IMAX CORPORATION FORMS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH DHJ MEDIA TO PRODUCE NETWORKED DIGITAL BILLBOARDS FOR LONDON UNDERGROUND
Digital Projection International To Sell 400 Projection Systems Valued
At Approximately $15 Million As Part Of First Installation In London
Underground
Manchester,
9th April 2001 - Digital Projection International - a wholly owned
subsidiary of IMAX Corporation - announced a strategic partnership
which will expand IMAX's market-leading digital projection technology
into the realm of digital electronic billboards and result in the
largest single order in the history of IMAX's Digital Projection
International Limited (DPI) subsidiary. Specifically, IMAX signed an
agreement with Sweden's DHJ Media AB to develop and install digital
media network systems that will replace traditional poster advertising
with high revenue digital billboards. The companies announced today
that the London Underground is the first location to enter into a
definitive agreement for the installation of such a digital billboard
system.
To be marketed under DHJ's trademarked "Outdoor Evolution Systems", the
IMAX-DHJ networked digital billboard system will allow billboard owners
the ability to dramatically increase revenues per billboard and will
allow advertisers to target their audience on an hourly basis. Digital
billboards are designed to maximize the impact of advertising revenue
by allowing ads to be directed to any given location at any designated
time of the day, thus allowing for better timeliness of messages,
flexibility, and the ability to purchase the entire billboard network.
Both Digital Projection and IMAX's expertise in image projection,
reliability and commitment to excellence should ensure only the
highest-quality presentation of the advertiser's image and message.
Under
the terms of IMAX's agreement with DHJ, IMAX will sell the digital
projectors that will display the images, and DHJ will provide the
network functions as well as the billing, scheduling and distribution
of ads. IMAX and DHJ agreed to market the Outdoor Evolution System to
five potential locations in Europe. As a result, the London Underground
has placed an order with IMAX for 400 digital projectors with a value
of close to $15 million, the largest order ever for IMAX's DPI
subsidiary. The first 100 systems are expected to be installed by the
end of 2001, with the balance expected to be delivered over the
following 12 to 24 months. TDI Outdoor, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc.,
will handle the advertising sales for the London Underground system.
IMAX and DHJ also announced that they have entered into a marketing
co-venture to target the sale of Outdoor Evolution Systems to five
potential customers in North America including transit systems,
shopping malls and movie theatre chains.
IMAX
co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler said, "This new
technology has the potential to revolutionize the world of billboard
advertising in terms of message presentation, target marketing,
audience impact, enhanced revenue generation and return on advertising
investment. Whereas a billboard advertisement now is confined to a
still picture that is changed sporadically, a digital billboard can
display moving images such as movie trailers, and show multiple
advertisements every hour. Such a billboard can advertise coffee in the
morning, retail shopping in the afternoon, and show a preview of that
night's television line-up during the evening rush hour. The result
suggests a win-win for everyone; with advertisers able to buy just the
demographics they want and billboard companies able to sell the same
space multiple times in a day."
Messrs.
Gelfond and Wechsler continued "We believe that our partnership with
DHJ and the Outdoor Evolution digital billboard system create a
significant opportunity for DPI and we are excited to enter this market
with DHJ. The first order under this agreement for the London
Underground is the largest single order in our DPI subsidiary's history
and represents the first of hopefully many such contracts."
Per Johnson, CEO of DHJ, said, "We are excited to be working with IMAX.
IMAX's strong history of reliably providing the highest quality images
made them an obvious partner for this venture where the quality of the
image is so important. We expect that the Outdoor Evolution system will
dramatically increase the productivity and market size of the billboard
advertising industry. With this partnership, we are well-positioned to
help create and capitalize on this highly-attractive emerging market."
DHJ Media AB, a new media company with headquarters in Stockholm and
offices in London and New York, designed and patented the unique
projected advertising system called 'Outdoor Evolution'. Among the
principal external shareholders of DHJ are AB Industrivärden, Sweden's
second largest investment company.