result is a modular robust display which
has an IP65 protection rating, replaceable
shaders, low weight (only 65kg per square
meter) and which is fully serviceable from
both the front as well as from the back.
Andrew Healey, global marketing
manager (Events) of Barco’s Media and
Entertainment division, said, “The T-20
is the best cost performance modular
outdoor LED wall on the market today.
Combined with its extremely low weight
and an ultimate high contrast level, it is
the perfect product for the outdoor market
– at the right price point.”
StrandVision digital signage
at RE/MAX
RE/MAX of Thomasville, Inc has discovered a new
way to feature its real estate listings, agents, services,
and business partners, as well as community groups
and events. The 32-agent realty office replaced an
expensive, inflexible digital signage system with
StrandVision, using a 42” LCD television screen to
display the latest listings, local news and weather
maps, featured agents, as well as announcements of
local community groups and events. In addition to
the listings and other information, the agency is also
selling advertising to local businesses to make the sign
a revenue generator.
Besides, StrandVision created a
special graphical database, so that
RE/MAX could upload listing
descriptions with corresponding
photos and then randomly display
them by price range ($100,000 -
$150,000, and $150,000 – $200,000,
etc). They also made it easy for
RE/MAX to move listings from one price category to
another. Additional graphical pages are developed in
the Microsoft PowerPoint format and the StrandVision
system converts the designs for use on the digital sign
within minutes at no additional charge.
Whereas it also runs the StrandVision digital sign feed
as a window on its website (www.31792.com), greatly
expanding the number of listings featured on its site and
eliminating the need for the receptionist to update two
separate marketing displays.
So, the digital signage system, provided by StrandVision
gives RE/MAX a powerful, flexible marketing tool.
Digital Signage
Broadcasting - the fi rst
comprehensive book on
digital signage
‘Digital Signage Broadcasting’ authored
by Lars-Ingemar Lundström is a perfect
introduction to the new world of
opportunities for media professionals in
all areas. This book includes coverage
of basic elements, examples of advanced
digital signage applications, as well as
traffic capacity calculation formulas that
can provide guidance when choosing a
means of distribution such as physical
media, broadband, or satellite.
This book is helpful to discover the
fascinating possibilities of this new
convergence medium with hundreds
of colour illustrations, created using
the latest 3D graphics methods, and
real-life photographs that show the
capabilities and future of digital signage.
So whether being in engineering, IT,
advertising, or management, one will
gain knowledge on the operations
of digital signage systems, content
gathering, customer billing, and much
more about this new and exciting
medium through this book. It is also
useful for educational purposes in
media and advertising schools.
For more information, visit :
www.digitalsignagebroadcasting.com
OOH Media pioneers new media planning tool ‘flexicasting’
Flexicasting is the new media-planning tool innovated
by Mumbai-based Out-of-Home Media (OOH Media)
to optimize advertisers’ money and avoid media spillage.
With the onset of out-of-home TV as an advertising
medium, this new concept has been created to maximize
potential of this medium.
OOH Media has a huge depth and breadth of network
comprising of 4,099 screens (as on March 01, 2008)
with presence in 750 locations across 23 cities and reach
of over 60 million people monthly (working male &
female, the influential head honcho, youth, the shopper,
the floater, the movie buff, the book worm, the fitness
freak, the new age grooming lasses and so on), having
more than ninety plus advertisers. They
achieve this through their OOH Work
network, consisting of locations like
corporate parks, commercial buildings,
IT parks, BPO, Kingfisher coaches, etc;
OOH Shop, comprising of malls, lifestyle stores, super
markets and CSDs; and OOH Play network consisting
of residential societies, gymnasiums, cafés, restaurants,
multiplexes, book shops, salons, clubs, etc.
The new concept, ‘flexicasting’ can be defined as ‘the
ability/flexibility to telecast brand communication on
Out-of-Home Media screens as per the advertisers’
choice of city, location, target audience, frequency of
exposures, creative, and language. It is a never before
option to advertisers and provides an opportunity to slice
and dice communication across various touch points. It
is the only medium other than traditional local outdoor
and point of sale, which offers this flexibility and the only
medium to do so in an audio-visual format.
