IMTV introduced ‘In-Store TV’, first Russian interactive television

(2005-01-31)

IMTV ('Indoor Media Television' Company) announced the launch of the first and, so far, the only Russian project of such scale - 'In-Store TV'.

The project of IMTV is a unique advertising vehicle installed in sales outlets, which provides a brand new level of influencing the target consumer audience.

The main participants of IMTV project are the following international companies: IMTV itself - the owner of the advertising solution; SCALA provides the specialized software; Device - the company offering telecommunication services; and Panasonic, the world leader in the field of digital technologies and manufacturer of high quality plasma displays.

IMTV plans to invest $10 mln into the further development of the project.

IMTV network of plasma video displays is based on the satellite communication and is under general control of the operators who have full simultaneous access to all plasma displays. Thanks to the unique software of SCALA company the advertising content transmitted to the IMTV plasma displays varies depending on its location, range of goods and services, placed nearby as well as the time of the day and some other important characteristics.

According to Tony Yammine, IMTV Chairman of the Board of directors, "Our proposal is unique because of the possibility to deliver advertising message directly to consumers who have come to shop. The attitude towards commercials at the point-of-sale terminals is always more loyal as it helps to make a certain choice and does not irritate customers. Moreover, the IMTV Indoor advertising project is the only existing advertising vehicle in Russia which offers the opportunity to promptly evaluate its efficiency by comparing sales volume before, during and after the launch of the IMTV campaign".

Ramenka Company, the operator of the largest retail chain Ramstore, has become the first partner of IMTV in Russia. IMTV signed an exclusive 10-year agreement with Ramenka Company according to which every new trading center of this retail chain is to be equipped with IMTV devices.

Mustafa Saglam, Ramenka CEO, said: "We are glad to welcome IMTV company as our new strategic partner! Offering our customers, brand-owners and partners, the most advanced technologies we try to act in line with their expectations and we are eager to work with them in offering them top-quality services which can only be provided by Ramstore retail chain."

The main difference between the same supermarket television projects currently existing in Russia and IMTV is that unlike its predecessors IMTV video displays work as a united network and are installed directly where the advertised product is on sale. Another advantage of IMTV is the fact that the company takes responsibility for quick commercial production. The company guarantees production of the advertising video in 24 hours at most. And the advertiser should pay only for the placement.

The testing stage of IMTV project includes installation of displays in Ramstore-City, the largest trade center and hypermarket located in Pravoberezhnaya Street. Within this stage there will be ninety three 42-inch Dolby plasma screens installed in the trade center, forty 17-inch LCD-displays installed over cash desks and 25 floor visualization projectors.

The hypermarket is divided into 4 areas: Food, Non-Food, Beer, Wines and Spirits (BWS) and Points of Sale. There are 2 more areas in the trading center: Restaurants and Cafes, Halls and Public spaces.

Each area will have its own content. Inside the hypermarket and in the trading complex the screens will broadcast ads promoting the sale of different goods. Over cash desks the customers will see special offers of Ramstore for next week as well as the advertising of the shops located inside the trade center.

Every area will have its own timing of ads broadcasting. For instance, Food and Non-Food areas will have 7-minute cycle which consists of 20 advertising clips, each 15 seconds long. The time cycle in BWS area is 3,5 minutes, in the Cash desk area - 6 minutes, in Halls and Corridors area - 3 minutes. The customer stays a little longer in the Restaurants and Cafes area that is why the time cycle for commercial here is 15 minutes.

In the 2nd quarter of 2005 the total number of displays will increase to reach 1500. They will appear in Ramstore major regional centers in Russia: Saint Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, Kazan, N. Novgorod, Rostov, etc.

Information about IMTV Company
IMTV, a member company of FormTrust Holding registered in Europe, operates in Russia, planning to be expanded to USA.

FormTrust Holding advertises three major media categories: Indoor advertising (In-store TV), Outdoor advertising on big LED displays throughout important locations in Moscow, and mobile advertising.

IMTV Russia is a subsidiary company from the FormTrust Group, member of the AmCham - American Chamber of Commerce, Russia, MMBA - International Moscow Business Association, RARA - Russian Association of Advertising Agencies, IAA - International Advertising Association, ISA - International Sign Association and others.

For further information please contact:
Natalia Golubkova or Julia Berzoy
The Willard Group PR Agency
tel.: +7 095-775-47-95