• by Erik Sass , March 29, 2007

One of the world's biggest out-of-home advertising companies, JCDecaux, is joining forces with one of the newest, SecurityPoint Media LLC, to reach consumers on a new plane--or just before. The two companies are partnering to deliver ads to consumers at airport security checkpoints, via the trays provided for personal possessions like shoes and laptops.

In a system approved by Transportation Security Administration (TSA), SecurityPoint, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, has been putting ads on airport security trays, tables and carts at Los Angeles International Airport since mid-2006. JCDecaux is only using one component--the trays themselves--for now.

The Feds signed off on the novel approach in January after a six-month trial period, and the system is poised to hit the big time with the new partnership--including possible placement at JFK, Miami, George Bush Intercontinental and other hubs. Ad revenues will go to individual airports, helping insolvent municipal airport authorities raise much-needed cash.

There are, however, some obvious objections.

The audience is bored at best--and at worst, harried, annoyed or angry. But it could be a boon for businesses centered in the airport--such as car services, newsstands, bars and restaurants, as well as a broader range of companies hoping to tap into the concept of safety.

In a January interview, Jack Sullivan, senior vice president and out-of-home media director for Starcom, was enthusiastic about the prospect. "For some advertisers, it could be great. For example, I can imagine a lot of insurance companies being interested, or any other company with a product related to security or well-being," he says. "But the ads have to be tasteful."

Bernard Parisot, co-CEO of JCDecaux North America, remarked: "SecurityPoint Media has devised an ingenious, one-on-one advertising medium that not only reaches traveling consumers, it reduced their checkpoint wait times. This is a customer-service feature airports are eager to take advantage of." Joseph Ambrefe, president of SecurityPoint Media, added: "This collaboration brings together the ingenuity and operational experience of the SecurityPoint team with JCDecaux's world class presence in airport advertising."