ShareSquare Connects Offline World With Mobile Web at SXSW

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ShareSquare (http://getsharesquare.com), the leading startup focused on bridging the gap between outdoor advertising and the mobile web, announced today that its self-serve content management system (CMS) will be available for free to all SXSW Music's performing artists via the invite code: "TWISXSW".  Previously in closed beta, the platform has powered nationwide campaigns for select artists and labels including William Morris Endeavor and Disney artist Mitchel Musso, among others, where it drove engagement via ShareSquare QR codes on packaging, posters and digital signage in Walmarts across North America.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110209/LA45378)

Now any SXSW artist or promoter can quickly enhance their posters, stickers, flyers, merchandise tags (and more) with calls-to-action such as: mobile video, mp3 downloads, instant win contests, and one-click connections to Facebook and Twitter just by including their ShareSquare QR code.  Deep real-time analytics on audience engagement and location allow tracking and optimization on the fly.

From March 11-20, Austin, Texas, the "Live Music Capital of the World," will be overrun with more than 2000 musical artists, inundating the small city with promotional materials all vying for attention.  With so much noise, any lasting impression on a new fan becomes a precious commodity.  By incorporating a ShareSquare QR code – a type of barcode easily read by mobile devices – the artist's promotions rise above the crowd.  Using a smartphone and any barcode scanning application (like Redlaser on iPhone, Barcode Scanner on Android or the native scanner in BBM 5.0 on BlackBerry) a new fan can deepen their engagement and experience the artist's custom ShareSquare mobile web app containing rich media, prizes, social sharing and more.

"We've found that discovering new music in the real world quickly becomes a point of passion," said Matthias Galica, ShareSquare CEO.  "But prior to ShareSquare, a new fan was pretty much forced go home and discover more on their computer.  For the first time, all outdoor advertising can become immediately interactive, and soon, a point of purchase."

As an added bonus for SXSW performers, ShareSquare will feature real-time leaderboards and geo-tagged heat maps to highlight local hot spots of music discovery and reward the "Most Scanned Bands" with increased visibility and prizes, to be announced live at the event.

About ShareSquare

ShareSquare (getsharesquare.com) is a platform for crowd-sourced street teams to support the bands & brands they love, with real-time analytics and performance-based rewards.

Currently focused on enhancing physical promotions and Out-Of-Home advertising in music & entertainment, ShareSquare bridges the offline world with the mobile web. Headquartered in Los Angeles, ShareSquare is backed by investments from prominent angels like Paige Craig and John Frankel and is pursuing a Series A.

SOURCE ShareSquare