Photography by: Mike Meck and Brian Bloch
In 2010, 8.7 million passengers walked through the arrival and departure gates at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA). As Austin music plays throughout the 600,000-square-foot terminal, and local restaurants offer a taste of the city, travelers know they are in Austin.
Now, thanks to a 2010 contract, Clear Channel Airports (CCA) is further enhancing this experience. Passengers at ABIA can now download a smart phone app, interact with a new digital touch-screen service center and view a 17-foot LCD video wall and 70-inch flat-screen LCDs.
“Austin is not only the Live Music Capital of the World and the capitol of Texas, but it is also known for being a high-tech hub, driving innovation and fostering experimentation,” said Jamy Kazanoff, assistant director of the City of Austin Avian Department. “It’s important that the airport represents the truly dynamic character of the Greater Austin area. Especially with so many people walking through the terminal every day, it’s important to showcase just how technology-driven Austin is.”
Since ABIA opened its doors in 1999, it has, like the majority of airports in the country, featured some advertising opportunities for companies wishing to get in front of the traveling public. This program was managed by aviation department staff, and it served its purpose as an airport concession, generating revenue for the airport.
In 2010, the aviation department made a change to seek an outside partner to modernize ad spaces available and create steady revenue. Through a competitive process, the winning bidder was named, and a five-year contract was signed with CCA.
The CCA and ABIA Partnership
CCA, the world’s leading marketer of airport advertising, operating and managing display programs, was awarded a contract with ABIA to install a new high-tech display program in the Barbara Jordan Terminal in June 2010. Featuring state-of-the-art technology and modern exhibit materials, the new program is going digital to replace the almost 12-year-old advertising efforts previously on display.
CCA’s deal provides a “win-win” opportunity for the city. The company will invest $600,000 into all-new, state-of-the-art display equipment, the majority of which will be digital displays. CCA also handles all aspects of managing the program from sales and marketing to installation and service. Additionally, the city receives a percentage of the revenue generated by the program, and is guaranteed a minimum of $550,000 per year.
The High-Tech Designs
An integral part of CCA’s new program will be removing all existing displays and creating a new, high-tech program complete with ABIA’s very own smart phone app.
“It was important that the new displays blended with the existing culture already sewn into the ABIA fabric,” said Scott Appnel, marketing manager for CCA. “For those [who] have visited, ABIA immediately reminds guests that they have arrived at a place that is mindful of its heritage — political, cultural and natural.
“There is a live music stage that features a variety of local bands; there are well-known Austin-based restaurants and Austin-area products in the gift concessions; the landscaping consists of native and xeriscape plants; and now the digital advertising program will spotlight local opportunities in a high-tech fashion representative of the Central Texas economy.”
The centerpiece of the program will be two new 17-foot LCD video walls on the balcony overlooking the baggage claim and the stairwell leading to it. As the video walls will be visible to all at the concourse exit, passengers taking the escalators will ride directly by them. Companies will have the opportunity to digitally publish messages across these large-format screens that welcome or communicate to all passengers arriving in the Austin area.
CCA will also install a new digital service center that allows passengers to utilize touch screens and flat-screen LCDs to learn about and interact with hotels, attractions, restaurants and other area businesses. Located across from the giant guitars on bag carousel three and next to the current information center, this giant touch screen will replace the old “phone boards.” Again, this will give passengers a much more modern and comprehensive view of the dynamic area.
This digital service center also includes the launching of a smart phone app called FLYsmart™. With FLYsmart™, passengers may use their smart phone and GPS to find anything from their departure gate and flight time to the closest place to buy food and an ATM location, among many other passenger-oriented services. The app also allows passengers to find businesses and services outside of the airport.
Additionally, ABIA’s new program will consist of multiple networks of 70-inch, flat-screen LCDs spread out through key points of the terminal, allowing companies for the first time to create a message that is then broadcast throughout the airport to reach all passengers.
“We are constantly looking for ways to showcase Austin’s high-tech culture and to improve each customer’s experience,” Kazanoff said. “With these changes, local businesses and organizations will see a higher-quality message displayed to 8.7 million passengers annually.”
And of course, there are upgraded versions of the old classics: large-format graphics, lit signs and floor-mounted exhibit space. But even in these areas, CCA has upgraded with modern, green, eco-friendly versions that lead to less power usage and less waste.
“The new program will give travelers an attractive, 21st-century first impression of the Greater Austin area and provide them with easier access to local information,” Appnel explained. “The digital displays will allow for maximum participation by local businesses, thereby giving travelers a more comprehensive picture of what makes Austin such a fantastic destination.”
Installation of this new program began in January 2011 and became fully active and visible to the public during the first week of February. Among the first to participate in the new program include the University of Texas, Gemalto, Roger Beasley Auto Group and KVUE-TV, which will feature a weather forecast for passengers.
Those interested in advertising at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport should contact Scott Appnel of Clear Channel Airports at 800-628-6800, ext. 218, or ScottAppnel@clearchannel.com.
For more information about Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, visit www.abia.org.
