• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, January 11, 2011

Lifeclinic, which operates blood pressure monitors in pharmacies, has tapped an ABC arm as its rep firm for adjacent advertising opportunities. The Maryland company is debuting digital tablets delivering video with health information as part of a Health Station Network. 

The in-store monitor stations, where consumers gauge their blood pressure and other health measures, such as pulse rates and body mass index, are located at more than 25,000 stores.

ABC Regional Sports and Entertainment Sales will serve as the sales arm, likely targeting advertisers with health products in nearby aisles. The sales group, which also sells for regional sports networks, in-taxi platforms in New York and billboards in Times Square, is part of ABC's larger group that sells for its owned-and-operated stations.

In addition to the emerging Lifeclinic digital tablets, there is other inventory adjacent to the machines, such as Walmart, CVS and Rite Aid. Lifeclinic says traffic comes to 1 million customers a day.

With the tablets, Lifeclinic said an advertiser can run a national spot or a targeted one in specific locations.

The Health Station Network provides an "opportunity to get ahead of the curve in this important out-of-home advertising market," stated John Watkins, the head of ABC National Television Sales, which includes the arm selling for Lifeclinic.

Lifeclinic cites figures that ads at its stations can lift sales by as much as 30% on average for a category that includes over-the-counter medicines, and 20% for food products and beverages. A sales lift for Rx products can be in the 3% to 7% range, probably because a consumer would have to go to a doctor to obtain a prescription first.

In addition to emerging video advertising opportunities, the stations can serve as a distribution point for brochures and samples, as well as a site to attach signage.