OAK BROOK, Ill. -- The major providers of television and ad programming at retail gasoline dispensers have been busy expanding and enhancing their offerings for gas stations and convenience stores.
Destination Media, a leader in digital out-of-home TV, said that its C-Store TV network has expanded to additional locations in Los Angeles and launched its network in the San Diego and Phoenix markets.
Mirroring sister network Gas Station TV's expansion and rollout plan, Oak Park, Mich.-based Destination Media said it expects to continue installing C-Store TV in locations already equipped [image-nocss] with the Gas Station TV network across the top 30 designated market areas (DMAs), it said. It added that it expects to reach 250 million viewers annually by the end of 2008, continuing the penetration of Destination Media's networks in more than 20 major media markets including the top-13 DMAs.
The Gas Station TV/C-Store TV "power duo" creates a complete media destination for consumers and marketers, the company said. Promotional ads on Gas Station TV direct customers into the convenience store where they receive reinforced messaging on C-Store TV. This enhanced combination has shown to increase revenue at the valuable point-of-purchase for gas station owners as well as advertisers on the network.
Located in key, high-traffic areas throughout individual stores such as at the checkout counter and above beverage coolers and coffee stations, C-Store TV programming runs on 32- to 37-inch LCD screens provided by Destination Media partner, LG Electronics.
In addition to the C-Store TV rollout and expansion, Gas Station TV is now also installed in the Phoenix market, expanding Gas Station TV's lead as the largest network in gas media across 21 U.S. DMAs.
C-Store TV is currently live in the New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Phoenix and San Diego markets. Gas Station TV will next launch in the Seattle market. In 2009, Gas Station TV will be in more than 30 major media markets.
Current in-store programming on C-Store TV includes news and entertainment from CBS, sports from ESPN and weather from AccuWeather.
Meanwhile, Irvine, Calif.-based PumpTop TV, a digital out-of-home media network with nearly 7,000 screens on top of gas station fuel dispensers across the country, is offering the chance for advertisers to experience the benefits of its alternative medium firsthand, and at no cost, it said.
To heighten advertiser awareness of PumpTop TV and to showcase its reach and effectiveness, the company is offering regional and national advertisers the opportunity to air a 15-second spot over a four week flight on its national media network free of charge and to reach more than 10 million consumers.
PumpTop TV delivers a five-minute mix of programming including America's Funniest Home Videos, Jimmy Kimmel Live and GetBack Media, along with real-time traffic maps from Google and current news to millions of drivers as they fuel their vehicles at the pump. PumpTop TV's 19-inch LCD screens provide a full audio and video experience and feature ad space for 15- and 30-second video spots, as well as non-audio "skyscraper" ads.
PumpTop TV is owned and operated by AdtekMedia Inc., a leading provider of out-of-home digital media solutions. The company has partnered with Westinghouse Digital Electronics, one of the world's largest LCD TV manufacturers, to expand the PumpTop TV network into top U.S. metropolitan markets within the next three years.
LCD manufacturer Westinghouse, Santa Fe Springs, Calif., is offering offer any business the hardware, software and content needed to launch or expand its own pumptop TV network. Westinghouse's new Pump Top TV Solution is a complete distribution service that provides entertainment, news and advertising content on specially designed all-weather screens.
AdtekMedia centrally uploads programming and advertising and controls delivery to all Westinghouse units through its Network Operations Center.
The PumpTop TV Solution also supports internal and external advertising opportunities. It provides a retailer with a measurable and valuable application for vendor co-op advertising and merchandising dollars with potential to sell space to third party advertisers. It also improves a retailer's corporate citizenship and generates goodwill by providing a forum for distributing community announcements, news and broadcast emergency messages, such as Amber alerts.
The PumpTop TV Solution is part of Westinghouse's commitment to combine purposed content with hardware designed to reach viewers in specific situations. With its full-featured content distribution service, Westinghouse now has the ability to support retailers at multiple levels in enabling digital content and advertising over gas pumps. This includes using Westinghouse hardware with AdtekMedia's PumpTop TV network that features daily news, weather, sports and entertainment programming and real-time traffic data from multiple media partners, including ABC and ABC News.
The Westinghouse PumpTop TV Solution uses customized, 19-inch displays to provide drivers an engaging diversion during their five minutes of fueling time. This format provides a more compelling consumer experience in the gas station environment while offering both content owners and advertisers multiple areas of "real estate" for programming and messaging placement.
And at-the-pump digital network Fuelcast and Bhootan, a retail-sector digital out-of-home media company, have merged to form Outcast. With a monthly reach of more than 25 million consumers in more than 900 locations, Outcast delivers programming and targeted advertising to nearly 6,000 digital LCD screens with rich audio in high-traffic locations, including:
At the pump: Outcast reaches captive consumers while fueling their vehicles. Outcast has exclusive corporate relationships with Shell, ConocoPhillips and Holiday Stationstores and has partnered with NBC Universal to provide entertaining and engaging content to consumers at the pump. Shopping: Outcast reaches consumers while shopping at local retail stores, including Walgreens, Sears, Kmart, Albertsons, Stop N' Shop and more. Dining: Outcast reaches consumers while dining in local quick serve restaurants, including Carl's Jr. and McDonald's. On-the-go with mobile: Outcast reaches consumers on their mobile devices with timely offers and entertaining content.Outcast also offer:
Measurability: At the pump, Outcast's patented activation technology welcomes consumers and initiates programming when the pump handle is lifted, allowing for detailed measurability for advertisers. Targeting: At retail, Outcast offers local targeting down to an individual location or screen, providing advertisers with the flexibility to hyper-target their campaigns and improve consumer relevance. Mobile interactivity: Outcast's integrated mobile platform connects with consumers on their mobile devices, allowing them to download, in real-time, advertiser offers and other premium content. These offers are localized and relevant for each consumer based on their location and time of day, creating another powerful touchpoint.John McLean, CEO of Fuelcast, will become chairman of Outcast. Matthew Stoudt, co-founder and CEO of Bhootan, will become CEO; and Nathan Gill, co-founder and president of Bhootan, will become chief media officer.
"With this merger, Outcast leads the consolidation of a fragmented digital out-of-home market, significantly increasing our reach and making it easier than ever to execute a comprehensive out of home buy," said McLean. "The merger will allow us to continue to expand our leadership position by accelerating growth into new markets and distribution partners."
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