Mike DiFranza assures that the OVAB will not miss a beat.

You can take that statement to the bank.....the OVAB seems to be growing quickly and it is great that the board members and members....well to see the heavy hitters involved....I truly admire Captivate-even with the proper funding they have done a wonderful job-and I assure you it was/is not easy-rewarding-I bet ya!


Norris Steps down as OVAB president/CEO after nine months on the job.

Norris is leaving to become senior vp-strategy and business development/digital marketing and commerce at Cablevision, writes MediaPost.

The association will not miss a beat as far as execution of plans, Mike DiFranza, president-general manager of Captivate Network and chairman of OVAB says.

Suzanne Alecia, president, advertising sales at The Hotel Networks - a founding member of OVAB - will be the new president/CEO.

OVAB recently announced that Arbitron has become a member, and DiFranza says another announcement on new members will be coming soon.
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I Like Gannett's Style....

I like their style, go big or go home. Every digital signage network I see has Verizon (Wireless) as a client-easy pickin's?....nah, they just want to keep their market share and take over one day, thats all. Captivate is ready to launch and battle with the Wall Street Journal Office Network I suppose...or one of these other groups that has signage in office complexes...there is plently of real estate and logically Captivate or Gannett I should say will win this battle. That is my guess, 1/2 way educated, although Wall made the first move with the move from offices to elevators, or at least public move; perhaps they will merge or sell out to the other.....at least it will be interesting to watch and at this point these networks can really help the industry as a whole, if they choose too. Enjoy the articles, and Miller got to this first, I just checked....at least I know I am picking good headliners....


Captivate to Launch Suburban Network
Katy Bachman
JULY 24, 2007 -

Captivate Network, the company that pioneered a network of digital screens in office elevators, announced Tuesday it will create a second network. The Captivate Suburban Network will complement Captivate’s current Office Tower Network, yet allow advertisers to target a more suburban marketplace.

The Suburban Network will include a pedestal display for office lobbies in a 40 inch size and wall mount screens available in 26- and 40-inch displays.

“A few years ago, we began to experiment with lobby displays in the suburban office market,” said Mike DiFranza, president and general manager of Captivate, which is owned by Gannett. “This opens up a whole new space for us.”

Founded a decade ago, Captivate’s Office Tower Network now reaches more than 2.3 million viewers daily in 21 markets. It’s also doing a brisk advertising business, up 12.3 percent in second quarter, Gannett reported. Advertisers that have used Captivate to reach its upscale, business consumer, include some of the nation’s largest including Lexus, AT&T, Toyota, BMW, FedEX, Discovery Channel, Verizon, Blackberry and American Airlines.
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