Stick a dot on your screen

Strategic tool from German company TV-Miles monitors viewer loyaltyThe German company TV-Miles believes its marketing system is revolutionary: TV viewers receive a five-lobster-sized piece of cardboard - known as a dot - from an advertising company. They stick it on the corner of their TV screen. The Dot contains a film that records the TV signal. The station that TV-Miles and the Group partner with broadcasts a special visible logo with the Group's programming and advertising. When the viewer later sends the Dot back to the Group, the recording can be used to check whether he or she has faithfully followed the program or zapped around. Those who have stuck with the program can take part in contests or other promotions.
TV-Miles sees the Dot as an efficient strategic tool for integrated marketing. The company offers Dot campaigns "turnkey for all partners," as Andrej Henkler, a member of the executive board, told WerbeWoche. This included creative work, implementation and placement. TV-Miles has patented the system worldwide and has already launched it in Hungary and Portugal. Around five million dots were circulated in each case. The next country is Spain.
TV-Miles plans to venture into the German market in the first half of 2001. "We haven't really looked at Switzerland yet," Henkler admitted. But the new private stations have certainly created an interesting market environment there. Stefano Monachesi