AIM Smart Corp. reported it’s planning
a nationwide roll-out of its interactive advertising kiosk solutions within
The Rouse Co.’s shopping malls.
The move accelerates a previously planned 12-month test and evaluation period
at five targeted malls, and covers the majority of malls in the Rouse system.
In February, AIM Smart installed its interactive advertising kiosk solution
in two Rouse showcase malls: Santa Monica Place in California and the Mall in
Columbia in Maryland.
“On a go-forward basis the Rouse roll-out schedule is one mall per week until
the Rouse network is fully installed,” said Robert Van Duren, AIM Smart
president.
“Rouse recognizes that national advertisers and retailers want to
use a national mall/Internet network to increase sales by micro-targeting
advertisements, coupons, product tests and new product roll-outs.
“We now have commitments for installation of AIM Smart’s Interactive
Advertising network from approximately half of the nation’s 600 largest
malls.”
The AIM Smart network generates four revenue streams:
- Mall-based interactive, micro-targetable, advertising.
- Internet-based advertising delivered by free Internet access, under the
brand name of the mall.
- Electronic commerce transaction fees, from Internet members who cybershop
at mall retail stores.
- Market research on local, regional, and national levels.
The in-mall communications vehicle is a set of pavilions with video and
interactive, touch-screen displays (which also supports free Internet access
at home or the office).
Mall shoppers get up-to-the-minute information regarding
product/store/promotion/location information specific to their interests. At
the same time, advertising messages (from local retailers all the way up to
national advertisers) are streamed to the displays around the shopper.
By Spring 1998, Goodrich, MI-based AIM Smart said it expects to have firm
contractual roll-out agreements with two-thirds of the nation’s largest 600
malls, which will form a national network of mall-based, Internet-connected
advertising channels.
