Gas Station TV an Effective Marketing Medium: Study

NEW YORK - More than 77 percent of fuel shoppers watched or listened to Gas Station TV (GSTV) while refueling at stations with the service, according to a new study by marketing communications research firm Nielsen Media Research.

In the study, which was by Nielsen Media Research's New Media Services at GSTV-equipped gas stations in the greater Dallas market, 89 percent of those polled said they intend to watch or listen to GSTV upon their next station visit. Results from the study also showed that advertising brand recall averaged 40 percent.
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"This pilot study certainly demonstrates that people will watch and value GSTV as they pump their gas," said Beth Corbett, v.p., Nielsen Media Research. "We [plan to] expand the scope of the research as GSTV rolls out into more stations and markets."

The study also found that 84 percent of respondents agreed that GSTV is a good source of product information; and more than 75 percent agreed GSTV is entertaining, makes pumping gas a better experience, and makes gas stations more appealing.

"This Nielsen report provides tangible evidence that GSTV makes the fueling experience more enjoyable for our customers," said Bill Deichler, manager, special services, Murphy Oil USA, which runs gas stations at approximately 1,000 Wal-Marts. "For our stations, GSTV has proved a great avenue for commercial contact with our customers. GSTV makes this possible by helping us showcase our retail products through customizable promotional video spots above our pumps."

GSTV is currently delivering local news, sports, weather and traffic to refueling motorists in the Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston markets, and is rolling out to more than 7,000 screens across the top 15 markets in the U.S.by the end of 2007.

The GSTV research was a pilot intercept study conducted across 20 four-hour dayparts, at five client-provided pilot stations in the greater Dallas area, between July 31 and August 13. Interviews were conducted with 418 adults after they had refueled.

GSTV is an IP-based digital television network offering ABC programming; local news, sports, weather, and traffic; original content and advertising. GSTV also carries Amber Alerts and select PSAs as part of its programming.