For Brands Seeking True Attention, Perceptions of DOOH and Place-Based Must Change
By: Sean McCaffrey, President and CEO, GSTV | via OAAA
We’re in the thick of IAB’s NewFronts week, when brands tune in to presentations from Snap, TikTok, YouTube, Roku, GSTV, and others. Presenting alongside notable digital and video platforms, OTT and CTV newcomers, and others across the media and entertainment landscape, how does a platform like ours — rooted in legacy “placed-based” association, yet boasting video partner-like capabilities — fit in?
Historically, it wouldn’t. Part of our reason for being here is to continue shifting the narrative around what that means, because for us and others, it has evolved dramatically and demands a closer look. There is significant opportunity for brands seeking real attention and engagement and the ability to reach consumers at scale to deliver meaningful business outcomes.
Media buyers are tearing up playbooks and focusing on proving to clients that their investment drove sales lift and ROI, creating massive opportunity for DOOH publishers to change perceptions and refocus marketers’ thinking on what true scale, attention and impact can mean. Why? Because efficiency and impact are more important than ever to earn a place in media strategies.
We need to move beyond screens and towards obsessing over audiences, behaviors and impact — and how DOOH has a valuable place in media plans to deliver on those outcomes.
The OOH industry classically prioritizes the physical nature of billboards and screens — geographic location; proximity to destinations; display and resolution; one-to-many audience ratios — context and cost. Location is important, however, marketers miss a bigger POV by not investing in DOOH. The DOOH industry has rapidly evolved from static environments into dynamic, engaging, attributable video platforms with similar, and sometimes larger, audience scale and measurable returns than other household name video publishers.
Consider how DOOH platforms fit consumers’ state of mind, the place in their journeys before and after as behavior shifts, and how we connect, amplify and impact the entire comms planning strategy and media mix.
Video buyers are aware that DOOH platforms have become dynamic and share traits of traditional video platforms they love, but perceptions are hard to change. In a recent OAAA Lunch Break, Essence Global Chief Media Officer Adam Gerber shared that while both watching a show on the couch or scrolling through the phone and seeing a billboard are valuable from the POV of agencies and marketers, those experiences aren’t equally weighed.
What differentiates them is the notion of attention. While TV and walled gardens may be the de facto buy for premium experiences and captive environments, what marketers forget is consumers are screen surfing and likely to see both while not paying attention to either.
We hear this regularly from buyers new to GSTV who are surprised to learn that we are more than our 24,000 locations, and more than just video: Our platform engages a captive audience surrounded by important purchase decisions, during a moment when consumer attention and engagement is at the forefront.
The renewed interest in DOOH, and its rapidly evolving definition, has opened the window for companies like ours and others to make these points clear. We should embrace disruption and seize opportunities to accelerate the pace of change. “Place-based” is an oversimplified idea that fails to capture the depth and evolution of DOOH, and reconsidering the DOOH opportunity for consumer attention, engagement and action are in the best interest of every ROI-focused brand.
Convenience Store News: Make Converts Out of Gas-Only Customers
By: Tammy Mastroberte | Convenience Store News
In the June issue of Convenience Store News, GSTV’s Eric Sherman, SVP, Insights & Analytics, and Dan Trotzer, EVP, Industry speak to the challenge fuel retailers face in pump-to-store conversions, and showcase how GSTV has become a valuable asset for capturing consumer attention and driving foot traffic.
Read the article HERE.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children & MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER Enhance Runaway Train 25 with Customization Technology on National Missing Children's Day
Verizon Supports Effort with Donated Digital Media
By: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children | PR Newswire
ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and ad agency MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER announced a second phase of the successful, ongoing Runaway Train 25 initiative that will empower local communities to find missing children in their neighborhoods. The added personalization tool will now enable the user to select the exact child they would like to see in their music video. By creating a dynamic, customized video, the search efforts for a missing child will be more hyper-local than ever before.
Since its launch on National Missing Children's Day 2019, Runaway Train 25 has assisted in the recovery of more than 20 missing children. NCMEC has also reported an increase of 60% in leads in the fight to bring missing children home since the video was released. Runaway Train 25, which reinterprets the award-winning Soul Asylum song "Runaway Train" with musical artists Jamie N Commons and Skylar Grey featuring Gallant, showcased the profiles of missing children from the NCMEC database based on a viewer's location.
"When we launched last year, it was about getting local. This year we're getting to a more personal level, where people can search for loved ones or someone they know," said Adam Ledbury, Creative Director at MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER.
The new technology allows people to easily search the NCMEC database and create a customized video featuring a specific child or children. Users can add up to six missing children from the database into their own version of the Runaway Train 25 music video. The system generates links for Facebook and Twitter so the video can be shared on social media with one click.
"61% of kids recovered are found in the state in which they went missing," said John Matejczyk, Chief Creative Officer/Co-Founder, at MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER. "The ability to customize a music video about a kid in your neighborhood means that an entire community can rally their support behind the family and help increase the chances that more people will see that child's face. We are giving them the tools they need and the power they feel they so often lack in these difficult situations. Using technology and music, we are able to go far beyond the poster and the milk carton to improve our recovery rates, to empower communities to advocate for their kids."
To increase awareness of the new Runaway Train 25 video, and to recognize National Missing Children's Day, Verizon has donated the advertising space on its Yahoo and AOL mail sign in pages to NCMEC. These pages will display the Runaway Train video to millions of Yahoo and AOL users on National Missing Children's Day.
"In our efforts, we've seen that a small tip can have a big impact on a missing child's life," said John Clark, NCMEC President and CEO. "Every day people can become heroes by providing a tip that leads to the recovery of a missing child. We are grateful to all of our partners who have used their voice to help bring home missing children."
NCMEC has again partnered with GSTV, the national video network reaching targeted audiences at scale across tens of thousands of fuel retailers, which includes a two-phase media donation. In Phase 1, GSTV will air NCMEC creative across 48 states. Phase 2 will incorporate targeted, regional campaigns featuring missing children by state and specifically tailored campaigns for Hispanic and African American communities. Since partnering with GSTV in the initial launch of Runaway Train 25, NCMEC reported that 8 of the 16 total missing children featured in ads that ran exclusively on GSTV's video platform were successfully recovered.
About The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
Since 1984, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® has served as the leading private, nonprofit organization helping to find missing children, reduce child sexual exploitation and prevent future victimization. As part of its work as the clearinghouse and resource center on issues relating to missing and exploited children, NCMEC operates a hot-line, 1-800-THE-LOST® (1-800-843-5678), and has assisted in the recovery of more than 319,000 missing children. NCMEC also operates the CyberTipline®, a mechanism for reporting suspected child sexual exploitation, which has received more than 65 million reports. https://www.missingkids.org
About MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER
MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER is a creatively driven, strategically focused agency with offices in San Francisco and NYC. As a part of London-based VCCP, we are a formidable combination helping the world's most ambitious brands to get chased. With over 1,000 employees in 8 locations, we are a global full-service alternative to small independent agencies and holding companies. https://mtzhf.com/
About Runaway Train 25
Founded on May 22, 2019, Runaway Train 25 is a cross-industry initiative led by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER to reinvent the search for missing children. The music video reinterprets the award-winning Soul Asylum song "Runaway Train" with musical artists Jamie N Commons and Skylar Grey featuring Gallant. Since its release, Runaway Train 25 has assisted in the recovery of more than 20 missing children and increased search leads by 60 percent, according to NCMEC. www.runawaytrain25.com
Social Geek: Location-Based Video: Sean McCaffrey
By: Jack Monson | Social Geek
Today’s guest is Sean McCaffrey, CEO of GSTV. Sean shares the story of the boom of location-based video advertising and content. We discuss how his team, advertisers, and brands are pivoting to due to Covid-19 and what trends and consumer behavior might linger.
Listen to Sean’s interview here.
Convenience Store News: GSTV Adds COVID-19 Response Messaging to Forecourt Platform
DETROIT — GSTV, the national video network entertaining targeted audiences at scale, is updating its on-air consumer experience in response to COVID-19.
Updates to the network's consumer-first, family-friendly editorial strategy include shifts from content partners to feature relevant, informative and entertaining segments, as well as the launch of 10 new campaigns from ad and non-profit partners. In total, the move will garner more than 290 million media impressions and more than 73 million minutes of donated airtime to promote awareness among viewers.
The initiative marks the largest effort GSTV has launched in response to a national disaster impacting the country. Featured updates running nationally include:
Ad Council
GSTV has donated network time to the Ad Council's multiple initiatives around social distancing, including their #AloneTogether campaign. It is also supporting the organization's latest "#Stay Home. Save Lives." campaign by integrating new "roof" iconography into the company logo, and airing a new PSA encouraging Americans to stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
American Red Cross
The organization's campaign reminds viewers about the urgent need for blood donations and scheduling appointments.
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Through its relationship with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) and joining other out-of-home platforms, GSTV teamed up with the CDC to share important health tips in a series of informative PSAs, asking Americans to be diligent in practicing vigilant hygiene and social distancing.
Dining at a Distance
Championed by Brooklyn-based digital agency Huge, "Dining at a Distance" helps keep consumers informed of local restaurants open for business, while also giving visibility to businesses who are committed to supporting their local communities.
Feeding America
The company is airing a campaign in partnership with the Ad Council and Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, urging viewers to donate to local food banks.
Lighthearted Network Content
As a reprieve from the increase of COVID-19 news updates, GSTV offers viewers a few bright spots through various content partners: Cheddar and What's Trending focus on good news and positive entertainment; Stadium shares highlights from the NFL's top draft prospects; GSTV's in-house agency IGNITE released a spot thanking fuel retailers and other frontline employees; and "Sunny Side" is a new segment sharing fun activities to inspire and brighten days.
Custom Content
An essential frontline business, fuel retailers need support educating shoppers about the efforts they are making to keep stores and pumps safe for use. IGNITE created new promotional ads for retailers, featuring sanitization messaging of clean pumps and stores for consumers, and to-go or curbside pickup availability for stores offering alternative shopping options.
