Akoo Social Television Expands across Top College Campuses and Universities, Announces New Research Findings

Independently conducted study demonstrates place-based social television viewership soaring among 18-24 year-old students

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Akoo social television today announced its continued expansion across additional top U.S. college campuses and universities, including Ohio State University; the University of California, Santa Barbara; the University of North Florida; Tennessee Tech University; California State University, Stanislaus; Lindenwood University; Austin Peay State University; Morehead State University; the University of Pittsburgh; and California State University, Dominguez Hills. Akoo also announced the results of an independently conducted on-campus study demonstrating soaring viewership and engagement with social television among students aged 18-24.

Place-Based Social Television Viewing Behavior and Demographics

The large study – which included a sample of 15 schools across the U.S. – found that students aged 18-24 watch Akoo programming for more than 14 minutes on average when visiting an Akoo location on campus, with nearly 1 in 5 students watching for 21 minutes or more per visit. The average time spent by students in seating environments featuring Akoo – typically highly trafficked student unions, recreational centers, and dining halls – exceeds 45 minutes per visit. Students visit Akoo locations six times per week on average. More than 89 percent of Akoo’s viewers on campuses are between the ages of 18-24.

Akoo deploys multiple pairs of large-screen HDTVs and a professional audio system throughout each seating environment to provide an immersive audiovisual experience. In addition to its presence on college campuses, Akoo reaches 90 million consumers each month in the nation’s largest malls. Programming includes exclusive and originally produced entertainment content, as well as licensed music videos from all four major record labels – Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and EMI.

Akoo viewers can participate in the programming experience by requesting featured on-demand content with their mobile devices, via a free mobile app, the mobile web, or SMS text messaging.

“Our students especially enjoy the on-demand feature of Akoo,” said Branden Dalley, associate director of operations for the Student Union Building at the University of Utah, which launched Akoo in 2010. “Akoo has really added to the overall experience in our Student Union Building, and it has been rewarding to see the students have so much fun with the network. As a result, we’re including Akoo in all our plans moving forward as we continue to improve the overall student experience on our campus,” Dalley added.

Strong Viewer Engagement and Advertising Effectiveness

In addition to time spent viewing and the high number of on-demand requests across its network, strong media engagement was measured during the study as evidenced by advertising recall.

On an unaided basis, 11 percent of viewers recalled TV ads for a game console, which were broadcast on Akoo only once per 30 minutes on average during the study. More than 42 percent of viewers recalled the TV ads on a brand-aided basis.

Further, 90 percent of respondents aged 18-24 agreed that Akoo social television is a creative way to reach students with a message, while 28 percent said they would be interested in receiving offers on their mobile phones from advertisers.

Akoo will be featured at the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) conference in Chicago on February 27-March 3. For more information, contact Scott Andrews (scott@akoo.com) or visit booth #5001 (across from registration).

About Akoo International Inc.

Akoo International, Inc. is a Chicago-based media and technology innovator. The company’s interactive media and marketing platform has been granted patents in major global markets, including the United States and China. Akoo International’s platform currently enables 285 million U.S. wireless subscribers to make on-demand content requests and interact with the company’s media networks using their mobile devices. In 2009, the company introduced Akoo Social Television, the first media network powered by its technology. Akoo delivers programming and advertising to more than 90 million consumers each month in highly-trafficked seating environments in the central food courts of the nation’s largest malls and universities across 62 top U.S. markets. For more information, visit www.akoo.com.

CONTACT:

Akoo International Inc.
Andy Stankiewicz, EVP, CMO
708.583.8300, ext. 125
andy@akoo.com

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