South Africa has opted to use locally-developed technology to market the country to soccer fans and thought leaders at Frankfurt International Airport, in preparation for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the press was told at a media briefing in Johannesburg yesterday.
Frankfurt airport is host to one of the SA-developed and patented Holografx machines, which project 3D images relating to this country through a laser lens, said Yvonne Johnston, CEO of the International Marketing Council of SA (IMC).
Edward Voster, director of Holografx, explained that this technology was first brought to life by NASA, but it did not contain the qualities it wanted. It was then opened to the market and SA invested in the product, which was redesigned by Brian Steinhobel, a local inventor, to suit outdoor advertising needs.
"The unexpectedness of this marketing strategy is creating a novelty factor at the airport as people try to 'catch` the images," explained Steinhobel.
The technology projects 3D holographic images that float in midair in a field of vision of about 60 degrees, which include directional sound, he said.
FIFA has approached the IMC to use this technology at the 2010 Soccer World Cup logo unveiling ceremony on 10 July.
"We are also using Bluetooth marketing at the airport, which is a global first," claimed Johnston. "This push technology displays a message to all phones that have Bluetooth switched on. The message reads 'Do you want to get investment information from SA?`, and any interested parties can download this information."
Other marketing technologies being used at the airport and other strategic locations around Germany include vision walls, each consisting of nine plasma screens put together in a 3x3 checkerboard pattern, and a large ball fitted with screens that allow for interaction and registration.
Share
