The new new media
Don Day May 7th, 2008
If you’re still calling the Internet business “new media” — stop. The “new” new media is placed-based — gas stations, malls, stores - etc. The local Albertsons now has “CheckOutTV,” the mall has a big TV ad kiosk - and even many gas stations are now using services like PumpTopTV. There’s big opportunity for advertisers here, because you can provide your existing (or repackaged) content - and perhaps even sell the surrounding ads. Part of the WNBC restructuring (below) is an increased focus on placed-based TV.
6 Comments Add your own
1. Hussman | May 8th, 2008 at 6:07 am
The only place I see SheckOutTV becoming a success is KMart, because we all know it takes several minutes to actually get through a checkout aisle.
Anyone who thinks this will work in places like Target or “Grocery Store X” is kidding themselves. No one wants to stand in line any longer than possible, especially during the Holidays or any given weeknight after you get off from work.
2. discreet_chaos | May 8th, 2008 at 7:30 am
I thought grocery store and gas station television were both Turner initiatives, back in the day? Content from CNN from a lifestyle angle, wrapped around targeted commercials.
3. Dennis | May 8th, 2008 at 8:26 am
CNN had what it called the “Checkout Channel” for a few years back in the 90’s.
4. Rocker | May 8th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Place-based was around long before the web, as some have already noted. Spent quite a long time working in sales/marketing in place-based (aka “out of home’) media some years back. My experience tells me in can work, but the media (technology and content) MUST be tailored for the environment/audience. Not easy to do, although many of the more recent initiatives have taken big strides over the earlier efforts. Problem with the Checkout Channel was that the cashiers turned off the sound, it was so annoying. Now, technology exists to make the audio audible only if you are in a very narrow/specific cone in the checkout line. Cashiers can’t even hear it. Just an example.
5. Edward Smith | May 8th, 2008 at 9:47 am
This is what IB(S) sprung from.
Before we started IB, we were doing an enterprise called Private Channels, where we used Scala’s Infochannel software to develop multimedia presentations.
The infochannel software ran on the Amiga platform, and had amazing (for the time) video, animation, and sound capabilities.
The players we used were Amiga CD32 cd game consoles.
We would distribute a CD ROM of base audio, video, imagery, and other assets.
We would then deliver, several times daily, text and behavior through a modem or satellite connection, to the players.
We developed a number of channels, which customers could buy (games, trivia, news, sports, weather, etc.) ala carte.
We installed systems at companies such as Rainbow Foods (an extremely large grocery chain (owned by SuperValu, I think), with a number of monitors distributed through the stores, including over the checkout lines.
Rainbow’s goal was multiple - to provide advertising and specials, and to reduce perceived checkout time at the lines.
We did another dozen or so installations for a number of fortune 1000 companies, mostly internal for employee communication.
Then, the first Netscape beta was released, and the game changed…
6. Anonymous | May 8th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
The only TV I ever saw people stand in line to watch was at Wal-Mart, 3 am, 45 year old men trying to break the Xbox : )
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