RMG Gets Into Office Media Space Via Regus Deal

October 16, 2013 by Dave Haynes

The office tower elevators and office tower lobbies are pretty much “owned” in a digital OOH context by Captivate and the Wall Street Journal Office Network, so a media company wanting to get at that premium business audience needs to get a little creative.

That would explain the deal just announced that sees RMG Networks putting an ad-based digital signage network in Regus Business Centers in the U.S.

The RMG Office Media Network will be installed in some 650 Regus business centers in top DMAs, going live before year’s end if plans fall in place. The network will feature content exclusively from Bloomberg Television.

Regus runs packaged office centers – or what they call flexible workspaces. These offices tend to get used by decently financed startups and satellite offices of larger companies. You get all the trappings of a “real” office – like a reception area, meeting rooms and break areas – without agreeing to a ghastly office lease agreement.

RMG says screens will be located in communal office areas that have high dwell times, and will have sound on video wall versions.

“This is another exciting industry first from Regus.  With this extensive private media network we will be able to bring our members news updates from Bloomberg together with a range of engaging content. In doing so we hope to help keep them well informed and work smarter,” said Bob Gaudreau, Regus’ Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing.

“This network delivers an important audience of business professionals that are hard to reach with traditional media. They make IT purchase decisions, travel frequently, and influence telecom and large ticket retail purchases. This network is a natural complement to our established Airline Media Network, both delivering video advertising to affluent consumers outside the home,” said Garry McGuire Chief Executive Officer, RMG Networks.

Regus is a big company, with some 100 locations around the globe and a head office in Luxembourg. Having worked in packaged offices in my dark start-up past, I’m a little skeptical about the audience appetite for news from the markets via Bloomberg, especially those with sound. From what I have seen, you get a mix of people. Those with their heads down all day, rarely even taking breaks. And others who have an office, but mostly so they have a mail and package drop and a human answering the phone. But they don’t park their butts in the office all that often.

Will media planners think all that part through? Probably not.

So if they are buying office professionals as an audience, the environment alone ticks the box those planners need ticked, so this could do well just based on the premise of having 5 million sets of business eyeballs, no matter how many are actually looking and engaging.

Wild-assed guess, totally, but RMG via McGuire may have longer-term aspirations to acquire Captivate – now that is in the hands of private equity people – and the WSJ Office Network, and get it all under one umbrella. Makes sense if you really want to “own” the executive audience in the context of digital screens. RMG already has a solid grip on the business travel vertical.