9 D.C. Metro-area Bloom Stores Debut 3GTV Networks

Nine Bloom grocery stores in the Washington metropolitan area have officially launched 3GTV in a pilot program that marks the advent of what Allendale, N.J.-based vendor Automated Media Services (AMS) calls the “Digital Backbone,” a first-of-its-kind media platform providing power and communications across the store.

The result of 10 years of development, 3GTV Networks is the first system to make the retail store a plannable media destination. The Bloom launch not only enabled AMS to achieve its goal of extending television into the grocery store, but also introduced what it says is the first and only in-store digital communications platform supporting digital messaging at the shelf-edge, two-way communications, shopper tracking and measurement tools, and a variety of future activity anticipated by current consumer behaviors. 3GTV fosters continued growth of the burgeoning marketing sector by giving marketers and retailers a way to execute new activities and improve the effectiveness of their overall marketing efforts, according to AMS.

“We are poised for what may arguably be one of the industry's most critical transformations as cloud-computing finally takes its place in the physical store,” explained AMS chairman and CEO Bob Wolinsky. “Now, with the development of 3GTV, we are transforming the way marketers connect with shoppers, enabling them to extend their campaigns to the store and capitalize on the long-awaited retail communications revolution.”

Concurrent with the rollout at Bloom, a banner of Salisbury, N.C. Delhaize America, AMS revealed that a number of well-known CPG companies, among them PepsiCo, Kraft Foods and Nestle Purina, are taking part in the pilot.

“We are extremely impressed with the capabilities 3GTV can deliver, and are anxious for 3GTV to build scale quickly,” said Geoff Kuzio, VP at Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo’s Delhaize America Customer Team.

As 3GTV is interoperable with other television networks, WDCW, Washington’s CW affiliate, has signed on to swap airtime with the network on an equivalent-audience delivery basis. AMS notes that media agencies can now buy in-store airtime using the same metrics as in-home television.

“3GTV is a natural fit for us as we continue to look for effective ways to expand our numerous platforms, and diversify our station's ability to connect advertisers with the D.C. marketplace,” said Glenn Coleman, general sales manager at WDCW. “We see 3GTV as a game changer for local broadcasters, providing an invaluable opportunity to grow our audience delivery and be in a space that we could not otherwise be.”