Ripple Strikes Deal with Borders
Tweet11/13/07 – El Segundo-based Ripple, which delivers hyper-local content on flat screen panels in public locations, has signed an agreement with Borders bookstores to launch an in-store television network called “Borders TV” in the retailer’s superstores nationwide. The companies say that under the agreement, Ripple will feature original video content from Borders, until now only available on the web, in conjunction with Ripple’s geographically-targeted lifestyle content.
The companies say the programming will initially run at Borders stores in 15 of the country’s largest markets, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, San Francisco, Houston, Phoenix and the Washington, D.C. area. Initially, the service will roll out in 60 Borders stores, with a 250 store roll out planned for 2008.
Borders says its programming includes shows called “Borders Live at 01” and “Borders Presents,” which it says feature performances by artists such as Joss Stone, Patty Griffin and Gomez, along with interviews with influential people like former President Bill Clinton, director Wes Anderson and authors such as Anne Lamott and Calvin Trillin.
Each participating Borders store will have two Ripple screens with both visual and audio content, strategically placed in the multimedia and periodical sections, and will feature news feeds from Reuters, Yahoo! and E! Entertainment, new and bestselling DVDs and CDs, local event calendar listings, and national headlines, according to the companies.
Ripple was founded in 2004 and has built a network of television screens in public locations throughout Washington, California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii, which the company says now consists of more than 500 locations.
In July, the company closed a $10 million series B round of funding led by investors Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Trinity Ventures.
Ripple – www.rippletv.com
