• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, June 23, 2009

Unfazed by the recession, digital out-of-home video networks have been striking deals to increase their reach. In the latest round, Indoor Direct said Tuesday it will expand its digital OOH video network to include 133 Carl's Jr. restaurants in Los Angeles and San Francisco, bolstering its ability to reach young male and family demos in these relatively youthful cities.

Indoor Direct creates a 60-minute weekly program called "The Bite" for distribution over its digital video network. Anne Blumenstein, Carl's Jr. vice president for field marketing and media, praised the program's "emphasis on sports, music and entertainment" as "a perfect fit for the Carl's Jr. 'young, hungry guy' target audience."

With the addition of the Carl's Jr. locations, Indoor Direct's network will cover about 1,150 "quick-service" restaurants belonging to 15 national chains, including well-known brands like Denny's, Wendy's and Sizzler.

Earlier this year, Indoor Direct announced it had raised about $22.5 million that would be used to expand its digital network -- which it claims reaches 10 million viewers a month in top DMAs, not counting Carl's Jr.

The Carl's Jr. announcement comes a month after Indoor Direct inked a deal bringing "The Bite" to 324 Hardee's, which is owned by the same corporate parent.

Indoor Direct is just of the big DO networks making moves in 2009.

In late May, Zoom Media and Marketing acquired the Wellness Health Education Network, a subscription-based service that operates digital signage displaying health-related content and advertising in 255 fitness clubs around the country. The acquisition expands Zoom's footprint in U.S. fitness clubs by almost 25%, from about 1,095 to 1,350. (Including foreign locations, Zoom's network totals 2,000.)

Previously, Zoom announced that it raised $30 million in a new round of funding led by ABS Capital Partners. At the time, Zoom said it would use the funds to make strategic acquisitions in the out-of-home advertising market, with a special focus on digital OOH.