IP: Digimarc introduces interactive coffee cups

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

>
>To: farber@cis.upenn.edu
>From: edyson@edventure.com (Esther Dyson)
>Subject: Digimarc introduces interactive coffee cups
>Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2000 16:59:44 -0400
>
>I thought this was one of those wonderful jokes, carried out without the
>crack of a smile, but I think it may be real.
>
>Esther
>
> >Return-Path: <srennie@ca.webergroup.com>
> >From: srennie@ca.webergroup.com
> >X-Lotus-FromDomain: WEBER
> >To: srennie@ca.webergroup.com
> >Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2000 16:40:11 -0700
> >Subject: Digimarc introduces interactive coffee cups
> >Content-Disposition: inline
> >
> >
> >
> >Digimarc will announce on Wed., Oct. 25 that they are embedding java jackets
> >with invisible digital watermarks to link coffee cups to popular consumer
> >Internet destinations such as Yahoo!, WineShopper and WebMiles.  Coffee
> >drinkers simply hold the cup up to an image capture device such as a Web
> >camera attached to their PC and are whisked to exclusive online content,
> >opportunities to buy, coupons, etc. Coffee sleeve manufacturer BriteVision
> >will distribute 4 million digitally watermarked sleeves per month to a
> >nationwide network of 1200 cafes in 40 metropolitan areas.
> >
> >Since the coffee sleeve often sits on a consumer's desk adjacent to the PC,
> >the opportunity for an effective call to action is unprecedented.  What's
> >more, specialty retail coffee drinkers are ideal targets for an
> >Internet-enabled advertising vehicle. Not only do they tend to be early
> >technology adopters, but they shop online twice as frequently as the average
> >consumer.
> >
> >Digimarc MediaBridge software allows Web cameras to read the digital code in
> >a digitally watermarked coffee sleeve.  The software then launches a
> >browser, instantly connecting the user to opportunities to learn more and
> >buy directly on the Internet.  A 'D' symbol on the sleeve indicates that it
> >is Internet-enabled.  Consumers can also find Digimarc MediaBridge
> >watermarks in magazines and direct mail pieces.
> >
> >If you're interested, I can connect you with executives from Digimarc,
> >BriteVision and their customers.  Please contact me at 503-552-3748 or
> >> >srennie@webergroup.com.  Thanks.
> >
> >Regards,
> >Stephen Rennie
> >The Weber Group for Digimarc
> >503-552-3748
> >srennie@webergroup.com
> >
> >
> >___________________________________
> >
> >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> >
> >BriteVision Media to Link Coffee Sleeves to Relevant Web sites with Digimarc
> >MediaBridge Technology
> >
> >Patrons of 1200 retail cafes nationwide will have access to exclusive Web
> >destinations by presenting their daily lattes to a Web camera
> >
> >Tualatin, Ore. -- October 25, 2000 -- Digimarc Corporation (NASDAQ: 
> DMRC), the
> >world leader in digital watermark technology and applications, today
> >announced that BriteVision Media will embed coffee sleeves with
> >imperceptible digital watermarks, allowing the sleeves to become direct
> >portals to specific Web pages.
> >
> >Digimarc MediaBridge software allows consumers to access the Web by showing
> >digitally watermarked items, like coffee sleeves, to an image capture
> >device, such as a Web camera or scanner attached to their computers.  When
> >the Web camera reads the digital code in a digitally watermarked coffee
> >sleeve, the software will launch a browser, instantly connecting the user to
> >opportunities to learn more and buy directly on the Internet.  A 'D' symbol
> >located on the sleeve will indicate that it is Internet-enabled.
> >
> >"Digimarc MediaBridge provides our clients with a revolutionary out-of-home
> >advertising opportunity that eliminates the need for a consumer to remember
> >a URL," said Brian Morrison, CEO of BriteVision.  "Since the coffee sleeve
> >oftentimes sits on a consumer's desk adjacent to the computer monitor, the
> >opportunity for an effective call to action is unprecedented.  What's more,
> >specialty retail coffee drinkers are ideal targets for an Internet-enabled
> >advertising vehicle. Not only do they tend to be early technology adopters,
> >but they spend money online almost twice as frequently as the average
> >consumer."
> >
> >BriteVision distributes over four million coffee sleeves per month to a
> >nationwide network of 1200 cafes in 40 metropolitan areas.  The sleeves
> >feature advertising from clients such as Yahoo!, Citysearch, Half.com, and
> >Wineshopper.
