Wash and Watch

London -- Advertisements in public restrooms are nothing new. But British advertising firm Addirect is aiming to upgrade the sector with its new AddMirror, a digital display medium that embeds interactive ads into washroom mirrors.The technology was first developed by Addirect, explains Ben Grant, managing director, and was tested in select London nightclubs in July of 2005. By the time the full rollout is complete at the end of this year, the AddMirror will be installed in nearly 2,000 U.K. locations. He declined to disclose costs for the mirrors, which are built by Addirect itself, as each unit is privately owned by the ad firm.The ad does have point-of-purchase opportunities to promote beverages or cigarettes that are sold at the bar, Grant says. Several vendors have asked about it, Grant says, and the company is currently researching the possibilities in that niche. To date, the AddMirror has been used to promote everything from DVD releases to online poker competitions to alcohol. And, of course, the mirror medium lends itself to cosmetics and hair care products."What we've found is that, because the product is a much higher-end washroom advertisement tool, we're now taking on brands who wouldn't normally advertise in a washroom," says Grant. "It paints a much prettier image of an advertisement when it's in a very high-tech mirror rather than when it's on a regular poster shell in a washroom."The company is also in the middle of an overseas expansion that includes plans for up to 300 AddMirror venues in New York by the end of 2007. "Obviously the environment [in Manhattan] is perfect," Grant says of the company's U.S. effort, part of which will involve reaching out to new American clients for both domestic and international advertising placements. "It's a very adept market, and the people are keen to try a new medium such as ours. We're going to see from there what the next stage will be in the United States."The AddMirror, which when installed replaces the restroom's standard mirror, consists of six lighted panels measuring roughly 8 inches by 11 inches (a standard British paper size) that are mounted behind a mirrored surface and turn on and off at preprogrammed times.Depending on the client's needs, ads can be set to appear at random, in a storyboard sequence or in a mix with several different brand messages. Up to six images can be stored in the mirror at one time. Ad images are created either by the client or by Addirect, which sells space on its network in four-week increments.Since only one panel is activated at any given time, 5/6 of the mirror is always left unobstructed. That way, patrons can still use the mirror, while advertisers can be sure that their message is being seen by everyone that enters the restroom.When off, each panel disappears into the background to create a seamless look. It's this on-and-off switching that draws people's attention, Grant explains. "They're using the mirror anyway, but the moving advertisements and the illuminated print effect makes it very effective."Each individual mirror is managed by an Addirect representative who programs the sequences and uploads new ads to the system every month via a Bluetooth wireless connection. Representatives also perform maintenance on the mirrors as needed."We're in a washroom environment," Grant explains, "and, whereas screens could be left hanging from a ceiling, these mirrors often need to be cleaned and repaired and maintained on a monthly basis. So we have someone actually physically go down and change them over."

Wash and Watch

P2PI MEMBERS

JOIN P2PI

Related Topics

Related Images

Business Topic

P2PI MEMBERS

JOIN P2PI

Related Topics

Related Images

Related Articles

Business Topic