PARIS, Nov. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- JCDecaux SA
(Euronext Paris: DEC), the number one outdoor advertising company
worldwide, announced today that it has launched a US Airports
gaming partnership with Niantic Labs at Google for world travelers
at both John F. Kennedy and Los
Angeles International Airports.
Niantic Lab's game, entitled Ingress, uses Google Maps and a
layer of deep-rooted fictional conceit to create a location-based
Alternate Reality Game (ARG). The vision behind Ingress was
to create a "move-to-play" feel and encourage players to get off
the couch and see the world around them while enjoying a truly
social game. The game is intended to be played globally and
revolves around the idea that there is a strange and powerful
energy force gamers must battle and conquer.
More than 70 Ingress Airport virtual portals using JCDecaux
digital displays have been integrated in the game at JFK and LAX
main gate room areas. With 113 million passengers, both
airports will provide a new dimension to existing and potential new
gamers.
Jean-François Decaux, Chairman of the Executive Board and
Co-CEO of JCDecaux, said: "As we see an increase in media
convergence between out-of-home media and mobile technology, it
seems like a natural evolution to partner with Niantic Labs at
Google on this ground-breaking approach to social gaming based on
location."
John Hanke, General Manager of
Niantic Labs at Google, said: "Ingress marries mobile gaming
and the real world, and we are excited to integrate JCDecaux's
digital display network into the Ingress game which already
includes public artwork and historical sites. Our goal is to
enrich everyday experiences with an element of mystery and fun by
encouraging our users to look for the unexpected, and JCDecaux's
digital displays are now part of that experience."
About Niantic Labs:
Niantic Labs is a division of Google dedicated to creating
mobile computing apps that interact with the real world for
entertainment, education, information and more. Founded in
2011 by the team who created Google Earth, Niantic Labs explores
the possibilities of getting people out in the real world through
the creation of outdoor adventures and interactions with local
environments in brand new ways, using technology. In November 2012, Niantic Labs launched Ingress, the
geo-location-based game which involves players exploring and
interacting with the real world. The mobile gaming app is
currently in closed beta and available for Android devices. For
more information visit www.ingress.com.
Key Figures for the Group
- 2012 revenues: €2,623; Revenues for the first
nine months of 2013: €1,895.1m
- JCDecaux is listed on the Eurolist of Euronext Paris
and is part of the Euronext 100 index
- No.1 worldwide in street furniture (434,700
advertising panels)
- No.1 worldwide in transport advertising with more than
150 airports and more than 280 contracts in metros, buses, trains
and tramways (358,100 advertising panels)
- No.1 in Europe for
billboards (199,600 advertising panels)
- No.1 in outdoor advertising in the Asia-Pacific region (205,000 advertising
panels)
- No.1 worldwide for self-service bicycle
hire
- 1,002,800 advertising panels in more than 55
countries
- Present in 3,700 cities with more than 10,000
inhabitants
- 10,484 employees
SOURCE JCDecaux SA
