SAMPLING DISPLAY

PromoWorks, Schaumburg, IL, has created the PromoDisplayKit, an in-store demo kit whose carton transforms into an instant display unit designed to increase product sales during in-store sampling events. The kit is available in three sizes ranging from tabletops to floor stands and can be used with the company’s PromoPull coupon dispenser to accommodate unique brand requirements. For more information, call (888) 310-3555 or visit www.promoworkspromotions.com.

CODE SENSITIVITY

Pop! Technology said its Pop!’s Safety Product Code ink overlay for barcodes can be preset to reflect a specific temperature range, and register a product’s inadvertent exposure within the supply chain to any unsafe or degrading temperatures. Once exposed to undesirable temperatures, the ink overlay permanently alters the way the code is read by existing bar-code scanning systems. For more information, call (214) 455-9577 or visit www.pop-technology.com.

SIGNAGE SOFTWARE

Digital signage systems provider Mercury Online Solutions, Las Vegas, has launched its FRED SE digital signage software for single screen applications. It is a Web-based tool for managing digital media content for dynamic digital signage applications. Common digital media files, including Flash, PowerPoint, QuickTime and MPEG video can be combined on the FRED SE play list to create a dynamic presentation for any digital display. Suggested retail price for a single use application of FRED SE is $399. For additional information, visit www.mercuryonline.com.

WEB-BASED DESIGN

CBrain, Marlborough, MA, has developed a method for producing collateral materials on the Internet. Templates for brochures, data sheets, invitations and forms are developed in strict adherence to corporate branding guidelines. The publication system is designed for organizations that need to allow several people to add content to product brochures, data sheets and other collateral material that is produced in volume or needs to be changed often. For more information, call (508) 229-2744 or visit www.cbrain-technology.com.

VIRTUAL GREENSCREEN

CatchTheMoment.com has developed a portable Backlit Virtual Greenscreen photography system that allows users to better fit within restrictive trade show spaces. The backlit greenscreen is a specially designed and lighted, self-contained backdrop. People are photographed in front of the system with high-end digital cameras. The captured image is instantly merged with a custom, branded virtual background using a laptop and software. Visitors can receive a 5″ × 7″ photo on-site, or be given a coded card that drives them to the client’s Web site to retrieve their show photo. This service, know as CTM’s Opt-In MarketBuilder, can also collect consumer data such as name, ZIP code and e-mail address, plus answers to survey questions for post-show or other future marketing. For more information, call (281) 970-1137 or visit www.catchthemoment.com.

FAST PLASTIC

Arthur Blank & Co., Boston, has formed a dedicated short-run manufacturing operation to produce high-quality plastic cards in days instead of weeks. The short-run capability is being enhanced with the addition of a new digital color press, which allows it to provide the cards in volumes as small as 1,000. For more information, call (800) 776-7333 or visit www.arthurblank.com.

INSIGHT ACT

24/7 Real Media has introduced Insight ACT, analytic technology that enables behavioral targeting through audience clustering, and the latest version of its Open AdStream ad management solution. Insight ACT links Open AdStream’s ad serving capability with Insight XE, the company’s content and commerce analysis system. Insight ACT offers behavioral segmentation and targeting in a three-step process of analysis, clustering and targeting of user segments. For more information, call (877) 247-2477 or visit www.247realmedia.com.

JACKKNIFE PATENT

Structural Graphics, Essex, CT, has received a U.S. patent for The Jackknife, which can be used as a direct mailer, a sales aid, a collateral piece or an invitation. The Jackknife’s panel or panels can be pulled to swing open to create a promotion almost twice the size of the original. Additional panels can be added and opened in the same way to create up to a five-panel promotion. For more information, call (860) 767-2661.

MINI TEES

Talk about shrinking something down to size! Creative Compression Packaging, Nipomo, CA, designs and builds T-shirt compression equipment and molds for distribution. The T-Compressor 2000 has the capability of shrinking up to six T-shirts per minute. It also has the capacity to compress towels. For more information, call (800) 678-7660 or e-mail [email protected].

NAME GAME

Imprintor, Inc. based in Oglesby, IL, claims it can put a company’s name or logo on anything. The Imprintor custom imprinting system can imprint names, logos and custom designs on items such as coffee mugs, pens and a wide selection of other promotional items. The Imprintor Starter Set, priced at $395, provides printing professionals with everything they will need to start custom imprinting. For more information on a selection of pencils, badge holders, key tags, coffe mugs, golf balls, stress balls and other imprintable items, visit www.imprintor.com or call (800) 223-4103 or (866) 663-8373.

ONLINE MANAGEMENT

Looking to reach online customers? Ecordia Technologies has created Ecordia, a Web-based Marketing Management System that empowers the marketing professional with the features of an enterprise CRM system, Web-based site management and statistical reporting. Ecordia provides users with a Web site that they can manage in real-time from any Internet browser. But, unlike other CMS systems, Ecordia is targeted at providing corporate marketing professionals with a CMS that supports their primary business — communicating about the company with customers. Ecordia also provides a complete collateral and marketing material management system for the delivery of brochures, data sheets and other corporate collateral through the Web site. More info: (805) 983-1112.

