• by Tricia Despres , February 27, 2007

If you own a car, pumping gas is a fact of life. But instead of staring into space, many eyes now focus on Gas Station TV (GSTV).

GSTV delivers ABC news, weather, sports and entertainment via 20-inch, daylight-viewable LCD monitors embedded in gas dispensers. GSTV now airs on 1,000 screens in the Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston markets.

"GSTV has turned a mundane necessity into an entertaining experience," explains David Leider, CEO of GSTV. "Since people are now engaged, we have the ability to convert them to purchase."

In partnership with the SMART Merchandising system, GSTV airs promos with on-demand coupons that customers print from the pump. Station owners hope the coupons will entice customers to come into the station's store. Ten percent of the current GSTV pumps have coupon capabilities.

"Gas retailers make higher margins on c-store products," says Leider. "The GSTV promotional program is designed to drive customers into the c-store."