IBM Educates Consumers on Smarter Cities; Digital Touchscreen Display Debuts in JFK Airport

NEW YORK, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Ogilvy & Mather today announced a first-time technology experience that educates consumers about how their cities can be smarter. In an eight by twelve foot interactive display, people can experience the transformations that IBM brings to key systems in our cities such as transportation, energy & utilities, public safety, healthcare, education and economic development.

Combining multi-touch technology, gesture triggered activation, audio, video and a text to mobile 'call to action' feature, the customized digital experience from IBM is the first to combine all these technologies in a single experiential display. Travelers passing through American Airlines Terminal 8 in New York's JFK airport can experience over 30 videos and other creative elements developed by long-time IBM agency Ogilvy & Mather in partnership with Monster Media.

"In a complex environment like a city where different systems have to act as one and be as efficient as possible, bringing technology to city officials and governments is only one aspect of the education required," explained Pam Kaplan, Vice President, Market Management, IBM Global Industries. "We created this interactive experience in one of the most traveled locales in the world, because if members of society understand how smarter cities can affect them personally, they will influence change within their own communities."

TheSmarterCity experience

The multi-functional board and its white cityscape become activated by the motion of airport travelers passing by and vibrant colors start filling in various parts of the city. In addition to animations, the unit also features an audio 'call to action' encouraging travelers to explore and learn from TheSmarterCity. The touch capabilities of the unit offer in-depth content and allow people to select areas of interest and learn about real-world examples of how IBM is building a smarter planet today.

"IBM has a tremendous depth of learning and experience in helping cities and their leaders build smarter solutions to how cities work," said Lou Aversano.  "Using innovative channels like this one-of-a-kind display, provides an engaging environment to share these stories with business leaders and consumers and allow them to delve deeper into the ways in which IBM's Smarter Cities efforts are changing the world."  

The unit also features a rotating  ticker at the top of the unit that reveals interesting statistics about cities today such as: "By 2050, 70% of the world will live in cities," and "NYC's Real Time Crime Center is helping cut crime by 27%." Interspersed in these stats is also a mobile call to action that allows the viewer to text "smarter" to a number.  The response to the text is a message that provides a link and encourages the viewer to visit the full, flash-based experience in their free time at www.ibm.com/thesmartercity.

"The out of home environment is one of the most innovative places for marketers to create unique brand experiences today," said Chris Beauchamp, chief executive officer of Monster Media.  "Using new technology and situational environments where consumers are looking for an interactive experience -- such as an airport-- we are able to deliver measurable results."

TheSmarterCity touch enabled unit also offers real-time analytical capabilities providing continuous insights on user engagement – all powered by Monster Media's proprietary campaign tracking system. The system measures every single touch and interaction on the board as well as duration of time spent with the content. This up to the minute tracking capability will allow for continuous learnings on performance and optimizations to the experience and its content.

TheSmarterCity JFK board will be on display now through September 24, 2010.

IBM first launched TheSmarterCity (www.ibm.com/thesmartercity) in December 2009, as an online interactive experience that supports IBM's Smarter Planet initiative.

SOURCE Ogilvy & Mather