RISING TEMPERATURES

Chromatic Technologies, Inc. and Pop! Technology have launched the latest development in supply-chain management technology — the Advanced Product Code or “aPC.” This industry-compliant, temperature-sensitive UPC barcode technology was developed jointly by Pop! with CTI’s specialty inks. The enabled aPC toggles between scannable barcodes based on temperature at point-of-purchase, generating sales data that clearly identify the in-store locations where consumers are selecting packages. The printing technique requires no human intervention and streamlines manual inventory counts. For more information call (719) 592-1557.

TILT-A-WHIRL

Lynch, Burlington, NJ, created the Tilty, an interactive tool for delivering big content in a limited space. Tilty can be used as a standalone or can be integrated into a display for virtually any expansive image: maps, satellite photos, mazes, floor plans, 3D images, diagrams and charts. Users grab hold of the table and tilt it in the direction they want the image to shift. Lynch has also created the I-Wall, which amplifies the flat-wall display of information by linking a vertically mounted plasma screen, a coded wall display and an on-board computer. As the consumer slides the monitor horizontally, the software sends it graphics, animation, audio and video — a virtually unlimited streaming of media. The versatility of the software, the multimedia and high-speed background graphics provide an uncluttered presentation. The I-Wall has a variety of uses from new product introductions and timelines to histories. I-Walls are available in lengths ranging from 10-to-20 feet and millions of bits deep. For more info, call (609) 387-1600 or visit www.lynchexhibits.com.

COVER ART

BuzzLetter.com, Lake Mills, WI, is offering brands a way to get involved in personal e-mail without being (too) annoying or intrusive. Consumers can download BuzzLetter to receive an elegant, personalized e-mail stationary template. Each e-mail also features a brand logo and two sponsor Web pages (such as a homepage and online store) in the tabs section. When the BuzzLetter template is loading, the application acts as a temporary pop-up ad. BuzzLetter is compatible with most major PC-based e-mail applications, including Yahoo, AOL and Outlook Express. More info: 920-648-5408 or www.buzzletter.com.

NARROWING THE FIELD

Tired of fielding pitches from marketers and media and entertainment properties looking for sponsor dollars? Sponsorwise, Fremont, CA, has introduced an online sponsorship proposal management solution to shield clients from the glut of solicitations. A corporate account can be set up to handle the property proposal review and selection process online. The account establishes sponsorship criteria, and properties are directed to the Web site to submit proposals, rather than hound the marketers. Proposals can then be forwarded to the sponsorship manager for further review or declined. Corporate accounts start at $10,000 and pricing goes up based on the number of users and submission points. Sponsorship properties can list their opportunities on the site for less than $30 per year. More info: 650-255-6832 or www.sponsorwise.com.

CLEAR CONNECTION

With Do Not Call laws all the rage, Gryphon Networks has developed automated Do Not Call and privacy compliance solutions for telephone marketers. The service is delivered nationwide via networking technology and offers Do Not Call compliance in real time. The services include Do Not Call, the Call Center DNC Guardian, call accounting and productivity reporting. More info: 866-366-6822 or www.gryphonnetworks.com.

READ THE LABEL

Labeling manufacturer Labeltronix, Orange, CA, lets businesses create customized digital labels. By using digital labeling technology, Labeltronix creates labels for all product shapes and sizes. With Labeltronix’s California headquarters, the digital labeling system is finding a niche with the “nutraceutical” market, promoting packaged goods such as vitamins and health supplements. More info: 800-429-4321 or www.labeltronix.com.

HEAD OF THE CLASS

“Retailtainment” is making a splash and starting this fall, Sarasota, FL-based National In-Store (NIS), a retail resources provider, will offer a Web-based Brand-Advocate training and certificate program designed to educate brand representatives on the best way to execute events at the retail level. Select NIS representatives (the agency has a 10,000-member network) will be drilled on promoting for specific brands. The program is also open to NIS clients, which include Wal-Mart, Sak’s Group, Office Depot and Home Depot. More info: 800-648-0722 or www.nisonline.com.

CUSTOMER RESEARCH

Frequency Marketing, Inc., Cincinnati, is helping companies get to know their customers better with ValuScape Loyalty, a standalone applications that enables users to score, segment, analyze, query and report on consumer transactions and behavior. ValuScape can store and analyze data from hundreds of millions of transactions and offers multiple analytical templates, including recency, frequency and monetary value segmentation, value, potential and attrition scores, tier mobility, attrition risk and return on investment. More info: 513-231-5115 or www.frequencymarketing.com.

ON THE HOUSE

The Bux Group, Inc., Chicago, has introduced a new currency for the nightlight, dubbed BarBux. Currently being tested in Chicagoland, BarBux currency comes in the form of plastic tokens or chips and is redeemable for drinks at participating venues. Consumers go to the Web site, www.barbux.com or at select local convenience stores to purchase the currency prior to their big night out. BarBux are sold in six-packs according to color and dollar value (a six-pack of blue chips worth $2 each sells for $12). Consumers can then check the menu at participating venues to see which chips match up with which drinks. BarBux does not replace cold hard cash when it comes to tips, however. Each BarBux features a SmartChip that tracks user activity. One chip was selected during the trial and the user invited back to the bar where it was redeemed to play a game for the chance to win up to 100 BarBux chips and a trip to Las Vegas. More info: 847-277-1923 or [email protected].