Factors that led to develop ‘flexicasting’ include media
fragmentation; reducing time spent on traditional media;
existence of more opportunities to spend time outof-
home; the tendency in Indian audience group with
18-19 years as the average age to simply ‘hang out’ at
several youth touch points; and a huge real estate and
infrastructure boom, which compliments the above.
This new media planning tool offers the advertiser a
media vehicle to: reach audiences at new touch points
that did not exist before; create new prime times;
maximize exposure to advertiser’s TG and media value
to them; minimize media spillage; optimize campaign
efficiency; solicit a call for action; convert a sale; push the
brand communication; add frequency to a TV campaign,
audio visual to a print campaign, visual to a radio
campaign, and dynamism to an outdoor
campaign; and push a BTL activity as well
as vicinity marketing.
Tactical tools to maximise potential of
flexicasting include- micro-clustering
of locations: the advertiser can choose
the locations/areas they want to be present
in; TG- orientation: one can select the
cities/areas/locations as per one’s target
audience such as a golf accessory brand
can choose to advertise in key cities like
Mumbai and Delhi and in each city,
they can take up relevant locations like
corporate parks, golf clubs, etc, where
target audience frequents; customized
creatives for multiple messaging: the
advertiser can run customized ads/creatives
relevant to the selected location; choice of
language: the advertiser can run the same
creative in different languages as per their
priority target markets; support to BTL:
narrowcasting communication in support
to local events, brand activation, mall
crawls, floats going from town to town,
and direct traffic to the mall with OOH
Media’s screens for one’s mall activity,
including to advertise in screens within
the radius of 3 kms around venue and
announce arrival of a float, detail of the
events, SMS to elicit responses, etc; and
choice of cities: the advertiser can choose
from 23 cities as per their target/priority
markets.
Besides, by using proximity/vicinity
marketing tactical tools, the client can
advertise their brand/service in the
ambient area of their location for a
multiplier effect to influence people
around their area.
No doubt, this innovation will surely
penetrate the minds of target audience
wherever they are.
LED display of Barco at South City
mall in Kolkata
Barco, a world leader in visualization and display solutions
lights up the South City mall in Kolkata with its ILite 10 MD
indoor LED wall. This is the first Barco indoor wall installed
in a prestigious shopping mall in India.
This LED wall, with a size of 16 ft x 9 ft, offers a modular
indoor display concept and is ideal for indoor locations.
It is installed to increase the visibility of a brand close to
the point of purchase. With this stand-alone or networked
digital signage displays, which can be easily controlled
by Barco’s proprietary XVS-2, one can create or update
the content in the blink of an eye. The message can be
adjusted to the changing conditions or urgent news can
be broadcasted at a simple touch of a button. From still
photos and text messages to full motion video and current
web based formats such as HTML and Flash can be
displayed on Barco’s LED display wall.
South City Projects undertakes the initiatives of the top
builders/real estate companies in Kolkata who have come
together to build and operate one of the best and biggest
shopping malls in Kolkata, India.
For more details, visit:
www.barco.com or mail:
sales.besl@barco.com
RAPID GROWTH IN ‘LCD’
GLOBAL DEMAND
FUJIFILM to set up
new WV film factory
in Japan
Accelerating response to rapid growth
in LCD global demand, FUJIFILM
Corporation will invest 6.5 billion
yen to set up a new WV film factory
within Japan-based FUJIFILM Opto
Materials Co, which is one of the
main production centers for flat panel
display materials. The new factory is
scheduled to begin operations in April
2009 as the 9th factory for WV film, a
film that widens the viewing angles of
liquid crystal displays (LCDs).
WV film is characterized by its ability
to significantly expand the viewing
angles at low costs and has established
its position as the de facto standard
for film for expanding viewing angles
for LCDs. With the recent dramatic
expansion of LCDs, the demand for
WV film is rapidly increasing. This
new factory will be constructed to
enhance production capability in order
to meet the significant rise in demand
in the future.
Currently, the global demand for
liquid crystal displays are soaring
with the rapid spread of LCD TVs in
Japan, US and Europe, in addition to
the strong rise in demand for LCDs
for PC monitors. Besides, LCDs are
increasing in size, and high growth
is expected to continue with panel
shipment area projected to grow at an
annual rate of about 20 percent.