Viacom Outdoor launches Bluetooth Network on London Underground
Viacom Outdoor is unveiling a permanent network of Bluetooth-enabled poster sites on the London Underground. For the first time, tube users will be able to download content on to their mobiles using Bluetooth devices housed in interactive poster sites across the Tube network. Channel 4 is the first advertiser to take advantage of the new advertising channel, using the poster sites to promote FourDocs, its broadband documentary channel which encourages the public to view and make their own 4 minute documentaries.
Viacom Outdoor has installed 15 Bluetooth ‘Jacks’ developed by technology company Wideray into 6-Sheet poster sites in Zone 1 London Underground stations. Using a double opt-in facility to ensure all content is actively requested, commuters in the vicinity of a Bluetooth site will be able to download and watch the documentaries on their mobile handset.
Nicky Cheshire, Sales Director of Impact at Viacom Outdoor, commented: We’re delighted to have Channel 4 as our launch partner for the Bluetooth Network of posters. By using our Bluetooth platform Channel 4 has embraced a unique opportunity to interact with an audience hungry for content. We are confident that the Bluetooth Network will be welcomed by London commuters and will therefore offer our clients a new and compelling way of engaging with consumers on the move”.
The FourDocs interactive poster sites will allow commuters to use their mobile phones to download and view one of eight, four-minute documentaries filmed and edited by members of the public.
The campaign is also designed to drive traffic to the FourDocs online community www.channel4.com/fourdocs . FourDocs is a broadband documentary channel designed by Channel 4 as a place for users to screen their personal fact-based films. Anyone using the site can upload their own four-minute documentary which can then be viewed and reviewed by other users FourDocs also offers archives of well-known documentaries, interviews with famous filmmakers and an archive of copyright cleared footage which can be downloaded and incorporated into user’s personal films.
James Davies, Board Director at Posterscope, the specialist outdoor agency which planned the campaign, added: “Out of home is a rapidly evolving medium especially with regard to interactive opportunities and Channel 4 recognises the benefits of engaging rather than simply interrupting consumers. The key to success is providing high value content to people when they are in a receptive mindset and the combination of Channel 4’s mini-documentaries and Viacom Outdoor’s Bluetooth product launch is a great one”.
Viacom Outdoor’s recent The London Commuter research found that 87% of those surveyed said they welcomed advertising on the Tube as an improvement to the environment and as a source of information and entertainment. The London Commuter research also found that London consumers cited the Tube as the environment in which they were most likely to consciously look at advertising, and that of any media environment, the London Underground had the lowest incidence of consumers avoiding ads.
The FourDocs campaign goes live on 16th January and runs for 2 weeks, before Viacom Outdoor opens up the opportunity to other advertisers. The media campaign, planned by OMD UK and Michaelides & Bednash, will be supported by other standard poster sites on the London Underground.