CLEAR CONNECTION With Do Not Call laws all the rage, Gryphon Networks has developed automated Do Not Call and privacy compliance solutions for telephone marketers. The service is delivered nationwide via networking technology and offers Do Not Call compliance in real time. Options include Do Not Call, the Call Center DNC Guardian, call accounting and productivity reporting. More info: 866-366-6822 or www.gryphonnetworks.com.

FENCED IN Depaul Supply Co., Mundelein, IL, has introduced Promofence, a four-foot high poly safety fence that can be used at events to improve security and crowd control, as well as create additional sponsorship opportunities with ads and logos placed on the fence. Promofence offers advertisers approximately 100 images over the space of a city block (double if Promofence is installed on both sides). Printing is done in reverse on outer film to protect the image. Photo quality printing is available in up to six colors with continuous repeating image sizes. More info: 847-949-8733 or www.promofence.com.

CLEANING UP THE HOUSE AdJacket Inc., New York City, offers to streamline the campaign process with a new software that creates a template-based Web application that facilitates agency communications in the account management, creative, production and traffic departments. The software also lets users create an archive for TV and radio spots, print ads and collateral materials. AdJacket is housed on the agency’s own server. Clients have the option of licensing the software or paying an annual subscription fee and a per job charge for agency-wide contracts. More info: 212-677-7660 or www.adjacket.com.

STAYING IN STOCK Running out of product during a big sale is not the worse thing that can happen, but it won’t exactly endear you to your customers. Cambridge, MA-based Demantra, a provider of consumer demand-driven supply chain solutions, is offering Spectrum Suite. The package includes demand management, marketing analysis and planning, and inventory planning and optimization. The company also helps juggle production resources with the constraints that accompany trade promotion. More info: 866-DEMANTRA or www.demantra.com.

MARKETING CHEAT SHEET Sponsorship consultant Kim Skildum-Reid has introduced SponsorshipScope, a “cheat sheet” for marketers to quickly asses their sponsorship programs based on a 32-question questionnaire. The Power Sponsorship Web site also features CauseCoach, a mentor matchmaking service for charities, recommended sponsorship resources, polls and an Ask the Experts page. More info: 61-2-9559-6444 or www.powersponsorship.com.

PUSH/PULL Get ’em going in and coming out. Transilwrap Company, Inc., Chicago, is offering economical two-sided window and glass door signs. The package includes TransPaque Film, a white opaque blockout material that can be two-side printed either screen or offset; and the Trans-Cling Window Face Vinyl, a high/tack/low-tack clear film for adhesion to windows. More info: 800-321-8544 or www.transilwrap.com.

HOT OFF THE PRESS ASG Entertainment is offering Mag-A-Music, a multimedia music magazine complete with a CD/CD ROM with music tracks, music videos, screen savers and a new artist track. Mag-A-Music is producing the Rolling Stone and Radio Disney promotional CD/ CD ROM series. The glossy, fold out magazines feature contests, music coupons, interviews, sticker pages, and collector posters. ASG has teamed with Comag Marketing group to develop alliances with major distributors such as Anderson News, Chas Levy Distributors, News Group and Hudson News to ensure the magazines are available on newsstands in drug, discount, convenience and super market chain stores around the country. More info: 212-691-2800 or www.mag-a-music.com.

DESKTOP COMPANION See You Again Software, Riverdale, NY, allows smaller brands to elbow their way onto the Windows Desktop, formerly the exclusive domain of Fortune 500 companies. The See You Again Shortcut enables marketers and their clients to download company icons that link directly to specific Web sites. Brands that want to ensure ownership of their clients’ attention span can opt for See You Again HTML Paper, which turns the desktop into a branded portal. Marketers can broadcast text messages and send updates directly to their users. Pricing for See You Again HTML Paper starts at $598 per year. More info: 800-701-9106 or www.seeyouagainsoftware.com.

THIN IS IN Mark Bric Display Corp., Prince George, VA, has introduced the Marc Bric BannerUp Plus retractable banner stand. With a visible front rim of one to one-and-a-half inches, the Plus banner cassette offers more visible graphic space. The BannerUp Plus is lighter and has four inches more visible print height than the original BannerUp product. The Plus also offers the patented “Quick-Change” design for banner changes, hideaway swivel-feet and a carrying bag. BannerUp offers four width options: three feet, 40 inches, four feet, and five feet. Standard height is 83 inches although an extension pole can boost the overall height to 90 inches. Starting price is $425. More info: 800-742-6275 or www.markbric.com.