> >
> >"The relationship with BriteVision brings Digimarc MediaBridge to a
> >technologically savvy, professional audience," said Indra Paul, Digimarc
> >MediaBridge general manager.  "This agreement provides a value-add for
> >BriteVision's advertising clients and also diversifies the reach of
> >Digimarc's technology in the marketplace.  A more widely distributed
> >application imparts intrinsic benefits to other industries as well; namely,
> >PC camera manufacturers."
> >
> >Consumers can access and experience Digimarc MediaBridge by downloading the
> >free reader software at http://www.digimarc.com/secure/index.shtml.  The
> >software is approved for use with PC cameras from Intel, IBM, Creative, 3Com
> >and Philips.
> >
> >"The exponential growth of the PC camera market has outstripped expectations
> >thanks, in part, to new applications like Digimarc MediaBridge," said Ron
> >Glaz, IDC industry analyst.  "Worldwide, more than 11 million cameras will
> >ship in 2000 -- an increase of 300 percent from 1999.  By 2004, that number
> >will be more than 44 million.  PC bundling and new camera applications are
> >the phenomena that are driving market growth."
> >
> >Digimarc MediaBridge launched earlier this year and can now be found in
> >publications such as Popular Mechanics, Smart Money and Good Housekeeping.
> >Digimarc is creating an inherent, persistent digital identity for all media
> >content through imperceptible digital code that can be embedded in any
> >analog or digital material.
> >
> >About BriteVision Media
> >
> >BriteVision Media places advertising on coffee sleeves, then distributes
> >throughout the BriteVision Cafe Network of over 1,200 specialty
> >retail cafes nationwide.  Clients such as Yahoo!, Citysearch and WebMiles
> >can target the specialty coffee drinker by geography, household income, or
> >consumer type in order to maximize advertising efficiency.  BriteVision also
> >offers packages which focus on reaching college students, airports and "on
> >the go" business workers.
> >
> >About The BriteVision Cafe Network
> >
> >BriteVision Media aggregates customer information from each of its cafes,
> >delivering advertisers the unique ability to target media to specific
> >consumers in the offline world.  The company maintains a direct relationship
> >with each of its member cafes in order to offer clients the ability to
> >effectively reach the most sensible consumer target audience.  Targeting can
> >be done by Geography, Students, Business/Professionals, Leisure Travelers,
> >Household Income. For more information about BriteVision Media, please visit
> >the Web site at www.britevision.com or contact Brian Morrison at
> >415-531-4444.
> >
> >About Digimarc
> >
> >Digimarc Corp., based in Tualatin, Ore., (NASDAQ: DMRC) is the world leader
> >in digital watermark technology and applications.  Digimarc is creating an
> >inherent, persistent digital identity for all media content through
> >imperceptible digital code that can be embedded in any analog or digital
> >material.  The company has established three business units to focus on
> >diverse media applications. Digimarc Media Commerce watermarking solutions
> >enable protection and tracking, and also facilitate e-commerce of digital
> >images, audio, and video. Digimarc Secure Documents provides
> >anti-counterfeiting solutions to deter unauthorized PC-based reproduction of
> >valuable documents such as financial, identification and product packaging.
> >Digimarc MediaBridge - a fundamentally new way for consumers to access the
> >Internet - allows printed materials to become direct portals to relevant
> >destinations on the Internet. Digimarc's vision is to become a standard
> >feature of all media content.  For more information about Digimarc, please
> >visit our Web site at www.digimarc.com
> >
> >This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks
> >and uncertainties. Although Digimarc Corporation believes that the
> >expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable,
> >actual results could differ materially from those expectations. Important
> >cautionary statements and risk factors that would affect actual results are
> >discussed in materials filed by Digimarc Corporation with the Securities and
> >Exchange Commission.
> >
> >Digimarc is a registered trademark and MediaBridge is a trademark of
> >Digimarc Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their
> >respective owners.
> >
> >###
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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>
>Esther Dyson                    Always make new mistakes!
>chairman, EDventure Holdings
>chairman, Internet Corp. for Assigned Names & Numbers
>edyson@edventure.com
>1 (212) 924-8800    --  1 (212) 924-0240 fax
>104 Fifth Avenue (between 15th and 16th Streets; 20th floor)
>New York, NY 10011 USA
>http://www.edventure.com                    http://www.icann.org
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