Monday, April 7, 2008

Addison-based Indoor Marketing sells advertising screens to eight fast-food chains

By Pegasus News wire

ADDISON — Indoor Direct has launched a new digital media network located in high-volume restaurant chains across the nation offering patrons original and "re-purposed" content from CBS Outernet, among other providers. Segments include news, sports, animation, "behind the scenes," classic television shows, music videos, and games. Advertisers will have the opportunity to run traditional spots or create customized, integrated spots into the content.

Indoor Direct is placing between two and four 42-inch LCD screens in restaurant dining rooms. A third screen, called the Promotional Board Screen, is also placed at the point of purchase and promotes the restaurant's featured menu items. Eight major quick service and casual dining restaurant chains have been outfitted: Hardee’s, Arby’s, Wendy’s, Cici’s Pizza, Wienerschnitzel, Denny’s, Captain D’s, and Carl Jr’s.

An Arbitron study done in conjunction with the launch of Indoor Direct found that 42 percent of Americans over 18 have visited at least one of the restaurants studied in the month prior to the survey. Nearly two-thirds of the test group, which spanned all consumer demographics, recalled at least one ad featured on the network. Other findings:

- Patrons spent an average 32 minutes in the dining areas with an Indoor Direct screen

- 85% noticed the Indoor Direct screens

- 9 out of 10 that noticed the screens in the dining area spent at least "some" time watching

- 72% said the screens promote a "cool" or "cutting edge" image for the restaurant

- 65% of those who noticed the screens could recall at least one of the advertisers.

"We found that diners we studied often tend to be on site or en route to shopping destinations such as malls and department stores or going to a movie when they stop into a casual dining or quick-service restaurant," said Diane Williams, product manager, custom research for Arbitron Inc. "Brand messages in out-of home environments such as quick service and casual dining restaurants have the potential to influence consumers right before or after a shopping or entertainment event."

Most locations will have two networks running programming simultaneously -- an informational screen at the point of purchase (POP) and larger screens in the dining room. An initial deployment of screens has already launched in 70 locations within the top 13 U.S. markets. An additional 1,000 locations will begin to roll out by the end of the summer 2008. The placement of the screens increases visibility of the programming, which cannot be controlled by the viewer, and has shown to provide a better return on investment for advertisers than traditional television commercials.

"Our networks located in quick service and casual dining restaurants provide a highly focused way to reach patrons while they are receptive to watching and listening to messages," said Fred Margolin, chief executive officer of Indoor Direct. "The proliferation of new media and technologies -- such as iPods, online video, DVRs, and social networking sites -- has given consumers many more options beyond traditional television. The Indoor Direct network is poised to be a marketer's best way to reach targeted consumer segments with brand messages."

Indoor Direct is headquartered in Addison and is a privately held media network company.

Source: Indoor Direct

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• Hospitality Industry > Restaurants and Bars
• Marketing / Advertising / PR

Comments

Scott Doyle Verified

I have a hard enough time focusing on conversation when there's not a 42" screen violently flashing in an attempt to keep my attention - this certainly won't help matters.

The placement of the screens increases visibility of the programming, which cannot be controlled by the viewer, and has shown to provide a better return on investment for advertisers than traditional television commercials.

Damn you!

3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Pavel Lishin Verified

How many patrons said they liked the screens?

3 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )