Telstra gets into the outdoor video advertising business, again

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 14 October 2008 05:36

IT Industry - Strategy

Telstra has expanded a long-running relationship with digital signage company, Prime Digital Media (PDM) , to take on the expanding market for outdoor video advertising screens, so called out-of-home digital (OOHD) signage, but has played down a 'partnership' with PDM announced two years ago by describing PDM as being then merely a 'customer' for a Telstra service.

Telstra's announced this week that its Enterprise & Government Division and PDM had signed a three year exclusive agreement to "jointly pursue opportunities for OOHD media within the Australian marketplace through their complimentary product and service solutions."

They aim to help retailers develop and implement digital signage strategies by providing content, research results and Telstra's fixed IP and Next G wireless broadband networks to deliver content to advertising screens.

According to Randy Lynch, Telstra Enterprise & Government, executive director marketing and strategy, "The partnership will focus on joint promotion of OOHD media content as a marketing solution driven by fixed and wireless Internet protocol (IP) networks for Australian businesses as well as the joint pursuit of selected OOHD media."

PDM claims to have the largest out-of-home digital media network in Australia. It will make available to the partnership its in-house creative team, media management systems and marketing consultants who "understand the unique requirements of this medium."
 
According to PDM chairman Warwick Syphers, "Working in close collaboration, we will analyse and assess the Australian market to identify, clarify and customise the OOHD content solution needs of individual customers. We will also consider how we can address the potential common solution needs of sets of customers." He claimed that "A partnership of market leaders will only serve to accelerate a fast-growing new media market."

Telstra and PDM have a relationship going back two years. In October 2006 Telstra announced that it would provide a complete end to end system, including the hardware and software platform to host and distribute the video content, provision of help desk and field technical support services and ongoing management of the end user video screens. The service was to marketed under the name 'Telstra Digital Retail Media Solution'.
CONTINUED