Full Tank: Gas Station TV Adds Venues, Viewers

by Erik Sass , July 12, 2011

GasStation-TV-

Assuming they aren't distracted by sky-high gas prices on the meter, drivers in Southern California have something new to watch while they're at the pump, thanks to Gas Station TV, which has expanded its network of digital out-of-home video displays to include 19 new service locations in Los Angeles and San Diego, including venues owned by Chevron, Conoco-Philips and United Oil Stations.

Altogether, the new locations -- 10 in L.A. and nine in San Diego -- should add 4.5 million impressions per year, according to GSTV CEO David Leider.

The new venues will feature GSTV's usual mix of programming, including sports news from ESPN, local weather from AccuWeather, news and entertainment segments and GSTV's original content program, "Your Neighborhood."

GSTV has carried advertising from brands including Allstate, American Express, AOL Autos, Bank of America, Best Buy, Chase Bank, Chevrolet, Coppertone, CVS, Ford, Kraft, OnStar, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Sonic, Sprint, Toyota, TUMS, Verizon, Wal-Mart, and White Castle.

Over the last few years, the out-of-home company has introduced new ad formats and integration opportunities in an effort to make advertising at the gas pump more competitive with other kinds of DO and TV.

Last August, GSTV inked a deal with ESPN offering advertisers new opportunities for brand integration with ESPN sports video content at the gas pump, including calls to action for products sold in gas station convenience stores.

In 2009, GSTV introduced "Echo Ads" -- shorter ads of about 5 to 10 seconds that follow the initial 15- to-30-second spots by a minute or two in the programming cycle. They are also available on C-Store TV, which extends GSTV's reach into gas station convenience stores.

integrated marketing, out-of-home, television, tv

3 comments about "Full Tank: Gas Station TV Adds Venues, Viewers".

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Jb Vick from FanDriveMedia, July 12, 2011 at 5:08 p.m.
I dislike this service more than any other form of advertising. To me nothing is worse than getting yelled at with advertising while your pumping hard earned dollars to OPEC.
If I were an advertiser I would think carefully about putting my brand around this form of distribution. I actually avoid going to local stations that have this.

I wonder if its just me or others.
Reply

Tom Keane from USA Weekend, July 13, 2011 at 9:39 a.m.

Well said JB. There is nothing more annoying than the incessant squawking from these damned pump top screens.

Let me have a few moments of blessed silence...I don't need parenting tips from vapid, coke snorting TV sitcom bozos, nor does anybody need any more packaged ESPN "concussion inducing hit of the day" sports highlights.

Cece Forrester from tbd, July 13, 2011 at 9 p.m.

I've never actually looked at the screen--not a good viewing angle as I pump the gas--and the audio sounds roughly like the language of adults in Peanuts cartoons (no discernible words). But I often talk back to it anyway, saying something like "please shut up."

Never paid any attention to the TV screens in the grocery checkout line, either. Come to think of it, I haven't been to a supermarket that has them lately. Did the stores get rid of them, or did I just stop going to those stores?