PRICE FISHING If the name doesn’t get you, the price will. Schaumburg, IL-based Tricklefish, Inc. has launched Tricklefish.com, an online quoting service specifically for promotional products. Tricklefish taps its network of specialized suppliers to offer customized quotes. A Quick Quote Calculator will determine the most cost-effective order size based on price points supplied in the quotes. The site features a Buyers Guide for users who haven’t decided which products they want to buy. The Buyer’s Guide also offers product descriptions and price quotes. Membership is free, users just need to fill out a registration form. More info: 847-781-0181 or www.tricklefish.com.

GROOVY LIDS Acquire, Santa Clara, CA, an entertainment data management company, has thrown its hat into the promotional lids arena with its Entertainment Everywhere Discs (EEDs). The discs can be distributed inside fountain drink lids at theaters across the country and offer content relating to movies, music, games and related products. The discs can collect consumer demographics and preference data. Last month, Acquire kicked off a Spring Fever campaign, distributing 1 million EEDs. Target and Amazon are participating in the campaign as the offline and online retail partners. More info: 408-739-2782 or www.acquire-inc.com.

FLIP THE SWITCH T-INK, New York City, wants to light up the promotions industry. With many promotional products and displays unable to accommodate traditional electronic wiring, T-INK is a proprietary system that combines conductive ink with the process used to apply it to printed materials. The conductive ink can replace buttons, wires, circuits and switches for a non-wired electronic device. Either moisture or slight pressure would usually activate a T-INK-equipped product. A person touching the conductive area of a promotional T-shirt could activate the electrical circuit, setting off pre-programmed functions such as sound effects, music, or flashing lights. Toys “R” Us is offering an inflatable radio developed by T-INK. Additional T-INK products will roll out later this year, such as interactive puzzles, playmats, and Magic Vest IR trucks and cars. More info: 212-757-0700.

ALL IN A NAME VSI Targeting, Westport, CT, a coupon consultant, has re-branded two of its core services as Opti-Value and Opti-List. The new Opti-Value sets coupon values by market, while Opti-List builds targeted FSI newspaper lists according to client objectives. VSI draws client data from research companies such as IRI, NCH, CMS, Spectra, and Valassis, then adds its own proprietary couponing data and breaks it down for a more direct analysis. More info: 203-222-8808 or www.vsitargeting.com.

BACKSEAT DRIVERS City Media, Ridgewood, NY, has introduced a new service targeting the most captive of audiences: taxi passengers. Seven-inch by four-inch screens are mounted in the back of the cabs, with content featured on an hour-long DVD over a specially equipped DVD player and system controller. City media is running a yearlong “Taxi TV” pilot program in New York City, with plans to expand to markets such as Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Miami, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, as well as Japan and China. Ads cater to tourists, including 30-second spots from Broadway plays, comedy venues and local restaurants. City Media is also talking to the retail industry and plans to show movie trailers. More info: 877 5-TAXI-TV.

PHOTO FINISH Here’s the family at the beach, and here’s Grandma and Grandpa at their anniversary and here’s … a coupon for diet soda? Emulsion Network, Inc., Hillsborough, NJ, an in-store couponing and promotion specialist, relies on digital minilabs to print promotional items as part of a photo finishing order. The promotional materials can be sent to consumers inside their photo finishing envelopes. With food, drug and mass merchandisers accounting for 80 percent of all photo finishing, offers can reach consumers during their normal shopping trip. More info: 908-904-9888.

EASY RIDERS Grassroot Marketing LLC is offering a novel way for brand messages to get around town: bicycle billboards. The company is providing several variations, including backlit bicycle billboards, which can display a 3×5 sign with four 60-watt high output lamps to light up the night. Chopper bicycle billboards are also available featuring two-sided 3×5 or 3×6 banners. An 8×18 Haulmark Race Car Trailer is available to transport the billboards. More info: 248-682-9668 or www.grassrootmarketing.com.

PRESS OF A BUTTON Markham, Ontario-based Compar Corporation has introduced a line of cutting edge kiosks. Products include the ComparKiosk, featuring ergonomically designed enclosures and touchscreen technology (including the table mounted 08.eps, which measures just 5×4.2 inches), and ComparTouch display screens. More info: 905-475-8508 or www.comparcorporation.com.

HANGING AROUND Promo Edge Co., Elk Grove Village, IL, unveiled Cooler Cling, a static cling technology for Promo Edge’s Off the Shelf coupon dispenser. Each CoolerCling holds up to 125 inserts, adheres to glass doors, and leaves no residue when removed. The CoolerCling can feature up to four-color graphics. More info: 1-888-LEAD-EDGE or www.promoedge.com.

NEW AGE BOOKKEEPING InStranet, New York City, has launched Channels In-Line Application, a software application that automates the distribution of targeted, time-sensitive marketing information such as promotions, new product collateral and price lists. The service was developed for telecommunications marketers, technology companies, retail firms and the financial services markets. Channel In-Line filters content based on customizable factors such as job title, market focus, store affiliation, location, size, rating and language. Information on region-specific campaigns can be delivered to retail stores in a specific geography. More info: 646-473-0777 or www.instranet.com

CLEAR IMPRESSIONS JAX, Inc., Hawthorne, CA, offers X-Tex, a one-way imaging window film that enables brands to advertise in high-traffic areas utilizing glass surfaces. The X-Tex one-way imaging window film can be applied to the glass of buildings, sky-walks, airports, sports stadiums or public transportation vehicles. HotJobs used X-Tex to promote its business on a Los Angeles building in Hollywood. JAX claims the technology eliminates the “hazy view” of perforated vinyl products. X-Tex offers unobstructed visibility from the non-image side, and filters out 99% of UV rays as well as offering heat rejection. The product has a seven-year warranty for indoor use and three years for outdoor, and can hold together shattered glass in case of an accident. More info: 877-529-9327 or www.jax.net.

