Schematic Launches Schematic Touch
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
Schematic, the interactive unit of WPP Group in New York, has launched an interactive out-of-home division called Schematic Touch that will focus on combining experiential marketing with OOH advertising.
To lead the new unit, Schematic has brought on board Eric Mauriello and Josiah Hobson as senior vice president and creative director, respectively. Both were with interactive agency Operand, where they developed interactive campaigns for brands such as Levi’s, Cisco, Mercedes-Benz and Ralph Lauren, and cultural institutions such as the New York Historical Society and the Smithsonian.
“We’ll be creating interactive experiences in the out-of-home sector,” Mauriello says. “There’ll be a lot of involvement with DOOH as well as experiential marketing, and implementing touch technology and mobile. Schematic Touch will deal 90% out of browser.”
The launch follows Schematic’s June debut of an interactive ‘touchwall’, a touch-controlled display that served as the information hub of the 2009 Cannes Lions Ad Festival. Developed with help from Mauriello and Hobson, the 12’ by 5’ high display used gestures and touch navigation.
“There’s a huge and untapped potential to build brands and delight customers by creating useful and engaging experiences in public places,” says Trevor Kaufman, CEO of Schematic.
Among the first projects for the new unit will be a multi-location, intelligent multi-touch kiosk initiative for a major retailer, a redesigned business center for a global business-to-business client, and an interactive experience for a well-known museum.
Schematic itself is a full service agency largely dealing with Web site projects and mobile, and offering full strategy, marketing, creative, design and production. It deals mainly in four areas: Web, mobile, touch and TV.
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