More signs this stuff is getting on the planning radar

September 6, 2007 by Dave Haynes

Elevator News Network, now known (sigh) as Captivate, paved the road for a lot of the ad-based digital sign networks trying to claw out a living in this business. It was really the first out of home digital play that got ANY attention from media planners, and they remain market leaders.

So I was intrigued to read a press release today from Global TV, one of Canada’s national broadcasters, blabbering away about their innovative approach to launching the fall schedule. Among the things they will be doing:

Global Television has targeted all ad space on Captivate Elevator Networks for two full afternoons during premiere week across Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, generating over 8 million impressions per day.

Unless things have changed wildly since I worked there, the ad schedule is set up in such a way that ad clients always get more impressions than they bought. So I doubt they have to compensate other ad clients for that time period. What’s cool is simply that the medium is at a point that a major advertiser is making it a big part of the buy and the splash.

What will be a little distressing for more traditional media is the elevator thing is but one of several ways Global owner CanWest is promoting the fall schedule, including slapping stuff on the windows and floors of Sears stores and putting things on trays and tables at Burger Kings.

I am sure there is a traditional media buy, as well. But that’s money that used to only go to print, radio and outdoor — with digital getting thrown the odd table scrap.