LA Start-up Packages Media Streaming And Signage Services For Hospitality Sector

February 20, 2020 by Dave Haynes

LA-based Loop Media, Inc. has started marketing a solution aimed at bars, restaurants and other venues that pairs big libraries of approved video and music content with a simple digital signage solution, all running off what amounts to a set-top box.

With the Loop Player, says the company in its PR, any commercial or public venue can now enjoy high-quality premium short-form content for a cost of up to 80 percent less than what has currently been on the market. The Loop Player allows streaming of content that’s updated daily, as well as cached content for in-venue connectivity issues, ensuring screens are never dark.

Clients who utilize the Loop Player have access to the largest library of music videos and movie trailers available on the market, as well as viral videos, sports highlights and other engaging content for customers. In addition, digital signage and scheduling are available on the player, making the experience easily customizable and interactive.

The box has 32GB of internal storage, so as much as 36 hours of video can be forwarded and effectively cached on the unit.

“As a new model of entertainment emerges for commercial venues from functionality to engagement to pricing, the Loop Player and new Loop commercial service will transform the market for out-of-home consumer experiences. It’s a one-stop shop for in-venue screens, especially when there aren’t any sports games on,” says Jon Niermann, CEO and Co-Founder of Loop Media, Inc. 

The company has signed a distribution deal for the Loop Player with AV integrator No Static, also in LA, and the first commercial use is in a Flix Brewhouse, a restaurant and micro-brewery than also has functions as a cinema.

“The digital signage side of our business is continuing to grow, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Loop Media as a provider. Loop offers a flexible user-friendly platform that provides many different options to meet our clients’ needs while also hitting a price point well below what others in the category can offer,” says Steven Barnes, COO of No Static. 

The software includes a Digital Ad Creator that lets venues promote F&B specials or event details on screens

Like many of these entry-level systems, there’s a variety of ways to go at it in terms of pricing and use. The company will throw the box in free in a trial, and content categories and the signage application have monthly subscription fees. The player can also just be an app that runs on a smart TV or Amazon Fire Stick.

I rooted around a little, but did not get a clear idea of what’s under the so-called hood of this device, but it is very reasonable to assume it is running some version of Android.

These kinds of businesses that just run entertainment content, intermingled with marketing messages, in bars and restaurants leave me in shrug mode. It is hard to get excited about about repeating loops of YouTube, music videos and movie trailers. BUT, people watch them.

Loop’s media library was built up from its acquisition of a Seattle company, Screenplay.

This business model has been around in a variety of forms for as long as signage. Companies like Chive and UPshow are also in the field with similar offers to bars, built around user-generated content.