SAY HELLO

Your Biz Greetings has introduced a line of custom greeting cards for businesses. The cards can be illustrated inside and out, including greetings and logos. More info: 913-685-1058 or yourbizgreetings.com.

LEAD FINDER

Lead411 is offering ways for sales people to cut to the chase with an online news-based lead generation service. Lead411.com researches industry news sources such as news wires, public filings, and company Web sites for blurbs about corporate activities that result in personnel changes. The service is offered as an online searchable/downloadable database and a daily e-mail, and costs $19.95 per month. More info: 310-930-5865 or lead411.com.

IN-STORE TV

RMS Networks, Fort Lauderdale, is offering an in-store TV marketing system that can be industry specific — such as the Advance Auto Parts, PharmaSeeTV, and BEVision (alcohol) networks — or retailer specific, as in J.C. Penney’s Noise TV and The Sport’s Authority’s WTSA. RMS designs retail content to enhance the store environment, educate employees, and drive sales. The network is installed in nearly 3,000 different retail locations, reaching 33 million consumers each month. More info: 561-756-4298 or rmsnetworks.com.

ADVERTISING LOST & FOUND

The American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers, both New York City, have teamed up to offer Ad-ID, a new digital identification system for advertising. Unique codes can be generated to identify ads for scheduling, placement, billing and verification purposes. The codes can be used in all digital media and across digital environments. Ad-ID can also offer such information as who created and produced an ad, where and when it will run, and clearance and legal issues. Ernst & Young, Pepsi, and Procter & Gamble (which created the precursor to Ad-ID over 30 years ago) have committed to the service. More info: 212-850-0855 or e-mail [email protected].

PASSENGER FRIENDLY

Amtrack may not be with us for much longer but in the meantime, commuters on the service’s Keystone line — which services New York City to Harrisburg, PA — can break the monotony thanks to Philadelphia-based NRoute Communications, which is putting interactive displays in seat-backs. Movies, e-mail and online shopping are provided to passengers for free. The service is ad-supported, and can actually tailor marketing messages to the specific area the passenger is passing through, thanks to NRoute’s geo-positioning technology. For example, a train approaching New York City could deliver ads for local restaurants or hotels. NRoute is developing similar services for the motor coach and airline industries. More info: 215-243-4136 or nroute.net.

BRANDING FROM ABOVE

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … no, wait, it is a plane. Vista, CA-based SkyMedia Airships is giving local merchants the chance to take to the skies with banner ads, commercials, and even full-color videos on the 30- by 60-foot display areas of its 144-foot long airships. The ships can cruise at altitudes from 500 to 1,000 feet at 35 mph. Formally reserved for giant corporations, SkyMedia is currently offering the service to San Diego merchants and plans to expand the service nationally. Pricing starts at $150,000 per month for short-term leases and is discounted for long-term leases. A two-man crew pilots the ships, which feature giant billboards during the day and 1,600 square foot video/digital projection screens at night. More info: 760-295-1366 or skymediaairships.com.

ALL THE STORE IS A STAGE

Mass Connections, Cerritos, CA, a specialist in retail event marketing, has introduced Live, In-Store Commercials — events presented on a temporary stage by actors who follow a themed script that includes demonstrations and sampling. Mass Connections has developed several events, including an April in Paris theme that helped boost sales by an average of 400 percent. Another retailer used a Mardis Gras Carnival theme in 125 stores. More information: 800-275-6650 or massconnections.com.

CHANGING THE STRIPES

The increasing shortage of bar code numbers doesn’t rank high among the world’s crises, but as U.S. manufacturers run out of 12-digit codes (13 digits are the world standard) and a 14-digit standard is in the works, couponing gets mighty tricky. Coupons Inc., Belmont, CA, has developed a service that enables clients to change their bar codes on the fly. The company can also support any bar code standard. Clients include Kimberly-Clark, Johnson & Johnson, and Nestlé Corp. More info: 650-620-9200 or solutions.coupons.com.

INFLATABLE DELIVERY

Here’s a packaging solutions provider that’s not just full of hot air. Valencia, CA-based Air Packaging Technologies, Inc. is offering its Promotional Pak, a clear wrap that can be custom-printed with up to six colors in two standard sizes (six by eight inches, or 16 inches square). Paks can also be custom shaped. (How about a football?) Air Packaging can handle fulfillment but also rents equipment so marketers can inflate their own Paks. Pricing starts at 70 cents for the smallest pack. Clients include America Online, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Chivas Regal. More info: 661-294-2222 or airbox.com.

