ScreenScape gives free trial subscriptions in deal with Panasonic

November 15, 2011 by Dave Haynes

So when I saw the headline Unleash The Power of Place-based Media, I immediately thought of Keith Kelsen and his book of pretty much the same name. The title always makes me think of growling baritone voices and monster truck rallies, and gets my attention. But turns out this headline just “borrowed” that phrase, and is about Panasonic’s Canadian wing and the ScreenScape guys from beautiful, teeny Prince Edward Island.

In a deal a little reminiscent of the old AOL starter CDs, end-users who buy a new Panasonic digital signage LCD display also now get a free one-year subscription to the ScreenScape digital signage platform.

Panasonic is including a promotional card with every new LF20 and LF25 series LCD display shipped in Canada. The card has a printed access code that allows the end user to activate the ScreenScape service.

ScreenScape is an entry-level platform that puts an emphasis on the community aspect of its network, and the idea of sharing content and advertising. Whenever I have tried to fully wrap my head around what they do I just end up in rapid eye-blinking mode. It just confuses the hell out of me.

But ScreenScape has an uber-salesman CEO in Kevin Dwyer, who could probably move a lot of snow-throwers in the Bahamas. The company has built up a decent footprint of retail customers in Canada and the US, and this could help drive more subs. Certainly, once a service gets fired up and the users comfy with it, at least a percentage will be predisposed to stick with it instead of monkeying around with some other software package.

I don’t think, however, Panasonic has been much of a player in the digital signage market up here.

“Panasonic is pleased to be providing its customers with a simple and cost-effective solution for digital signage that will help their business engage customers in new ways,” says Magnus McDermid, General Manager, Computer and AV Solutions Group, Panasonic Canada Inc.

“We’re making it easier for businesses to tap into the power of place-based media to drive real business value,” adds Mark Hemphill, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of ScreenScape. “Panasonic offers a compelling line of professional Full HD LCD displays that are ideal for digital signage applications. By giving their customers complimentary access to ScreenScape it is now that much easier for businesses of all sizes to join the ScreenScape Community and see why it is the fastest growing network of its kind on the planet.”

Well … let’s just leave that last point alone, as ScreenScape is probably also unique in the way it goes to market.