Australian listed transit technology and digital out-of-home company XTD Ltd has announced its first corporate expansion with the launch of a new business named Contact Light. The new company is focused on designing and marketing mobile platforms for transport environments
CEO of Contact Light is Mike Boyd, one of Australia’s most experienced digital communications developers and marketers. Boyd is formerly a leading digital business executive within the STW Group, previously working as co-founder and managing director of AppCast, and strategy director for Alpha Salmon – two of STW’s earliest digital acquisitions.
Joining Boyd at Contact Light as director of innovation and user experience is Jamie Skella who has a 15-year career in technology strategy and experience innovation. Skella is formerly a founding member of Tatts Group’s online division, working across TAB and Tatts Lottery products as creative director of user experience. He later moved to BRW’s 2014 No 1 Fast Company, Kloud Solutions and most recently had filled the role of head of user experience at the Australian Football League (AFL).
XTD is the owner and operator of the world’s first cross track digital media and information system designed for the transit networks of major global cities. In Australia XTD operates the cross-track media and information systems within the Melbourne and Brisbane metro rail networks and is in discussions for the installation of the systems in two major Asian cities, as well as in New York.
“We are very close to launching pioneering technologies that provide a direct and valuable connection between our digital out-of-home hardware and people’s mobile devices,” said XTD CEO and Contact Light Chairman Steve Wildisen.
“This is where Contact Light will operate. There are millions of people travelling on metro rail networks worldwide and our new technologies will allow people to extend their digital transit experiences beyond the platform via their mobile devices as they continue their daily routines.”
Boyd said: “This is a completely new and very real opportunity for advertisers to extend and measure engagement between existing out-of-home channels and people’s mobile devices. Our patented platform far exceeds QR codes and NFC, by combining Beacon and WiFi technologies to offer a real-time connection between brands and consumers. Our initial testing has been very encouraging and as we demonstrate the technology to advertisers, transit networks, and out-of-home companies in the APAC region, there has been great interest in our new way of thinking and modelling.”
Contact Light is focusing on digital development involving data, content, mapping, messaging, transactions and analytics, committing to both iOS and Android platforms – especially in Asia where the Android OS far exceeds iOS market share.
