Barix Exstreamer 100 Delivers SneakerRadio in New Balance Retail Stores

Barix Exstreamer 100 Delivers SneakerRadio in New Balance Retail Stores

ZURICH, Switzerland, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Barix AG, a pioneer in IP-based audio, intercom and monitoring, announces that SneakerRadio of Wilmington, Delaware, has standardized on Barix IP audio decoders to make its IP in-store media program available in New Balance retail outlets throughout the U.S. The SneakerRadio project is the latest in a series of in-store media wins for Barix in the U.S. and internationally, as the cost-efficiency and reliability of IP for in-store audio delivery receives more attention. Barix will exhibit its in-store media platform technology at the In-Store Marketing Media show in Chicago (September 26-27, Booth #351), and the NAB Radio show in Charlotte, North Carolina (Charlotte Convention Center, September 26-28, Booth #113).

SneakerRadio is an in-store radio station featuring promotional advertising messages custom made for New Balance retail stores. Store owners who purchase the program receive a self-install kit in the mail featuring a Barix Exstreamer 100 IP audio decoder. The Barix device uses the store's existing Internet connection to receive and decode the audio, and connects to a standard audio amplifier, or PA speaker system for playback. The result for retailers and customers is a real-time streaming solution that sounds like a live radio station at the playback location and doesn't require much overhead or maintenance.

"There are multiple mediums out there that inform customers for the purpose of purchasing a product, including print material, billboards, radio and TV," said Mitch Hill, Owner and President of SneakerRadio, LLC. "What seems to have been ignored is reaching people at the store, where a smaller amount of leverage is required to move people to make a purchasing decision. The power of the branded retail radio station is very strong at that point."

John Strojny, owner of five New Balance retail stores in Delaware, Virginia and Washington, D.C., is one of the early adopters of SneakerRadio and reports great success. "The SneakerRadio program appeals to a broad group of customers and the messaging helps to train our employees," said Strojny. "It personalizes our message and makes the store sound more professional. The Barix Exstreamer was easy to set up and provides excellent audio quality. Anything else would be a step down."

SneakerRadio teamed with Barix and StreamGuys, Inc. (http://www.streamguys.com/), a Northern California-based content delivery service that acts as the service provider. The origination point is in Wilmington, where SneakerRadio custom builds and monitors the programming for New Balance. StreamGuys, Inc. distributes the programming over the Internet in the form of Shoutcast streams, and makes multiple streams from different servers available to the stores. This provides a redundant platform for the Barix Exstreamer if the primary stream experiences service issues.

"What we offer together with Barix and StreamGuys, Inc. is a paradigm shift in the way programming can be distributed," said Hill. "It is also much easier to scale on a small-to-large basis since we only need to purchase as much bandwidth as we need to accomplish a specific task. That makes it far less expensive than satellite distribution of background music services."

SneakerRadio has also created a web site http://www.sneakerradio.com/ which allows customers to monitor and manage their account and connection to the Barix Exstreamer 100.

"The Barix Exstreamer plugs into the store's Internet connection and seamlessly handles everything under the hood without requiring operator intervention," Hill continued. "It is the silver bullet solution for distribution of background music to the stores."

Please visit http://www.barix.com/ for more information on Barix in-store media solutions.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Barix AG

CONTACT: Brian Galante of Pipeline Communications, +1-215-659-8111,
briang@pipecomm.com, for Barix AG

Web site:

http://www.barix.com/
http://www.sneakerradio.com/
http://www.streamguys.com/

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