PAPER CHASE

Gyricon Media, Ann Arbor, MI, is offering SmartPaper, a reusable display material that looks and feels similar to real paper but is electronically “writeable” and erasable. Retailers can use SmartPaper to advertise sales and automatically make any changes offsite from a central point-of-sale system. Both Macy’s and Dow Jones & Co. have done pilot tests of SmartPaper. Gyricon — which recently opened a new manufacturing plant for SmartPaper — spun off from Xerox in 2000. More info: 508-353-4755 or gyriconmedia.com.

GIVE YOUR FINGERNAILS A REST

The scratch-and-win game card gets a futuristic face-lift from Electronic Game Card Ltd., London. The EGC cards feature a microprocessor chip, a LCD screen, encryption and security devices, and the ability to play games such as slots and lotteries. Cards can be coded for multiple play. Ireland’s Lottery has used the wallet-sized cards. More info: 44-207-451-2480 or egcltd.com.

CASH AND A SMILE

Western Union, Denver, is jumping into the incentive game with Corporate GiftGram, a gift check that can be used as an employee reward. Unlike other gift checks, Western Union avoids the anonymity of cash with an attached certificate honoring the employee’s accomplishments. Corporate GiftGrams can be ordered online at www.western-uniongifts.com and customized to client specifications, including personalization with the employee’s name and a thank you message. Denominations are available up to $1,000. Western Union is considering expanding the program to allow marketers to use GiftGrams to reward customers. More info: 866-449-0498 or www.westernuniongifts.com.

PREMIUMS THAT TALK BACK

Sweepstakes notification just got a little more fun. Creative Werks, Schaumburg, IL, has unveiled Interactivator, a TV/Web site mechanism. The device is a small, battery-operated premium that can be activated via a special TV spot or Web page. The premium can then respond with an audio message (such as “You’ve won!”) or light up. The Interactivator can be stowed in a small figurine, key chain, or a box that’s as small as 2-in. by 1.5-in. by 5/8-in. Creative Werks clients include Kelloggs, Kraft Foods, Kodak, Hershey, Nestlé, and Pepsi. More info: 847-413-4035 or www.creative-werks.com.

PLUG IN

Yes Networks, Philadelphia, is taking the next step in interactivity with a new service called Yes (naturally). To identify a song on the radio, users log onto www.yes.net, then plug in the city and the radio station. Yes will identify the song, performer, and all songs the station has played within the last 24 hours. (We hope it’s more than seven, but with FM formats today, you never know.) Users can select the CD and buy concert tickets, merchandise, or even link into live auctions for related products. The service connects directly with online merchants such as Amazon.com, CDNow, and e-Bay. Yes will also be available via wireless devices. The service is currently working with more than 1,000 radio stations. More info: 610-642-8253 or www.yes.net.

EXCITING E-MAIL

MCD Electric, Dallas, makes e-mail a little fancier with ElectroMail, which enables e-mails to be sent with videos and other content-rich messages without worrying about whether the recipient has the appropriate applications to run it. The service also eliminates the costly practice of sending CD-ROMs or video tapes as graphic materials. More info: 214-615-1010 or www.mcdelectric.com.

TRAVELING IN STYLE

CFS, Schaumburg, IL, is making travel a little easier with its Travel and Entertainment Card, which can be distributed as a premium by sponsors. Cardholders then log on to the sponsor’s customized Travel & Entertainment Card Web site, where they provide contact information and marketing data. Cardholders can then search the Web for participating travel and leisure discounts and present their card upon arrival to receive the member rate. More info: 847-240-0200.

TAKING THE BROAD VIEW

Retailer promotion managers get an assist from promotion planning and pricing software from Retail Vision Systems. The Broadview promotion module lets managers coordinate several promo/pricing windows at once, incorporating continuity and frequent-shopper programs. The software uses scanner data to track results, and ems Inc.’s modeling to forecast sales. It cuts managers’ planning time in half and replaces spreadsheets and deal sheets, says Retail Vision founder Tom Richardson, an ACNielsen veteran. The Focal Point pricing module lets managers track and control strategic pricing, and is tailored to department, such as perishables or soft drinks. Marsh Supermarkets in Indiana partnered with Naperville, IL-based Retail Vision to develop and test the software. More info: 630-637-8317 or rvsinfo.com.

SUSPENDED ANIMATION

C-360 Inc., Providence, RI, is giving consumers the full picture with C-360 Imaging, a display system that enables consumers to see an illuminated image in a clear container that appears to be floating in mid-air. Anyone within a 360 radius can see the same flat image, due to a proprietary process of illumination and light filtration. The displays come in three standard sizes (12-in. by 15-in., 12-in. by 10-in., and 4-in. by 5-in.) with custom sizes also available. Features include light boxes, lenticular imaging, and holograms. Clients such as Nintendo and SoBe Beverages are using it now. More info: 401-258-0471 or www.c360technologies.com.

STEALTH MARKETING

Mail-Well Inc., Englewood, CO, developed interactive technology dubbed Rub n Reveal that displays previously “hidden” messages when activated by users. The technology can be applied to any envelope to spice up direct-mail packages. Mail-Well research suggests devices that entice the recipient to interact with the mailing can boost response rates and sales. More info: 303-790-8023 or www.mail-well.com.

