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Staff photo by Angie Bean

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Bryan Gottlieb
Special to the Jewish News

David Leider says a benefit of having
GSTV "is the opportunity to run pro-
motions to drive consumers from the
pump to the store."

ucked away in the industrial section of Oak
Park is home to a burgeoning television
network watched by millions — but only as
long as it takes to fill up the gas tank.
In its 6,000-square-foot facility that, outwardly,
looks no different from its more traditional manu-
facturing neighbors, Gas Station TV has banks of
computers and editing equipment that beam content
from several different media networks to more than
5,600 screens at gas stations nationwide.
Founded by Oak Park native David Leider just two
years ago, GSTV has experienced exponential growth
and now employs 37 people, up from a handful when
the venture was launched in 2006. Leider, the com-
pany's CEO, has an extensive traditional advertising
background that, he said, was a natural springboard
for his venture.
"Working in the advertising world, I developed a
passion for creating meaningful content for consum-
ers," he said. "As I did my research in the digital-out-
of-home industry, it became apparent that there
were a few key characteristics a digital out-of-home
network needed to be successful ... TV at the pump
delivers all these elements:'
A University of Michigan graduate, Leider, who
is 42, worked on the account side locally at Doner
Advertising and then moved to Madison Avenue
darling J. Walter Thompson. Most recently; he worked
at Internet bellwether Yahoo! in its strategy and plan-
ning department.
Founding GSTV with the help of private equity
firms IZI Media, based in New York, and Los Angeles-
based DHW Capital, Leider says his market research
validates the effectiveness of advertising at the pump.
According to his statistics, over a three-month
period, gas stations equipped with GSTV experienced
an increase of 69 percent in candy sales, an increase
of 42 percent in washer fluid sales and a whopping 78
percent increase in car wash purchases.
"We spend a significant amount of money on
research," he said."Our advertisers are very pleased
with the level of diligence we place on providing them
quantifiable metrics and insights"
Contracting with market research firm Nielsen to
audit and verify the numbers, Leider says the efficacy
of the video out-of-home medium makes it an attrac-
tive sales vehicle to advertisers.
Unlike traditional broadcast media, the video out-
of-home arena has no standardized way of tracking
its audience, at least not yet. Nielsen, along with its
competitor Arbitron, are in the process of standard-
izing the way companies like GSTV can make claims
of market share to their advertisers.
According to Anne Elliot, Nielsen's vice president
of communications, the company is on track to have
standardized metrics in place within the next few
months but has not set an official date.
"The measurement will draw upon what Nielsen
has learned during many years of custom 'place-
based' audience measurement:' Elliot said. "There
will be a blend of traffic or attendance measurement

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August 14 • 2008

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