Screeny, a new In-Vehicle Ad-Tech platform for rideshare and taxi drivers, has launched a closed pilot program in Sydney ahead of a broader, interstate launch mid-year.
The first of its kind in Australia, Screeny consists of a customised tablet that serves up digital ads along with value-added experiences like in-vehicle music control, restaurant booking and local deals nearby passenger destinations.
Screeny’s co-founder and Managing Director Dave Jackson said: “Screeny is more than just an ad-serving platform; it’s an interactive, in-vehicle experience that offers locally relevant opportunities for passengers when they’re most useful.
“For drivers, we’ve tried to make Screeny a no-brainer. We set them up with everything they need, including the hardware, training and installation, and they can be up and running in less than 15 minutes. We expect drivers to make more than a thousand dollars a year with Screeny, which should cover their rego and CTP insurance costs and thus lower the barrier to entry for entering the ride-sharing space,” he said.
Screeny is currently running as a closed pilot with half a dozen brand partners in Sydney. It has also partnered with the likes of Groupon, restaurant-booking service Quandoo, and Jimmy Brings to drive customer engagement and interaction.
“Screeny’s blended UX redirects the passenger’s personal device to partner-controlled customer experiences via QR code. For example, if I’m travelling from the CBD to Bondi and I want to browse deals, restaurants, bars and more in the area, when I click the Bondi button, Screeny provides a QR code that redirects my personal device to the relevant opportunities such as Groupon deals near my destination, which I can buy on the spot.“
Within the next three months, Screeny is planning to expand to 200 vehicles in two cities, then 400 vehicles in three cities. By the end of the year/start of next year, Mr Jackson says Screeny will be in 2,000 ride-share vehicles and taxis across Australia and New Zealand.
“We believe Screeny’s timing is auspicious. In-vehicle platforms have been proven in other territories. Additionally, major international players have announced similar initiatives involving partnerships with startups to monetise vehicles. These include Uber’s recent partnership with Cargo and Adomni in the US to provide On-Vehicle Advertising, announced on the same day as our In-Vehicle launch here in Australia.
“As the first company to bring this technology to Australia, we’re 100% focussed on leveraging our existing relationships to grow quickly and deliver results at scale for our globally established clients and partners, this is our number 1 priority,” Jackson.
