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Bell Canada, Convergent Media Systems & Sony of Canada Ltd. Forge Digital Signage Network Agreement

Posted on: Thursday, 28 October 2004, 12:00 CDT

Customers can now benefit from a competitive advantage by targeting their customers in-store where they are predisposed to buy

Through a partnership with Convergent Media Systems and Sony of Canada Ltd., Bell Canada today announced the formation of its Digital Signage solution, which will revolutionize the way in which in-store advertising is done in Canada. The solution will offer Canadian businesses the opportunity to advertise their products and services on digital TV screens that run over Bell Canada's IP network. Businesses will receive a package that includes all ad content creation and distribution over Bell Canada's network, all in-store equipment, including plasma screens for displaying the ads, plus reporting capabilities.

"Bell Canada's digital signage solution is a fully managed turnkey solution that runs over Bell Canada's IP network," said John Hall, senior vice president, marketing, enterprise markets, Bell Canada. "Digital signage will help retailers reach customers through a more powerful medium while they're in the store and predisposed to buy. The messaging can be tailored for local demographics, different store characteristics and merchandise assortments. The IP network that supports our solution will allow efficient and centralized development and distribution of content.

"Digital signage is opening up a new world to retailers and advertisers with visually compelling images and messages that grab the attention of customers as they're ready to buy," said Bryan Allen, president & COO for Convergent.

"Digital signage represents the next wave in connecting with the consumer at retail," said Anil Sethi, senior vice president, broadcast communication solutions group, Sony of Canada Ltd. "The combination of Sony's digital signage technology, Bell's IP network and Convergent's content management system is an unbeatable turnkey solution for the savvy marketer who wants to communicate his or her organization's value proposition in the most compelling way possible. The Bell/Convergent/Sony solution will also prove invaluable in providing timely in-store sales and product education to employees as well as keeping them right up-to-date about the organization they work for."

Bell Canada formed an alliance with Convergent and Sony because they are the most experienced sturdy players in this nascent market.

Hot New Medium for Canadian Advertisers and Retailers

The emerging media outlet known to the advertising community as digital signage is gaining traction throughout the U.S. and abroad with retailers running digital ads over satellite and terrestrial networks to plasma and LCD screens in their stores. The digital ads give advertisers the advantage of reaching customers while they shop and are predisposed to buy, and these electronic ads are proving to be more memorable than traditional point-of-purchase ad displays. Plus content can be changed based on time of day, geographic region, even surpluses in inventory.

Why Convergent & Sony

With Convergent's experience in developing broadcast quality video and graphical content over digital media networks since 1980, and Sony's expertise in storing and managing content through its NSP-100 network storage player and Digital Content Distribution System, Bell Canada has a single source for networked digital signage to help retailers reach their customers with targeted, attention-grabbing electronic ads at the point of purchase.

Bell Canada has begun a pilot program at its 300-plus Bell and Bell World retail stores from coast to coast.

About Bell Canada

Bell Canada, Canada's national leader in communications, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through wired and wireless voice and data communications, local and long distance phone services, high speed and wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions and satellite television services. Bell Canada is wholly owned by BCE Inc. For more information please visit www.bell.ca.

About Convergent Media Systems

Convergent Media Systems, founded in Atlanta in 1980, is the leading provider of high-impact video and media-rich communications for digital signage, e-learning and corporate communications enterprise applications. Convergent provides services for over 70 digital media networks and 800,000 viewing locations, including design and development of custom content and courseware, digital asset and learning management, broadcast-quality studio and production services, network engineering, installation and ongoing operations. Clients include AT&T Wireless, Advance Auto Parts, Bank of America, Borders Books, Channel One, Eli Lilly, Unisys, Volkswagen of America and other industry leaders. For more information, call 1-800-877-7804 or visit www.convergent.com.

About Sony of Canada Ltd.

Established in 1955, Sony of Canada Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, a world leader in the manufacture and marketing of electronic and computer products for consumer, business, electronics publishing and multimedia applications on a global scale. With headquarters in Toronto, sales offices in Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal, and distribution centers in Coquitlam, British Columbia, and Whitby, Ontario, approximately 1,200 employees support more than 70 Sony stores and a network of more than 3,000 authorized dealers across Canada. For further information, please visit us at www.sony.ca, www.thesonystore.ca, www.sonybiz.ca or www.sonystyle.ca, Sony's product information and e-commerce Web site.

Source: Business Wire

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