Outcast Media, a Santa Monica company that owns a network of 13,000 video screens on gas station pumps, has signed a deal with the NFL Network to show pro football highlights to drivers while they’re filling ’er up.
About 2,300 of the company’s screens are in the L.A. market, reaching 6.1 million drivers each month.
Nathan Gill, co-founder of Outcast, said audience research shows demand for the clips. The highlight loop will spotlight the greatest plays from the previous Sunday for 30 seconds, followed by a 30-second commercial.
“For most of our advertisers, there is nothing they like more than NFL content,” Gill said. “They view it as elevating their brand to be associated with the NFL.”
Outcast advertisers are mostly in the automotive and retail sectors, including OnStar, the satellite service from General Motors; Halls cough drops; Pepsi; Albertsons supermarkets; and Walgreens drugstores.
And with the National Basketball Association shut down by a labor-owner stalemate, Gill believes the NFL highlights will get even more attention.
“Yes, it was a smart move to spend our time going after the NFL deal,” Gill said. “But I’m still not happy that there may not be a basketball season.”
Icelandic Age
Ad agency Team One in El Segundo has landed the task of expanding sales of Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Water in the United States.
The agency has started to redesign the logo and packaging for rollout early in 2012. A second phase of work will include print and out-of-home advertising, point-of-sale displays in stores and events.
“We’ve had our eyes on Icelandic Glacial water for a couple years, and we believe the time is right to magnify its presence within North America,” Julie Michael, executive director at Team One, said in a statement.
Headquartered in Olfus, Iceland, the company exports water to the United States, Canada, Russia, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and China.
Team One is a division of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, a New York-based advertising conglomerate.
Eco-Hollywood
Green Galaxy Enterprises, a public relations firm in Studio City that specializes in promoting eco-friendly clients, has a new account with 350Green, a downtown L.A. company that makes recharging stations for electric cars.
The agency’s strategy is to use the entertainment industry to popularize 350Green through product placements; celebrity use of the product; and establishing a presence at screenings, charity events and trade conferences.
Green Galaxy President Nicole Hansen will serve as spokeswoman for 350Green. She hopes to land 350Green Chief Executive Mariana Gerzanych appearances at workshops and panel discussions about clean technology and sustainable lifestyles.
“The entertainment industry is a great match for 350Green chargers, with so many celebrities and producers already proud owners of electric cars,” Hansen said in a statement.
Fountain of Youth
Grand Marnier, a 184-year-old cognac, wants to target the youth market and has picked Woo Agency to make it happen.
Woo, a digital agency in Culver City, will focus on associating the brand with young celebrities and then use online ads, social media and in-store displays to promote the connections. In September, the agency negotiated the first celebrity deal, which featured a concert ticket contest with singer Bruno Mars.
“Since its inception, Grand Marnier has always been perceived as a drink enjoyed by the privileged country club set,” David Abehsera, Woo president, said in a statement. “We’re trying to change that perception.”
Agencies & Accounts
Public Relations Society of America’s L.A. chapter handed out the annual Prism Awards on Nov. 9. Big winners among agencies included GolinHarris with six trophies; Citizen Paine and Hill & Knowlton with four; Edelman, Ketchum and Calvin Naito with three each; and Olmstead Williams Communications with two. … TBWAChiatDay in Playa del Rey has appointed Laurent Janneau worldwide managing director for the Infiniti account. His responsibility is to ensure Infiniti’s sales growth globally. Janneau was previously executive director at Ogilvy & Mather Paris. He began his career at TBWA Paris in 1995, left in 2000 to try his hand at an Internet startup, then worked stints for Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Ogilvy in Paris before returning to TBWA. … Sensis, a digital marketing agency in downtown Los Angeles, has launched its redesign of website Ready.gov. The site, managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, shows businesses and citizens how to prepare for a natural disaster. … Media Design Group, a direct-response TV-buying agency in Santa Monica, has hired Daryl Buttrick as a buyer for long infomercial time slots. Buttrick previously worked as a buyer at Strategic Media in Portland, Maine, and Mercury Media in Marlboro, Mass. … NBCUniversal has promoted Bear Fisher to the newly created position of senior vice president of brand strategy at the Style Network. She previously served as creative director for both the E and Style cable channels.
Staff reporter Joel Russell can be reached at [email protected] or at (323) 549-5225, ext. 237.