To view the above segments running on the GSTV's national network now, click here.
Detroit-based GSTV is a data-driven, national video network delivering targeted audiences at scale across tens of thousands of fuel retailers. The GSTV network currently is located across more than 22,000 locations and reaches 95 million unique viewers a month.
A Shark's Perspective: Interview with Sean McCaffrey - Fueling the Growth of a Video Ad Platform
Conversation with Sean McCaffrey, the President and CEO of GSTV, a national video network and platform delivering targeted audiences across tens of thousands of fuel retailers in over 200 DMA’s reaching 1-in-3 adults.
Listen to Sean’s interview here:
https://soundcloud.com/asharksperspective/216-fueling-the-growth-of-a-video-ad-platform
Adweek: MoonPie Finally Has a National Super Bowl Ad, But Only at Gas Stations
The snack cake brand and agency Tombras teamed up with GSTV
By David Cohen | Adweek
This year’s Super Bowl ad from MoonPie was a real gas because, other than Twitter, the only place where they can be viewed is the gas station.
Chattanooga Bakery’s snack cake brand teamed up with agency of record Tombras on the next step in its #TheBigThing campaign, bringing its Big Game ad to screens on fuel pumps at gas stations worldwide via GSTV.
MoonPie and Tombras kicked off #TheBigThing in 2018, publishing nine absurd scripts for television spots that they would have produced and aired if the budget permitted.
The brand and the agency took things one step further last year, actually filming spots, although they only ran online.
This year, they took #TheBigThing national, or at least to thousands of screens at gas stations nationally via GSTV, which said its video network reaches one out of three Americans every month at over 22,000 fuel retailers across the country.
The video had nearly 155,000 views at the time of this post, and MoonPie said that according to the USA Today Ad Meter, that total topped those of brands including Little Caesars, Verizon, Tide, Reese’s, Toyota, Snickers, Procter & Gamble, Porsche, Disney’s Mulan and Rocket Mortgage.
MoonPie added that it has tallied roughly 4.3 million organic impressions thus far, and it shared some positive reaction to its tweets.
Tombras president Dooley Tombras said in a release, “This would seem like a crazy idea for most brands, but it’s perfect for MoonPie because it’s an ‘Outta This World’ creative idea and media placement. Millions of consumers stop by gas station convenience stores on their way to parties or to stock up for their own gatherings. So, not only did we finally make a TV spot for MoonPie, but we did it while making sure we were in the right place at the right time with a spot worthy of advertising’s biggest day.”
Tombras chief creative officer Jeff Benjamin added, “Living in New York City for nine years where they have these baby gas stations, it had been a while since I’d been to a real, American fuel stop. The innovation that’s taken place fueled our thinking and made GSTV the perfect ‘Outta This World’ platform for our trilogy. What a fun way to keep this campaign running. I’m pumped.”
And GSTV president and CEO Sean McCaffrey said, “When Tombras approached us, we immediately realized their idea was a stroke of genius—and not just because of the spot’s creative vision. Brands today know that it’s increasingly difficult to find moments when consumer attention is truly focused, so with an unavoidably attention-grabbing spot and a media buy that leverages the full scale and capabilities of GSTV, it’s the perfect way to stand out.”
AgencySpy: MoonPie’s “Super Bowl” Ad Only Ran at Gas Stations
By: Minda Smiley | AgencySpy
In a move that couldn’t be more on brand, MoonPie got in on the Super Bowl action on Sunday by airing an ad of its own … exclusively at gas pumps across America.
To be fair, it’s a sound strategy. We assume the chocolatey marshmallow cakes are a staple at gas stations, and the ad clocks in at 80 seconds, giving patrons more than enough time to fill up their tanks and wonder what the hell they just watched.
Without further ado, here it is.
True MoonPie fans will know that this isn’t a one-off thing. The Chattanooga, Tenn.-based brand—best known for its wry tweets—has been having a bit of fun with what it refers to as #TheBigThing since 2018, when it tweeted out nine faux Super Bowl commercial scripts.
In typical MoonPie fashion, they were incredibly off the wall. Three of them were turned into actual ads the following year, all of which ran online.
This year, the brand took things a step further by elaborating on one of last year’s ads, which featured a “MoonPie Child” meeting its adoptive family. From what we can tell, MoonPie Child doesn’t appear to be enjoying life in suburbia—but hey, at least it got to enjoy its day in the sun on “hundreds of thousands” of fuel pump screens around the country.
The stunt was pulled off in partnership with full-service agency Tombras and GSTV, a network that specializes in video content at gas stations.
“When Tombras approached us, we immediately realized their idea was a stroke of genius—and not just because of the spot’s creative vision,” Sean McCaffrey, president and CEO at GSTV, said. “Brands today know it’s increasingly difficult to find moments when consumer attention is truly focused, so with an unavoidably attention-grabbing spot, and a media buy that leverages the full scale and capabilities of GSTV, it’s the perfect way to stand out.”
All of this begs the question: What will MoonPie do next? Maybe next year we’ll see a local Super Bowl buy, but even that seems too mainstream for its liking. Only time will tell.