Golden Pantry Pilots Proximity-to-Mobile Advertising

ATLANTA — Golden Pantry Convenience Stores, as part of a partnership between The Convenience Network (TCN), Engage Mobile Media Solutions LLC and iSIGN Media Solutions Inc., installed the iSIGN Smart Antenna, a digital signage and mobile advertising solution, across its 38 locations in the greater Atlanta area. 

The iSIGN Smart Antenna is an interactive proximity-to-mobile marketing technology that enables brands to deliver targeted messaging, offers and loyalty perks to consumers' mobile devices on-location and in real-time. The Smart Antenna delivers timely messages on an opt-in basis at no charge to consumers’ mobile devices through trusted Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies without the restrictions associated with apps or beacons, according to the companies.

The launch of this partnership began with the installations into Golden Pantry convenience stores in late January, and the technology was ready for a February launch for contracted advertisers including national brands Mars, Kellogg’s and Swisher Sweets.

“Until now, TCN has displayed contracted advertisements, weather, news and sports on digital screens with the purpose of helping store chains promote the sale of products to customers inside the store,” said Steve Newman, president and CEO of TCN. “The effort has been successful, and we are pleased to expand our services to best serve our convenience store clients. We can now deliver point-of-sale advertising to customers at the pumps, as well as to the mobile devices of customers as far as 300 feet outside of the storefront, generating interest in our advertisers’ products, driving footfall into the stores and ultimately increasing sales.”

Newman said initial response to the proximity-to-mobile advertising has been positive, as he expected. But he did not expect to “see such an extraordinary opt-in or acceptance rate by customers.” More than 50 percent of people who respond to the “push” request respond favorably and request to receive the advertisers’ messaging, he reported.

“This strategic partnership is an important expansion of the National Mobile Network,” said Ron Leman, president and CEO of Engage Mobile Media Solutions. “The forward-thinking and hands-on approach of the Golden Pantry management team helped make the expansion into the Golden Pantry stores a very smooth transition and we expect continued success with their team.”

Founded in Athens, Ga., Golden Pantry’s stores offer foodservice, beverages and fueling stations providing Shell gasoline, according to the retailer's website. 

Engage Mobile Media, the advertising sales arm of Graphic Media Inc., provides interactive mobile advertising solutions.

The Convenience Network, of Knoxville, Tenn., is a place-based digital media company with high-definition video screens and social interactive marketing opportunities to engage consumers inside high-volume convenience stores, travel centers and other retail locations.

Toronto-based iSIGN Media is a data-focused, software-as-a-service company that gathers point-of-sale data and mobile shopper preferences to generate data and reveal consumer insights, and enables brands to deliver targeted messaging, personalized offers and loyalty perks to consumer mobile devices on-location and in real-time.