• by Erik Sass , September 10, 2007

Clear Channel Malls, a division of Clear Channel Outdoor, is set to launch an elaborate mall marketing campaign that surrounds shoppers with an interactive multimedia experience, the company announced today. The "Oh Zone" campaign, scheduled to debut in the U.S. in March 2008 after an 18-month Canadian run, allows participating marketers to acquire leads, gather data about consumer attitudes, and distribute samples--all in one experiential package.

The "Oh Zone" campaign centers on portable sets that include digital video displays and interactive touch-screen consoles. Consumers are directed to the installations by greeters who offer an incentive in the form of a game piece. Once there, they are guided through the interactive displays by staff who explain how to enter contests, respond to product questionnaires, and print out "game cards" that can be redeemed when they proceed to the event area.

The event area is divided into a number of 5-foot-by-7-foot stalls, expo-style, where representatives of each brand greet shoppers, explain their products, and distribute samples. The stalls can also include demonstration products and additional digital displays. Up to eight different brands may participate in each event, with Clear Channel promising category exclusivity for participants.

On their way out, shoppers receive a gift bag with samples and more incentives to visit specific retail outlets in the mall. Later, marketers can follow up with a thank-you email and a blind questionnaire. These options apply only to consumers who volunteer their email contact information and consent to receive information via that channel while participating in the Oh Zone event.

The first tour will take place on the East coast, from March through April, with Clear Channel Malls promising as many as 1,400,000 "brand impressions" and potential engagement of more than 50,000 consumers. This tour includes malls in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.