In The News:

New Level Radio Standardizes on Barix Audio over IP Devices to Deliver
Branded “Retail Radio” Stations to Stores throughout the United States.

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, April 13, 2009 — Barix AG, a pioneer in IP-based audio, announces that New Level Radio has standardized on Barix Exstreamer IP audio decoders to deliver custom, branded “retail radio” stations to retailers, restaurants and other consumer-oriented businesses across the US. The complete solution provides a point-to-multipoint radio broadcast service over reliable IP connections, minimizing implementation costs and system complexity for both New Level Radio and its clients.

New Level Radio currently broadcasts to 100’s of stores throughout the country, including a variety of retail and restaurant chains such as Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, Culvers, Pictures Plus, Pricebusters, Hilo Hattie’s, and the Royal Hawaiian Center, an upscale outdoor shopping mall in the heart of Waikiki. The service provides live audio direct to the stores, providing a mix of music, advertising and promotional material to customers at the point of purchase. All programming is custom-designed for each business.

“The Barix Exstreamer-100 devices are feature-rich yet affordable for us, which allows us to keep the installation costs low for our clients,” said Nathan Green, Vice President and Director of Sales for New Level Radio. “There is no requirement to install satellite dishes on the roof at participating stores, and no burden on our customers to change CDs or switch through a satellite package to update the program. Once the Barix device is programmed with an IP address and installed at the store, we can remotely update the program and maintain it on the fly.”

Kent Untermann, President of Pictures Plus, an art and framing store with ten store locations, believes that the concept of branded retail radio delivers a unique experience for both its customers and employees.

“It is our belief that the best advertising we have is the people in our store,” said Untermann. “As business owners, we spend a lot of time concentrating on getting people into our stores and forgetting about the opportunities that exist with customers already there. The New Level Radio program delivers excellent audio quality to our customers inside the store and also delivers our business message to employees very effectively. This is all part of the experience.”

New Level Radio provides new programs monthly or on a seasonal basis, and automatically updates them at the store side using the Barix Exstreamer platform. Programs vary in length based on the hours of operation of each store and the retail business model. New Level Radio is also able to access every Exstreamer in its network to adjust levels and settings via its central web server, and monitor the status of each device.

April 8, 2009 - Custom In-store Radio Design Podcast - Sound & Video Contractor Online

http://blogcast.svconline.com/2009/04/08/custom-in-store-radio-design/

July 2006 - Consumers Are Receptive to In-Store Audio Advertisements

Consumers are receptive to in-store audio advertising, with 55 percent of shoppers recalling commercials heard while shopping, according to a new study by Arbitron. In addition, 40 percent of shoppers that heard in-store audio advertising made an unplanned purchase.

The Arbitron Retail Media Study: The Impact of Retail Audio Broadcasting found that 46 percent of U.S. primary household shoppers, age 18 and older, recalled hearing retail audio or in-store audio broadcasting during their most recent grocery store visit and 57 percent think ad-supported retail audio is an acceptable form of advertising. Among these shoppers who recalled hearing a retail audio ad, more than 40 percent made a purchase they were not planning to make. More than one-third (36 percent) purchased a different brand from the one they originally intended after hearing a retail audio commercial or promotional announcement.

"It is clear that retail audio broadcasting as a national broadcast advertising vehicle is effective with a high recall rate and the power to influence consumer purchasing decisions as they shop," said Diane Williams, analyst, Custom Research, Arbitron. "With the consolidation of supermarket chains and advances in technology, retail audio broadcasts in stores can function like a broadcast network."

In-store Shopping Habits The majority (94 percent) of primary household shoppers - who recalled hearing audio retail commercials - heard spots for sales items available in the grocery, drugstore or retail store. Nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of these shoppers recall hearing promotions for items that were not necessarily on sale. Seven in 10 of these shoppers have a positive attitude toward retail audio advertising.

The majority (93 percent) of primary household shoppers, 18 or over, visit a grocery or retail store each week and more than two-thirds (69 percent) spend 30 minutes or more in the store during their most recent shopping trip. Women compose the majority of shoppers who recall hearing audio during their most recent trip to the grocery or drugstore. Women, age 35 and older, make up nearly 60 percent of the retail audio broadcast audience.

Source: Arbitron Inc. July 2006