Astral Out-of-Home, a division of Astral Media Inc, unveils today a brand new network of 30 urban Digital Columns to be gradually installed as of mid-August in the heart of downtown Montréal. The roll out will make Montréal the first Canadian city to feature such an innovative network like other world-class cities such as London and San Francisco.
Each column will be equipped with a 72-inch HD LCD screen and a geographical map of downtown on the opposite face. The columns will be installed in key locations throughout downtown’s major commercial streets, including Sherbrooke and Ste- Catherine, as well as near busy areas like the Quartier des spectacles. The Digital Column network will reach nearly one million consumers per day.
The numerous technological features of the new Digital Column network will promote creativity and redefine ways of interacting with consumers. RSS feeds, QR Codes (Quick Response) as well as the integration of NFC (Near Field Communication) technology will enable advertisers to immediately deliver content and create the opportunity for real time exchange between advertisers and consumers. For example, a campaign can be adapted to the time of day or to coincide with a specific event.
“The roll out of this highly innovative network once again demonstrates the creative and avant-garde nature of Astral Out-of-Home’s team and offer,” said Luc Sabbatini, President of Astral Out-of-Home. “We are particularly proud that the first Digital Column network in Canada is launched in Montréal, enabling our advertisers to target a highly active and mobile population segment where they work, shop and play.”
In addition to being more aesthetic, innovative, and technologically-advanced, each new Digital Column will enable six advertisers to display their ads 24 hours a day in rotation, managed by Astral Out-of-Home’s control centre. The introduction of this new network also stems from the company’s desire to further reduce its environmental footprint by eliminating printing and installation costs.
Astral Out-of-Home is one of Canada’s leading out-of-home advertising companies with more than 9,500 strategically-placed advertising faces in key markets in Québec, Ontario, and British Columbia. As a forward-looking company, Astral Out-of-Home has embarked on a series of green-and-clean initiatives to reduce its ecological footprint and actively participate in sustainable development.
Founded in 1961, Astral is one of Canada’s largest media companies. It operates several media properties—pay and specialty television, radio, out-of-home advertising and digital media properties—among the most popular in the country. Astral plays a central role in community life across the country by offering diverse, rich and vibrant programming that meets the tastes and needs of consumers and advertisers alike. To find out more about Astral, go to astral.com.
Source: Astral Out-of-Home
