El Segundo Entrepreneurs Seek Ads
Hopefully, this won't put newspapers out of business.
El Segundo advertisers see green on TV screensBy Muhammed El-Hasan
Staff WriterAt coffee shops, customers wait to order amid the intermingling scents of lattes and cappuccinos.
After ordering, the patrons wait some more as baristas prepare their drinks.
The founders of an El Segundo-based company see these customers as more than just coffee drinkers.
They are a captive audience - at least until they walk out the door.
Ripple, a small company with 40 employees, is trying to capitalize on this captive audience by selling advertisements on a network of monitors it has installed at coffee shops, juice bars, restaurants and other venues where people wait. Launched in 2006, Ripple has placed screens in about 1,000 locations nationwide, including more than half in Southern California.
"It's getting harder to reach people, with TiVo and the Web," said Ali Diab, 33, co-founder and president of products and technology at Ripple. "This is a chance to capture their attention where there's no other competing media at the time."
Powered by $15 million in venture capital, Ripple is found in the large media markets of Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City and Boston. The company recently opened a sales office in New York.
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