SeeSaw Networks Signs Up PlayNetwork

Here’s an announcement we just don’t get: PlayNetwork ^[1] (a global leader of course “in providing integrated media experiences for businesses” – that will be “supplying music” to you and I and the last we looked, apart from some deal with Imagesound ^[2] in the UK they pretty much a pure US player) announced earlier this week that they signed an exclusive agreement with SeeSaw Networks ^[3] to sell place-based advertisements for their offering of in-store video networks.

So PlayNetwork buy Channel M ^[4], then realise they have no sales pipeline in place AFTER they bought them, sack all the ad sales people, the top execs from Channel M leave ^[5] and end up having to join SeeSaw?

I’m sorry but here is another example of a music business (Mood Media are the other one that springs immediately to mind) not understanding in any way whatsoever digital signage, video, ad sales and the DOOH sector.

The PlayNetwork press release went on to say “After a broad evaluation of potential partners, PlayNetwork selected SeeSaw to be their advertising partner because of their deep expertise in integrated, place-based digital campaigns and their focus on Life Pattern Marketing”.

We quite like SeeSaw (though like all US based aggregators they have used the recession as an excuse to stay in the confines of the US and not to go global quickly – which we think will eventually cripple all of them).

Under the terms of the agreement, SeeSaw will have exclusive rights to offer digital place-based advertising and sponsored programming segments across PlayNetwork’s Moms, Womans, Tweens, Young Adults, and Hispanic retail advertising networks.

Currently, these networks are featured in Ashley Furniture, MoneyMart, PLS Check Cashers, MyGym, The Little Gym, JW Tumbles, Kidville, Underground Station, Journeys, Journeys Kids, Ecko Unlimited, and Steve Madden.

Walt Tatum, Sr. Vice President, North American Sales for PlayNetwork said “SeeSaw shares our vision of offering our clients the ability to reach very targeted audiences in the places they go everyday with unique engaging programming,”

Peter Bowen, CEO and Co-Founder of SeeSaw Networks said “We’re excited to be able to offer access to PlayNetwork’s leading retail customer base as an anchor for brand campaigns looking to effectively reach people in their daily lives via Life Pattern Marketing. Together, SeeSaw and PlayNetwork will provide advertisers a distinctive and entertaining environment to engage a highly receptive audience.”

About SeeSaw Networks

SeeSaw Networks provides unparalleled media planning and buying technology for digital place-based advertising. SeeSaw delivers advertising in places where people go every day – places like gas stations, kids gyms, coffee shops, grocery stores and health clubs. SeeSaw reaches more people nationally, in more places than any other place-based video network. Combining over 70 digital signage networks across over 30 different types of locations, SeeSaw is the most extensive national digital video network currently in over 30,000 venues nationally and growing. SeeSaw delivers over 150 million weekly gross impressions – more than primetime TV spots at a fraction of the cost. SeeSaw’s campaign planning and optimization platform, SeeSawAds.com, enables agencies to precisely target and optimize their digital video advertising campaigns. With SeeSaw, advertisers can intercept people in their daily life patterns where they work, play and socialize.