DALLAS -- A 10-year, $75 million agreement between communications and information technology company Harris Corp. and Digital Display Networks Inc. will create one the largest digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising networks in the United States in 7-Eleven stores.
Launched in 2010, 7-Eleven TV provides 24/7 programming in 7-Eleven stores, featuring national and local entertainment and news and weather, as well as advertising highlighting 7-Eleven proprietary brands, in-store and out-of-store brands and special 7-Eleven promotions. (Click here for previous CSP Daily News coverage of 7-Eleven TV.)
7-Eleven TV already is operating in 500 stores in some of the top designated marketing areas (DMAs) and highest-traffic U.S. 7-Eleven stores, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. When fully deployed, it will be carried in 6,200 stores--reaching more than 200 million shoppers monthly, the companies said.
Based on an analysis of various Nielsen ratings data, the GRPU (gross rating point units) of 7-Eleven TV will make it the fourth largest broadcast TV network when fully deployed.
7-Eleven TV delivers programming and promotional advertising tailored to specific markets, customer segments and dayparts. Harris DOOH software allows for network programming to be divided into multiple dayparts, making it possible to promote specific items at times most relevant to customers. To maximize viewing, each store features two strategically placed LCD high-definition TV monitors and directional audio to attract consumers, and display promotions and products that shoppers can take advantage of in store.
"Our aim is to offer 7-Eleven customers up-to-the-minute shopping choices at the point where they are making purchasing decisions," said David Veckerelli, co-CEO of Santa Monica, Calif.-based Digital Display Networks. "The Harris DOOH software makes this possible by enabling content programming to be highly targeted, right down to the zip code and profile of a specific 7-Eleven store, while providing sales metrics to endemic advertisers."
Harris is providing its digital out-of-home hardware and software, InfoCaster and Punctuate, in addition to its managed services offering to Digital Display Networks, which is providing turnkey services, as well as managing content production and advertising sales for 7-Eleven TV.
Harris is building 7-Eleven TV around its InfoCaster DOOH software, which provides content creation, network management and media player monitoring with flexible proof-of-play reporting, and its Punctuate DOOH business management software for content scheduling and campaign management to facilitate advertising and scheduled distribution tuned to specific demographics, geographies, and day parts. The Harris DOOH software can manage 40,000 playlists, national and local ads, and all the software supporting transactions on a network.
Harris is supporting 7-Eleven TV with its managed services offering for 24/7 monitoring, data hosting and support via dedicated Network Operations Centers in Dallas and Melbourne, Fla., where it is headquartered.
Las Vegas-based Panphonics, a provider of directional audio speakers, said that its patented Sound Shower loudspeakers are been installed in 7-Eleven TV, integrated with the two monitors that will target audio only to consumers who are positioned directly in front of the monitors.
"The ability to create messages directly to consumers as they move in front of a display provides an immersive experience, even in a small convenience store, and this is the kind of innovation that consumers now expect from a digital out-of-home network," said Veckerelli. "There is less cross-talk and overall noise in the channel for both the consumer and the store operator. The 7-Eleven TV network maximizes engagement for its viewers, and directional audio is a core element in this endeavor."
Kari Mettala, CEO of Panphonics, added, "Audio design in retail environments can be just as, if not more, vital to the customer than visual information. We have created, with DDN, an experience that is at once subliminal and hyper-targeted, and creates a powerful impression on the consumer."
7-Eleven said it does not have a relationship with Harris, a contractor of Digital Display Networks, the lead integrator on the 7-Eleven TV installation.
Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc. operates, franchises or licenses more than 8,300 7-Eleven stores in North America. Globally, it operates, franchises or licenses more than 39,000 stores in 16 countries. During 2009, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of more than $58.9 billion.
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