CINCINNATI – Electronic Art, an interactive agency specializing in custom kiosk software, kiosk hardware and integrated Web sites, will be providing services for two new clients, Adplex and Engagement Health.

Electronic Art is creating a kiosk for one of Adplex’s retail food clients as part of its customer loyalty program that allows account management and in-store printing of rewards. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Adplex is a strategic marketing solutions company with a focus on customer relationships and communication that drive measurable value. Visit www.adplex.com for more information.

In addition, Electronic Art has signed Engagement Health, of Westchester, Ill., as a client. Electronic Art will provide kiosk software applications to be used in corporate wellness programs that reduce healthcare costs for both the employee and the corporation. The kiosks incorporate specialty hardware for measurement of blood pressure, weight and other unique data items to help employees monitor their progress towards healthy living. Visit www.engagementhealth.com for more information.

For more information about Electronic Art, contact Tim Burke at (513) 321-1771 or visit www.ElectronicArt.com.

About Electronic Art

Electronic Art (www.ElectronicArt.com) is a Cincinnati-based interactive agency specializing in kiosks and digital signage as well as many related online services. Originally founded in 1998 and incorporated in 2002, Electronic Art began primarily as a Web studio offering high end custom programming, ecommerce, and design. Electronic Art provides custom solutions for many industries in kiosks, digital signage and Web site development. Sales of kiosk and digital signage hardware allow for a complete solution from one vendor, and an onsite IT staff handles build, integration and support needs.

Today we installed another kiosk for the state of Ohio tourism department & the Freedom Center.   The kiosks are part of a program called “Passage to Freedom” which promotes tourism to historical sites throughout the state that relate to the Underground Railroad.  The kiosks also showcase nearby points of interest and events to make a visit to the area complete.

Today’s installation was at the Ohio Historical Society building in Columbus Ohio.  The program uses custom kiosk software written by Electronic Art and our own EasyShip XL model kiosk with additional signage and screen surrounds.  Harlan Graphics supplies the signage and does a really nice job!

The kiosks also utilize the ESP Digital QC Power Filter from www.RealPowerProtection.com which is designed to protect digital equipment from phone, power, & network catastrophic damage and filters disruptive noise found on the AC power line and phone line.  This particular unit is setup to filter power only, which is often a source of hardware damage on electronics.  This little bit of insurance ensures that they will have fewer problems and require fewer field repair visits, which can really add up.

This is the 5th of 6 kiosks purchased for the program to be used onsite at locations to drive traffic and awareness.  The kiosks enhance the web site which is the core of the program (also created and hosted by Electronic Art).  Content is provided by the Freedom Center and the project is sponsored by the state of Ohio and American Express.  Don’t leave home without it.

I recently returned to the office after traveling in Germany and Switzerland for two weeks. Of all of the things I anticipated seeing before I left, I was very interested in seeing differences in everyday life, especially where technology is concerned. What I found was a little disappointing. I saw very few examples of kiosks or digital signage in Germany and Switzerland. What I did see most of was a chain of stores named “Kiosk” where you could buy something to read or eat before hopping on a train. Thumbs up to the Chilis in the Charlotte International Airport though. They had an excellent digital signage application that allowed people to browse the menu and also integrated ads.

I was in my favorite coffee shop this morning (Moca at DeSalles corner) talking to the owner.  He was chatting me up about kiosks and a project we are doing for the state of Ohio.  I then find out he used to work for a local design shop called “Digital Bang” years ago, and they did a few kiosk projects for P&G and others.  He wanted to know what kiosk form factors we used, etc.  as the old kiosks back in 2001 (ancient history…right?) looked so much like big ATM’s and had troublesome components in them.  He said they just never “caught on”.   This started the conversation of the importance of design, not only in interface design, but in structure and enclosures, etc.  I know I’m biased, but I feel that here at Electronic Art we do a good job of creating sexy hardware enclosure designs, not just “easy to build in a wood shop” designs.  We paid an industrial designer to create our initial design for the Easy Ship, which is a zoomy steel pole design.  It is in the Borgata Casino Hotel, Verizon Wireless street teams use it, the Freedom Center uses it, and the state of Ohio is using the new Easy Ship XL.  Just to name a few.   I promise, we will never make the boxy ATM style kiosks.  They are just plain old Ugly!  Design matters, and every touch point with your customer should be of high quality.