SEEN & NOTED: NEW YORK - Anyone who lives in a large metropolitan area will relate to the problem of old sidewalk pay phone that sit unused and neglected around their city. Smartphones have rendered the pay phone obsolete. There's good news on the horizon for New Yorkers this summers as the city begins a new pilot program to install 250 interactive kiosks across the city’s five boroughs. The new kiosks are being developed by Design Science Corp, a Pickering, Ontario-based manufacturer of point-of-sales systems, kiosks, and street furniture.
The network of interactive touchscreen stations is being rolled out by 24x7 SmartScreen Kiosk and will display local neighborhood information, including listings of nearby restaurants and retail store in the area, traffic updates, landmark information, and safety alerts in multiple languages. The network will be supported by display advertising and partnerships and is intended to give New Yorkers and visitors quick access to information and will also include a City 24x7 mobile application.
SEEN & NOTED: NEW YORK, NY — Play. It’s good for you. That’s the message stressed in Beneful Brand Dogfood’s new integrated brand campaign, which includes TV, online, and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) elements. The work culminates this week with the May 1st launch of five interactive dog parks in cities around the country, including a 64-foot digital interactive wall and massive vinyl display in New York’s Columbus Circle subway station.
The Play campaign was created by Fallon Minneapolis, Beneful’s Agency of Record. The agency launched Beneful’s first ever brand “Anthem” in mid-March. The commercial, told from the perspective of a dog at play, was followed shortly by a series of spots centered on Beneful’s dog food and new line of dog snacks. All of the work in the campaign focuses on the importance of play to dogs and owners—encouraging pet owners to be happier by making time for play.
For the digital installations, Fallon worked closely with Inwindow Outdoor in New York, who designed feature 3D cameras and gesture recognition technology for the project. Inwindow’s digital team and Fallon’s designers created the displays to encourage busy residents of NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta and St. Louis to customize a puppy playmate and play fetch with the signature Beneful tennis ball. The dogs have a robust artificial intelligence that allows them to show a variety of emotion while being playful. They will respond in life-like ways, including pawing at the screen, rolling in the grass and encouraging users to interact. At the end of the play session, users can take a photo with their virtual dog, send it to their phone, and share it on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
“To our knowledge, no one in the advertising world has ever created a digital screen this size and with this level of interactivity,” said Steve Birnhak, CEO of Inwindow Outdoor, who also partnered with CBS Outdoor on the project. “For one month, the wall will be a can’t-miss, can’t ignore highlight of one of the busiest subway stations in the world and we’re excited to watch weary subway riders take a minute out of their day to have some fun.”
“I think our team struck on a universal truth,” said Mike Buchner, Fallon’s CEO. “We can all use more play in our day. That’s why every aspect of this campaign, from the anthem spot to the great installation work, rings so true with pet owners. Each is a simple reminder that playing isn’t just good for our dogs, it’s good for us.”
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