DO-IT-YOURSELF COUPONS

TransAct Technologies Inc., Wallingford, CT, introduced the POSjet 1000 inkjet printer, which is designed specifically for the point-of-purchase industry. Omaha Steaks is using it in all 80 of its U.S. retail outlets to generate two-color receipts with a special offer on the bottom to drive repeat visits. The marketer updates the offer every three to four weeks through a process that lets individual stores download the new incentive. Coupons feature a code that can track sales. More info: 203-269-1198 or www.transact-tech.com.

OPEN WIDE, SAY AHA

Information Resources Inc., Chicago, is launching a new suite of services for the pharmaceutical and healthcare markets that focuses on consumer data rather than physician feedback. The company first will introduce a 34,000-plus consumer panel called RxPulse, which will track and measure purchases of prescription and over-the-counter products. Marketers not only can track where and when purchases were made, but what ailments necessitated them. More info: 312-474-3384 or www.infores.com.

BREAKING IT DOWN

Market Advantage Software, Naperville, IL, introduced a consumer version of its SegmentSolv vertical market software. The system combines the three basic steps of segmentation (cluster development, selection, and characterization), then processes raw data into a usable scheme. The product is targeted to four types of end-users: corporate segment managers, database and IT professionals, statisticians, and educators. Professional pricing is set at $1,995. More info: 800-250-3728 or www.marketadvantageconsult.com.

TOPPING OFF

To address the fact that motorists are increasingly paying for gas at the pump (and never seeing in-store displays), Promo Edge Co., Elk Grove Village, IL, created Off the Pump. The weather-resistant dispenser and shouter can be placed right on fuel pumps to deliver such promotional offers as rebates, coupons, and sweepstakes entries. More info: 888-LEAD-EDGE (yes, there’s an extra digit in there) or www.promoedge.com.

TIME ON YOUR SIDE

Businesses scrambling to manage their time can get help with The WorkFlow, a new online management service from TCC Software Solutions, West Hartford, CT. The WorkFlow is accessible 24 hours a day and maintains up-to-date project time lines. Monthly cost varies based on number of users, from $49 for one to $249 for 200. Intranet integration is available. More info: 860-676-7777 or www.theworkflow.com.

JUST ADD WATER

Aviva Sports, Osage Beach, MO, offers the Iceberg, an aquatic climbing wall available in eight-foot and 14-foot dimensions. Marketers can get the playset logoed for use at water-side events. More info: 573-346-1402 or www.avivasports.com.

COUNTING CARDS

Boston-based stored-value card printer Arthur Blank & Co. introduced ScanGuard, a proprietary control service that alleviates the hassles involved with missing or duplicate cards. The automated process eliminates the potential for human error by inspecting each card electronically and verifying codes to prevent shipments that do not match specific profiles. More info: 617-363-4131 or www.arthurblank.com.

NO MORE BUSY SIGNALS

Princeton, NJ-based TellShare unveiled txtMaster Mobile Marketer, a text messaging tool that lets businesses create, manage, and track mobile marketing campaigns without expensive system integration. Users can opt-in to receive messages on their cell phones, PDAs, or pagers. A customized Web page assists with registration and opt-in, and a Web-based interface helps clients design campaigns and create reports. More info: 609-929-4224 or www.tellshare.com.

BREWING PARTNERSHIPS

The Pabst Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX, is seeking marketing, promotion, special event, and merchandising proposals for May-September 2003. Tie-in partnerships are also of interest. Two-page, bullet-pointed proposals should focus on detailing the dollar value of the available advertising exposure. Pitches in the $10,000 to $50,000 range will be given priority consideration. Send to: Marketing Director, Pabst Brewing Co., P.O. Box 1661, San Antonio, TX, 78296.

SHOP RIGHT

Valassis Relationship Marketing Systems, Shelton, CT, has a new Shopper Connection service that helps packaged goods makers and retailers target coupons and other offers more efficiently. The retailer-specific co-op mailer lets marketers customize offers to a store’s shoppers based on as much as one year’s worth of frequent-shopper data. Offers can be tailored for new-customer acquisition, retention, re-acquisition, upselling, or brand exposure. Results are tracked extensively. Shopper Connection is free to retailers, and costs about $50 to $60 per 1,000 for participating brands. More info: 203-225-1300 or www.vrms.com.

TV NATION

Media measurement service Arbitron, New York City, is developing a “portable people meter” that automatically logs the programming seen or heard by the wearer anytime. Users sport the device as they move around, then place it in a home docking station overnight so the data can be electronically delivered to Arbitron. The device uses microphones to pick up codes embedded in TV, radio, and streaming Internet broadcasts. It also has a motion detector to verify its use. Arbitron recently held a trial with 1,500 consumers in Philadelphia. More info: 212-887-1314 or www.arbitron.com.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

New York City-based WhenU is offering what it terms “contextual online marketing” by focusing on buying habits rather than demographic information. Consumers agree to acquire WhenU’s Adware package in exchange for free downloads of other popular software. (WhenU splits ad revenues with the software publishers.) Adware then activates when the user nears a purchase decision for a product or service. For example, a user pricing airfare on a travel site may get a pop-up discount offer from an airline. More info: 212-255-8386 or www.whenu.com.

