TV Ads Board Commercial Buses

  • by August 22, 2000
By Anya Khait

Every advertiser longs for a captive audience. Targets stuck in rush hour traffic on a bus, for example. But until a few months ago, aside from billboards, bus shelters and a few other out-of-home venues, we didn't have much of a selection in reaching this attractive audience.

Well, times have changed. Just months after movie theaters across the country decided to cash in on their captive audiences, Coach USA has agreed to allow BusTV Advertising - www.bustvad.com - to place advertising via TV monitors onboard its buses in return for satellite and video entertainment for its passengers.

BusTV President, David Forman says, "BusTV is the first company to place mobile satellite antennae on commercial buses, providing 'Direct TV' satellite television onboard, and through an arrangement with a motion picture video licensing firm, the first company with permission to add its own commercial messages to new release video. Until now, only in-flight services had permission to customize Hollywood video."

One hundred East Coast buses to Atlantic City and Connecticut casinos launched this month with "Seniors 50 plus" passenger demographics. Initial advertisers include national clients such as Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment, for their video release of the movie "Diamonds," Senokot, a natural laxative and Mr. Mobility, a manufacturer of electric wheelchairs. Regional and local advertisers include retirement communities, long-term care insurance and elder-law attorneys.

Onboard, passengers watch a safety video, cross promotions from Coach, USA and up to three minutes of commercials before a video movie or satellite programming begins. "As BusTV expands, distance destinations such as college runs and other markets where passengers ride less than weekly will feature new release video, and commuter markets nationally will soon feature Satellite Television," Forman said.

"Business travelers will stay in touch with news via CNN, Bloomberg and CNBC, and advertisers will have access to the highly regarded moments just before and after the office."

- Anya Khait is a Staff Reporter at MediaPost. She can be reached at anya@mediapost.com

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