NEC Display Solutions Introduces VUKUNET Universal Platform for Out-of-Home Digital Advertising

New Platform Enables Network Owners to Generate Incremental Income, Expand and Improve Digital Signage Equipment and Services

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions, today announced the widespread availability of its new VUKUNET web platform for digital out-of-home networks. VUKUNET solves the main issues facing both network owners and advertisers by providing a centralized, automated platform designed specifically to connect and distribute ads to digital out-of-home (DOOH) networks.

“By centralizing the entire process, we’ve made it easier to fulfill the potential place-based media holds within the advertising world. It really elevates digital signage to the sophistication level of all other media and finally fulfills its long awaited potential.”

NEC Display Solutions is a leader in the digital signage market as recognized by Frost and Sullivan with its 2008 digital signage customer value enhancement award. NEC Display Solutions’ knowledge and success in the digital signage market continuously helps cultivate new opportunities for its customers and channel partners. NEC Display Solutions is committed to growing the entire digital signage market and this innovative thinking takes them into a new space – digital out-of-home advertising.

“Digital place-based media has proven itself to be a very powerful and effective advertising medium, yet it is still under-utilized because it has always been impossible for agencies and advertisers to connect all networks and purchase effectively,” said Pierre Richer, President and COO at NEC Display Solutions. “We created VUKUNET to address all the issues in this space, allowing network owners to realize the full value of their investments in equipment, service and real estate.”

VUKUNET (www.vukunet.com) helps digital signage network owners generate incremental income by making it easier to connect all screens that currently have time/space available on their networks to advertise. Ideal candidates are networks that have locations with heavy foot traffic, substantial dwell time (time spent in front of the screen), strategic monitor placement, numerous locations in key demographic areas, and that can run a variety of ads from different advertisers instead of being focused on a single brand. Retails stores, hotels, airports, rail and bus terminals, universities, hospitals, convention centers, stadiums, museums and restaurants are a few examples of these locations.

VUKUNET is a breakthrough in digital out-of-home advertising because it is the only platform that connects all digital signage networks, with the ability to provide the largest single reach in the industry. Advertisers and ad agencies that formerly had to contact hundreds of potential network owners to determine rates and availability can now use the companion ADVUKU ad-serving platform to search for the best networks in any location. In addition, the proof-of-performance automated technology enables networks to receive a consolidated payment on a monthly basis for all the advertising that ran.

The VUKUNET platform is completely agnostic, meaning ads can be distributed to screens from any manufacturer, not just NEC and networks that are using any CMS (content management system). There is no charge to become a member of VUKUNET. It consists of VUKUNET Ad Manager, which enables networks to run ads on their screens and an optional VUKUNET CMS, which is a fully-equipped SaaS (Software as a Service) Content Management System available for free to VUKUNET Ad Manager participants as well as NEC Display hardware customers.

“VUKUNET is a tremendous asset to network owners who want to increase the profitability and lower the costs of their networks,” said Richer. “By centralizing the entire process, we’ve made it easier to fulfill the potential place-based media holds within the advertising world. It really elevates digital signage to the sophistication level of all other media and finally fulfills its long awaited potential.”

About NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.

Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., is a leading designer and provider of innovative desktop LCD monitors, commercial- and professional-grade large-screen LCD displays, a diverse line of multimedia and digital cinema projectors, and integrated display solutions. NEC Display Solutions develops leading-edge visual technology and customer-focused solutions for a wide variety of markets, including enterprise, healthcare, education and digital signage. For additional information about NEC Display Solutions of America monitors, consumers can call (866) NEC-MORE, or visit the website at www.necdisplay.com.

For NEC Display Solutions digital images, please visit http://www.necdisplay.com/products/digitalmedialibrary/.

For VUKUNET logos and digital images, please visit http://www.VUKUNET.com/PressResources

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