LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Smart City Media, the fastest growing Internet-of-Things (IoT) powered media company in America, announced a strategic partnership with Duke Energy One, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, one of the largest energy holding companies in America, to deploy outdoor digital technology that helps people better connect with their community.
The partnership was made public during a press conference in Louisville, KY with Mayor Greg Fischer, during the official unveiling of the Louisville CityPost network. The Louisville deployment is the first of more than ten municipal contracts the Smart City Media – Duke Energy One team plans to install this year in North America.
The focus of this partnership is to deliver a digital ecosystem by providing local content, real-time information, and connectivity that elevates experiences for people and businesses through outdoor digital banners and kiosks.
“Cities are living, breathing hubs with a wide variety of place making needs as well as diverse constituencies,” said Smart City Media’s CEO Tom Touchet. “We want to make discovery easy for all the distinct individual neighborhoods that make up the city's lifeblood.”
Louisville’s Office of Civic Innovation is recognized and awarded as a leader in Smart City services, which made the city an ideal starting point for the partnership.
The partnership leverages smart infrastructure, including connected devices, sensors, and data analytics, to improve quality of life for residents, enhance economic growth, and address urban challenges.
“We’re proud to be a part of bringing digital infrastructure solutions to forward looking cities such as Louisville,” added Michael Luhrs, Duke Energy’s Vice President of Customer Solutions. “We expect our partnership with Smart City Media to significantly accelerate across North America and help enable what smart cities are all about.”
Phase one of the Louisville CityPost rollout focuses on Downtown, where Louisville is already undergoing a profound transformation, as residents, visitors, and workers travel to the many restaurants, venues, theatres, shops and events on the Fourth Street and Main Street corridors.
“Our downtown is booming, and I’m thrilled with this innovative effort to keep our workers, residents and visitors informed about all of the great places and events to enjoy here,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “To grow as a city, you have to be inclusive, you have to be global and you have to be innovative. And, that is all happening here.” Fischer added, “CityPost has been working hard with the cities and the Mayors across America. They are the richest in terms of content and you can really see that when you use the kiosk.”
Louisville Downtown Partnership Executive Director Rebecca Matheny said, “There are a lot of things we’ve wanted to have in our downtown that this great product brings in one place. They are Wi-Fi hotspots that are camera-enabled, have great wayfinding, and are a terrific help identifying restaurants, directions and all kinds of metro resources. We hope to eventually have 100-150 within all of downtown, so we will be rolling them out fast and furious.”
Louisville CityPost is a communication network that broadcasts content-rich, real-time, location-based information. “No one needs to search a directory or yellow pages on a busy street. We want to make discovery easy for you. If we can save you five minutes on a commute or five bucks on a lunch special then we’ve done our job,” said Touchet.
Citizen engagement is heavily driven by neighborhood events that make up the cultural fabric of any city. The compelling smart media is powered by interactive 55” smart screens (CityPosts), mobile beacons, and a mobile application.
The CityPost kiosks are best-in-class machines built by Nanov Displays, a contract manufacturer specializing in exterior/interior digital signage and kiosks, and integrated by VisionTech Solutions, a global supply chain and product sourcing company.
Louisville CityPost is a wholly owned subsidiary of Smart City Media, LLC. To help foster local engagement, company leadership will work with Louisville Downtown Partnership, Louisville Public Media, and others, to develop local partnerships and build sustainable, strong ecosystems needed to manage and monetize a successful smart media channel.
The Local Events app on Louisville CityPost will be populated by the Do502 event platform, a product of Louisville Public Media, who will also be local agent for advertising sales.
ABOUT: Duke Energy™
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company's Gas Utilities and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the United States.
Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.
ABOUT: Smart City Media™
Headquartered in New York City, SCM is a privately held company that partners with cities, transit systems, colleges, airports, and real estate developments across North America, as well as advertisers seeking to reach audiences on a national, or local scale. Company leadership comes from the highest level of media, with honors including a 2017 Edison Awards Gold Media for Innovation, as well as multiple Emmys, Peabodys, Effies and Gracies. For more information, visit www.smartcitymedia.us.
