A quick look at some emerging networks now working with Adcentricity

August 25, 2009 by Dave Haynes

The guys over at Adcentricity are good marketers and know they can get some action by putting out a press release announcing some new networks. You can read the PR elsewhere, but Adcentricity, SeeSaw and others are steadily announcing partner signings but I rarely see anyone doing more than repurposing the releases and looking at who those companies are and what they are up to.

I was curious, so …

Affinity Ferry Network

Interesting model. The network is in the wait areas of the ferry terminals support commuter rides into Manhattan from new Jersey and tourist river cruises on the Hudson. Lotsa dwell time, which is always good.

 

American Digital Signage

Screens at cash in grocery. Not what I’d do, but what do I know. The Normal, Illinois company’s pitch:

American Digital Signage is a digital out of home network and a pioneer in the digital signage solutions space currently focused on grocery stores and grocery chains headquartered in Normal, Illinois. The network has over 1600 screens in over 250 stores covering more than half the states in the nation mostly concentrated in the midwest. Our digital signs are conveniently located at checkout lanes and provide advertisers with a cost effective outlet to reach millions of captive consumers. American Digital Signage also has the creative talent to develop amazing digital content for its customers.

Eye Candy Digital Signage

Based in the southeast, they do screens in bars. Couldn’t figure out much else from the Website. Being charitable, I’ll just say they need marketing help.

 

Redstone Media Group

(Disclosure: These guys were a client when I was selling software, but no ties now)

Based in Peterborough, near Toronto, this is a network putting screens in independent and small chain pet stores. The company behind the network has years of direct experience in print publications and affiliated Web properties for pet and equine care, so this was a natural evolution and what I always thought was a cagey business move. A lot of the pet supply people do not have mainstream marketing budgets to get on TV, so being able to market right at the point of purchase is attractive, and by getting into this space, Redstone keeps other networks out and is able to get the media money even if the preferred platform shifts. They launched in late winter 2009 and are in Canada and the US, with aspirations for 100s of locations. Unlike a lot of fledgling DOOH guys I have run into, Redstone spent more than two years planning this thing out before they finally pulled the trigger.

 

 

The Golf Network

Screens in golf retailers. This has been around for a few years and was acquired before it ever really launched by EDR Media, a respected Las Vegas media production house. If you sell software you probably talked to the lead guy Alan Donahue at some point. The press on EDR’s pages says they started going into stores last fall, but it is not clear if that’s so and how many stores are installed. Focus is good, and the fact that the content production is done in-house will greatly control operating costs.

That’s a seriously diverse bunch and speaks to whole aggregator approach of selling audience, not screens and venues. Taylor-Made would be an obvious for the golf thing, but it also, arguably, has a home in ferry terminals, marketing to affluent golfers who live and play outside New York City. 

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