Many successful companies are utilising `Out-of homeTV’ (OOHTV) networks as a new strategic tool to leverage marketing messages and take their marketing campaigns to a new level of diversity.
“2004 was the year that OOH TV truly came of age and we witnessed an exponential growth in the number of networks worldwide,” says Pierre van der Hoven CEO of TBM, a Johannesburg-based company regarded as a leading player in the OOH TV market.
2004 saw:
• A significant growth in the development of shopping mall networks
• The development of new media agencies selling advertising space on these new OOH networks
• The publishing of the Samsung screen survey which showed that there were over 57 000 screens operating in the OOH arena.
Growth of retail networks is being driven by the cost of technology dropping significantly and media fragmentation particularly in TV Media fragmentation means that if advertisers use traditional TV, they have to spend more to reach their target audience.
In 2003 POPA1 (Point of Purchase Advertising Institute. UK) estimated there were more than 10 000 screens in the OOH TV market in the UK targeting over 10 million people where they shopped, ate and drank or took part in leisure activities.

Apart from producing a value-adding experience for mall visitors, screens have also been placed in government buildings, banks, hair salons and student unions. This number has now increased to over 80 000.
Van der Hoven says today advertisers are far more aware of the opportunities available to them using `OOH TV (also known as `digital signage`, `Captive Audience Networks`, `narrow-casting` and `retail media networks`).
“There is a new awareness and confidence in the industry based on the numerous success stories from 2004,” says van der Hoven.
Despite this, van der Hoven cautions that not all companies are able to provide one-stop solutions to clients.
“Those interested in using OOH TV should do their homework; this is not a `one-size-fits-all industry`”.
According to one UK commentator: “It is imperative that digital media networks are built on tried and trusted technology, competitively priced, fit for purpose, and sold as a managed service by experts in their field”.
Some of the existing UK networks that continued to grow last year included SUBtv (the student union network); Avanti Screen Media which runs Magnetic (the bar/club network). Tony & Guy TV, Boots TV and Lunn Poly TV; 1-vu (the network in independent hair dressing salons); The Life Channel (a screen network in 900 doctors surgeries) and Pharmacy Channel (the world`s largest in-store pharmacy digital media network).
New networks launched in 2004 include Screen FX`s (which provides large screens in public places); 360 Onboard (a network installed on trains in the English Midlands); Firebrand Media (a music channel playing out to 114 Sainsburys stores in the North East of the UK); Baby TV (a network aimed at parents and installed in hospital and antenatal waiting rooms); and Umbrolly (a network of umbrella vending machines).
In the US, the broadcast network of PRN – the largest TV network in the retail environment – reaches an audience of more than 150 million shoppers every week in over 5 500 stores countrywide. It delivers information and entertainment-packed programming in stores where customers spend over US$256 billion every year.
In SA TBM has developed innovative technological applications for the delivery – via satellite of large video files to individually addressable display screens.
Utilising this technology TBM runs an advertising network on which advertisers can create high impact campaigns and deliver them virtually instantly to more than I 182 screens at 728 sites countrywide.
TBM has implemented the revolutionary KenCast software solution, the world`s most sophisticated, powerful, and flexible datacasting software. The Fazzt” Digital Delivery System is designed to bring ever-improving reliability, security and efficiency to satellite broadcast of multimedia content. KenCast not only improves the efficiency of the entire process but also offers new abilities such as live streaming and unmatched reliability for one-way broadcasting without a return link.
Another crucial aspect of making a network successful revolves around content. TBM has extensive experience in content planning and programming. It has a unique arrangement for soureing content worldwide as well as an in-house facility to produce digital content at cost-effective rates.
“We at TBM are part of a rapidly growing new media sector worldwide,” says Pierre van der Hoven.
“We are the largest media owner at the three major South Africa airports – Johannesburg International (JIA), Durban and Cape Town,” he says.
TBM also has screens in the airport lounges at JIA and Durban and Cape Town airports, at Virgin Active Health Clubs, Health Connection, American Express, ABSA branches, golf clubs and advertising agencies.
TBM has the ability to install, operate and manage `Captive Audience Networks` (CANs) or `private TV stations` for corporate clients, government and NGOs.
These private TV stations can be used for various applications including marketing and promotions, staff training, brand building, information services, promotions, competitive advantage, social responsibility, sponsor extensions and strategic alliances. TBM currently runs 150 screens at 100 sites for the South African Revenue Services (SARS).
TBM is 75,8 % owned by JSE-listed black economic empowerment company, Hosken Consolidated Investments Limited (HCI), which also has interests in gaming, IT and media. HCI, in turn, is controlled by the South African Clothing and Textile Workers` Union and the Saetwu Educational Trust (collectively SACTWU). SACTWU is a black trade union with some 100 000 members, most of whom were previously disadvantagcd.
“TBM has without a doubt one of the highest BEE stakes in any industry, and that happened five years ago,” he explains. TBM is a 75.S% black controlled ICT company that has developed innovative technologies for the delivery via satellite – of large video files to individually controllable display screens. TBM also operates `Captive Audience Networks` (CANs) for government, NGO`s and corporate clients, which are used for business to consumer communication (external), staff training and communication (internal) and education.

Source: Traders