Televend

Summary:
Jerusalem-based Televend, a pioneer in mobile commerce-turns cell phones into super credit cards and eliminates the need for cash. Their first venture with the vending industry enabled users to buy a Coke with a cell phone or Palm. Soft drink manufacturers could reward these customers with special value gifts. The revenue possibilities were unlimited!

Strategy:
We organized a packed media tour for Televend in San Francisco and NYC in July 1999 and later at Harvard. We pitched top consumer technology publications as well as technology writers for all the major dailies. We invited Chris Shipley, the executive director of the prestigious DEMO conference to meet Televend’s team in San Francisco, which got the ball rolling.

Results:
Our campaign resulted in hundreds of media placements including: The New York Times (cover photo in Circuits section with story), ABC’s Good Morning America (10 minutes), Forbes, CNNfn’s Digital Jam (5 minutes), USA Today, the Washington Post (two articles), San Francisco Chronicle, Business 2.0, Release 1.0, The Industry Standard, ZDTV, CNET, InfoWorld (cover story), PC Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Reuters, Interactive Week, Popular Science, CBS Radio Network, NPR Business Report, Family PC, WCBS TV in New York and KRON TV in San Francisco. Televend was voted “#1 Demo God” at the IDG-sponsored DEMO 2000, for their brilliant technology and over-the-top presentation. Televend was cited by Business 2.0 as the company responsible for “birthing mobile commerce.”