COPY RIGHTING

Chapel Hill, NC-based Yankelovich, Inc. launched MindBase Scribe, a new application for its lifestyle database. The service helps generate marketing copy to appeal to specific consumer groups, and offers messaging tips for developing direct mail packages, call center scripts, or e-mail copy. More info: 919-932-8873 or www.yankelovich.com.

TICKET TAKERS

New York City-based Clear Channel Entertainment launched getAccess, an online membership program offering concert ticket discounts, exclusive merchandise, VIP services, and back-stage tours. Annual membership fee is $60. Clear Channel launched the program in conjunction with Sam Goody Stores, Minnetonka, MN, which offered pre-sale Rolling Stones tickets in four cities to registrants. Sam Goody parent The Musicland Group (a division of Best Buy) is offering getAccess to its two million Replay loyalty club members. Similar marketing partnerships are available. More info: 612-573-3110 or www.samgoody.com.

TOAST MASTERS

Toast! Network, Lexington, KY, introduced a national online loyalty program it says will help off-premise alcohol retailers collect better information on customer preferences. Consumers register in-store to receive personalized e-mails with special offers and promotions. The base program, which includes in-store registration materials, advertising services, and customized Web sites, is free to retailers who agree to generate a minimum number of registrations. Members receive customized e-mail communication containing special offers. Research and data analysis programs are available. More info: 877-778-6278 or www.toastnetwork.com.

DIRECT TO VIDEO Blockbuster, Inc., Dallas, is offering the Blockbuster Bonus Pak, a direct-mail piece that can target various segments of the chain’s customer base. The Pak will be mailed quarterly to 500,000 registered members and feature inserts from third-party marketers as well as Blockbuster offers. Participating brands include Direct TV, Sony, and T.G.I. Friday’s. Blockbuster claims 90 percent of recipients open the packet. Info: 214-854-3190 or www.blockbuster.com.

TOP OF THE BOX Avecmedia, Inc., Stamford, CT, packages CDs or CD-ROMs in a dome top that fits promotional packages. The discs can be used to provide ads, product information, or entertainment content. Enchanté Accessories, Inc., a New York City-based marketer of health and beauty aids, worked customized audio CDs into its Romance Kit. Avecmedia has a strategic alliance with Sony Disc Manufacturing to supply the discs. Info: 203-406-9910 or www.avecmedia.com.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Push Online, Inc., New York City, will drive consumers to your Web site — or your money back. The company’s Cost Per Visitor package includes site construction, server, domain name, and marketing through search engines and direct mail. Push Online charges 15 cents per visitor on average. Info: 877-478-7465 or www.pushonline.com.

CABIN FEVER InFlight Media Group, Phoenix, introduced SkyMedia, a program that delivers promotional messages on the tops of tray tables. Pricing is still being determined. Airlines will get approval rights over any proposed ads. (The only drawback: Ads won’t be visible when trays are in the “upright position.”) Info: 602-795-8888 or www.inflight-biz.com.

WHEREVER YOU GO E-mail marketer ClickAction, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, introduced E-mail Matching Service, an acquisition tool that finds and appends accurate e-mails to corresponding names and addresses. Benchmark Brand’s FootSmart.com used the service to keep track of existing customers when it shifted from an offline database to an online system. Info: 800-473-3141 or www.clickaction.com.

PRINT IS NOT DEAD PostNexus, Inc., Richardson, TX, is offering pMail, a service that transforms electronic documents into printed, postal mail. Documents are submitted via the Internet to the PostNexus data center, where they undergo an automated printing, finishing, and same-day mailing process. Documents can be black & white or color, and delivered in folded letter, flat, or glossy postcard formats. Info: 214-373-1601 or www.postnexus.com.

SHOP KEEPING ACNielsen U.S., Schaumburg, IL, signed supermarket giant Ahold USA, Chantilly, VA, as a client for its Category Business Planner management intelligence service. The online system enables category managers to access sales information from their desktops, scan news headlines, and compare performance with other operating territories and the competition. Info: 847-605-5686 or www.acnielsen.com/cbp.

WATCH AND CLICK Global-QVC Solutions, King of Prussia, PA, is helping TV networks develop direct-response programs and online stores. The nets run the spots, and Global-QVC takes care of customer service, fulfillment, and merchandising. New clients include Comedy Central, PAX TV, and the Golf Channel. Info: 610-491-7013 or www.gvcg.com.

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE Cambridge, MA-based E Ink Corp., maker of “electronic ink,” is helping jazz up P-O-P displays with Ink-In-Motion, a technology that looks like paper yet flashes and changes like electronic signs. The displays are as thin as posterboard and powered by just two AA batteries (which can last for up to one year). Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, was the products’ pilot client, running the displays on vending machines and within the pin trading area it hosted at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Info: 617-499-6000 or www.eink.com.